शुभाभावात् सुखाभावे स्थितिं याते विलक्षणाः । कीदृश्यः कथम् आयाताः का वा ता दुःखसंविदः
When auspiciousness and happiness are absent and have ceased, what are these distinct states, how do they arise, and what are those experiences of suffering?
सुखम् अन्ते तदन्तोत्था स्वबीजं वितनोति या । शान्तं दुःखदशा सेयं कथम् अन्तरिते सुखे
When happiness ends and its own seed gives rise to it again, how does this tranquil state of suffering exist when happiness is absent?
क्षीणाभ्यां सुखदुःखाभ्यां हेयोपादेययोः क्षये । ईप्सितानीप्सिते क्व स्तो गलिते ऽथ शुभाशुभे
When happiness and suffering are exhausted, and what is to be rejected and accepted has ceased, where are the desired and undesired, and where are the auspicious and inauspicious when all have vanished?
रम्यारम्यदृशोर् नाशाच् छान्ते भोगाभिवाञ्छने । नैराश्यसन्ततिप्रौढे हिमवद् विगलेन् मनः
When pleasant and unpleasant perceptions are destroyed, and the longing for enjoyment is stilled, and the stream of disappointment is strong, the mind melts away like snow.
आ मूलान् मनसि क्षीणे सङ्कल्पस्य कथैव का । तिलेष्व् एवातिदग्धेषु तैलस्य कलना कुतः
When the root of thought is exhausted in the mind, how can any trace remain? When sesame seeds are thoroughly burned, how can oil be found?
भावेष्व् अभावघनभावनया महात्मा निर्मुक्तसङ्कलनम् अम्बरवत् स्थितेषु । चित्तं प्रति स्वमुदितो विदितैकरूपी ज्ञस् तिष्ठति स्वपिति जीवति नित्यतृप्तः
When the great soul, free from all conceptualization, abides among phenomena with the contemplation of their absence, like the sky, the mind, awakened to its own nature, stands, sleeps, lives, and is ever content, knowing itself as one.
यथालातपरिस्पन्दाद् अग्निचक्रं प्रवर्तते । असद् एव सदाभासं चित्तस्पन्दात् तथा जगत्
Just as a circle of fire arises from the movement of a firebrand, so too the world, though unreal, appears real due to the vibration of the mind.
यथा जलपरिस्पन्दाद् व्यतिरिक्त इवाम्भसः । दृश्यते वर्तुलावर्तश् चित्तस्पन्दात् तथा जगत्
Just as a circular whirlpool, seemingly distinct from water, is seen due to the movement of water, so too the world arises from the vibration of the mind.
यथा व्योम्नीक्षितस्पन्दात् पिञ्छमौक्तिकमण्डलम् । दृश्यते सद् इवासत्यं चित्तस्पन्दात् तथा जगत्
Just as a cluster of pearls appears in the sky from the movement of a feather, seeming real though it is not, so too the world arises from the vibration of the mind.
येन प्रस्पन्दते चित्तं येन न स्पन्दते ऽथ वा । तद् ब्रह्मन् ब्रूहि मे येन चिकित्स्येत तद् एव हि
Tell me, by what does the mind vibrate, and by what does it not vibrate? That alone is Brahman; speak to me of that, by which it may be healed.
यथा शौक्ल्यहिमे राम तिलतैललवौ यथा । यथा कुसुमसौगन्ध्ये तथौष्ण्यदहनौ यथा
Just as whiteness is in snow, O Rama, just as oil is in sesame seeds, just as fragrance is in flowers, and just as heat is in fire,
रघुनन्दन संश्लिष्टौ चित्तस्पन्दौ तथैव हि । अभिन्नौ केवलं मिथ्या भेदः कल्पित एतयोः
So too, O descendant of Raghu, the vibration of the mind and the mind itself are inseparably united; only an imagined distinction exists between them, which is false.
चित्तचित्तपरिस्पन्दपक्षयोर् एकसङ्क्षये । स्वयं गुणगुणिस्थित्या नश्यतो द्वौ न संशयः
When either the vibration of the mind or the mind itself ceases, both perish of their own accord, by the nature of attribute and possessor; there is no doubt.
द्वौ क्रमौ चित्तनाशस्य योगो ज्ञानं च राघव । योगस् तद्वृत्तिरोधो हि ज्ञानं सम्यगवेक्षणम्
There are two methods for the dissolution of the mind, O Raghava: yoga and knowledge. Yoga is the restraint of its activities, and knowledge is clear discernment.
कया कीदृक्षया वृत्त्या प्राणापाननिबद्धया । योगनाम्न्या मनश् शान्तिम् एत्य् अनन्तसुखप्रदाम्
By what means, with what kind of effort, and with what activity, when the mind is restrained by the regulation of prāṇa and apāna and called yoga, does it attain peace that bestows infinite happiness?
देहे ऽस्मिन् देहनाडीषु वातस् स्फुरति यो ऽभितः । स्खदास्व् इव भुवो वारि स प्राण इति कीर्तितः
In this body, within the bodily channels, the air that moves everywhere is called prāṇa, just as water is found in the veins of the