Vayu Purana

यथा दीपो निवातस्यो नेङ्गते सोपमा स्मृता। प्रागुदक्प्रवणे देशे तस्माद्युञ्जीत योगवित् ।। १९.

Just as a lamp in a windless place does not flicker, so is this analogy remembered; therefore, in a place sloping to the east or north, the knower of yoga should practice.

प्राणे च रमते नित्यं चक्षुषोः स्पर्शने तथा। श्रोत्रे मनसि बुद्धौ च तथा वक्षसि धारयेत्। न तस्य धारणायोगाद्वायुः सर्वं प्रवर्त्तते ।। १९.

He should always dwell in the breath, in the touch of the eyes, in the ears, in the mind, in the intellect, and in the chest; by the practice of concentration, the wind does not move everywhere.

कालघर्मझ्च विज्ञाय समूह़ञ्चैव सर्वशः। द्वादशाध्यात्ममित्येवं योगधारणमुच्यते ।। १९.

Having understood the time, the heat, and all the groups, the twelvefold inner self—thus is described the concentration of yoga.

शतमष्ट शतं वापि धारणां मूर्ध्नि धारयेत्। न तस्य धारणायोगाद्वायुः सर्वं प्रवर्तते ।। १९.

One should hold the concentration at the crown a hundred or a hundred and eight times; by the practice of concentration, the wind does not move everywhere.

ततस्त्वापूरयेद्देहमोङ्कारेण समाहितः। अथोङ्कारमयो योगी न क्षरेत्त्वक्षरी भवेत् । १९.

Then, with mind collected, one should fill the body with Om; thus, the yogi made of Om does not perish but becomes imperishable.

अत ऊर्द्ध्वं प्रवक्ष्यामि ओङ्कारप्राप्तिलक्षणम्। एष त्रिमात्रो विज्ञेयो व्यञ्जनञ्चात्र सस्वरम् ।। २०.

Now I shall explain the characteristics of attaining Om; it is to be known as having three measures, and here the syllable is with its accent.

प्रथमा वैद्युती मात्रा द्वितीया तामसी स्मृता। तृतीया निर्गुणी विद्यान्मात्रामक्षरगामिनीम् ।। २०.

The first measure is called 'lightning-like,' the second is said to be 'tamas,' and the third is to be known as 'without qualities,' leading to the imperishable syllable.

गन्धर्वीति च विज्ञेयो गान्धारस्वरसम्भवा। पिपीलिकासमस्पर्शा प्रयुक्ता मूर्द्नि लक्ष्यते ।। २०.

It is to be known as 'gandharvi,' arising from the Gandhara note; subtle as the touch of an ant, when applied, it is perceived at the crown.

तथा प्रयुक्तमोङ्कारं प्रतिनिर्वाति मूर्द्धनि । तथोङ्कारमयो योगी ह्यक्षरे त्वक्षरी भवेत् ।। २०.

Thus, when Om is applied, it resounds at the crown; then the yogi made of Om becomes imperishable in the imperishable.

प्रणवो धनुः शरो ह्यात्मा ब्रह्म तल्लक्ष्यमुच्यते। अप्रमत्तेन चेद्वध्यं शरवत्तन्मयो भवेत् ।। २०.

Om is the bow, the self is truly the arrow, and Brahman is said to be the target; if, with concentration, one strikes, he becomes one with that, like an arrow.

ओमित्येकाक्षरं ब्रह्म गुहायां निहितं पदम्। ओमित्येतत्रयो वेदास्त्रयो लोकास्त्रयोऽग्नयः। विष्णुक्रमास्त्रयस्त्वेते ऋक्सामानि यजूंषि च ।। २०.

Om, the single-syllabled Brahman, is the supreme state hidden in the cave; Om—these are the three Vedas, the three worlds, the three fires, the three steps of Vishnu, and the Ṛk, Sāman, and Yajus hymns.

मात्राश्चात्र चतस्रस्तु विज्ञेयाः परमार्थतः। तत्र युक्तश्च यो योगी तस्य सालोक्यतां व्रजेत् ।। २०.

Here, four measures are to be understood in their highest sense; the yogi who is established in them attains to the same world.

अकारस्त्वक्षरो ज्ञेय उकारः स्वरितः स्मृतः। मकारस्तु प्लुतो ज्ञेयस्त्रिमात्र इति संज्ञितः ।। २०.

The letter 'a' is to be known as short, 'u' is called medium, and 'm' is to be known as long; thus, it is designated as having three measures.

अकारस्त्वथ भूर्लोक उकारो भुवरुच्यते। सव्यञ्जनो मकारश्च स्वर्ल्लोकश्च विधीयते ।। २०.

'A' is said to be the earth world, 'u' is called the mid-region, and the consonant 'm' is prescribed as the heavenly world.

ओङ्कारस्तु त्रयो लोकाः शिरस्तस्य त्रिविष्टपम्। भुवनान्तञ्च तत्सर्वं ब्राह्मं तत्पदमुच्यते ।। २०.

The syllable Om is the three worlds; its head is heaven, and all the worlds up to their end are called the Brahman state.

मात्रापदं रुद्रलोको ह्यमात्रस्तु शिवं पदम्। एवन्ध्यानविशेषेण तत्पदं समुपासते ।। २०.

The measured state is the world of Rudra; the unmeasured is the state of Shiva. In this way, through special meditation, that state is worshipped.

तस्माद्धयानरतिर्नित्यममात्रं हि तदक्षरम्। उपास्यं हि प्रयत्नेन शाश्वतं पदमिच्छता ।। २०.

Therefore, one who always delights in meditation should diligently worship that unmeasured syllable, desiring the eternal state.

हृस्वा तु प्रथमा मात्रा ततो दीर्घा त्वनन्तरम्। ततः प्लुतवती चैव तृतीया उपदिश्यते ।। २०.

The first measure is short, then the second is long, and the third, which is taught, is like the prolonged.

एतास्तु मात्रा विज्ञेया यथावदनुपूर्वशः । यावच्चैव तु शक्यन्ते धार्यन्ते तावदेव हि ।। २०.

These measures are to be understood properly and in order; they are to be held only as long as one is able.

इन्द्रियाणि मनो बुद्धिं ध्यायन्नात्मनि यः सदा । अत्राष्टमात्रमपिचेच्छृणुयात्फलमाप्नुयात् ।। २०.

Whoever always meditates within himself on the senses, mind, and intellect, and hears even the eighth measure here, attains the fruit.

मासे मासेऽश्वमेधेन यो यजेत शतं समाः । न स तत् प्राप्नुयात् पुण्यं मात्रया यदवाप्नुयात् ।। २०.

Even one who performs the horse sacrifice every month for a hundred years does not obtain the merit that is gained by a single measure.

अब्बिन्दुं यः कुशाग्रेण मासे मासे पिबेन्नरः। संवत्सरशतं पूर्णं मात्रया तदवाप्नुयात् ।। २०.

Whoever drinks water without a drop, using a blade of grass, every month for a full hundred years, attains that by a measure.

इष्टापूर्त्तस्य यज्ञस्य सत्यवाक्ये च यत् फलम्। अभक्षणे च मांसस्य मात्रया तदवाप्नुयात् ।। २०.

The fruit that comes from sacrifices, gifts, truthfulness, and abstaining from meat is attained by a measure.

स्वाम्यर्थे युध्यमानानां शूराणामनिवर्त्तिनाम्। यद्भवेत्तत् फलं दृष्टं मात्रया तदवाप्नुयात् ।। २०.

The reward seen for brave warriors who fight for their lord and do not turn back is attained by a measure.

न तथा तपसोग्रेण न यज्ञैर्भूरिदक्षिणैः। यत् फलं प्राप्नुयात् सम्यग् मात्रया तदवाप्नुयात् ।। २०.

Not by severe austerity, nor by sacrifices with many gifts, does one obtain the fruit that is fully gained by a measure.

तत्र वै योऽर्द्धमात्रो यः प्लुतो नामोपदिश्यते। एषा एव भवेत् कार्या गृहस्थानान्तु योगिनाम् ।। २०.

There, what is called the half-measure, which is prolonged, should indeed be practiced by householders and yogis.

एषा चैव विशेषेण ऐश्वर्यसमलक्षणा। योगिनान्तु विशेषेण ऐश्वर्ये ह्यष्टलक्षणे। अणिमाद्येति विज्ञेया तस्माद्युञ्जीत तां द्विजः ।। २०.

This, in particular, is marked by lordly powers; for yogis especially, it is known as the eightfold power, beginning with animā; therefore, the twice-born should practice it.

एवं हि योगी संयुक्तः शुचिर्द्दान्तो जितेन्द्रियः। आत्मानं विन्दते यस्तु स सर्वं विन्दते द्विजः ।। २०.

Thus, the yogi who is disciplined, pure, self-controlled, and master of his senses, finds his own self; and whoever finds his self, O twice-born, finds all.

ऋचो यजूंषि सामानि वेदोपनिषदस्तथा। योगज्ञानादवाप्नोति ब्राह्मणो ध्यानचिन्तकः ।। २०.

The Brāhmaṇa who contemplates through meditation attains the Ṛg, Yajur, and Sāma Vedas, as well as the Upaniṣads, through yogic knowledge.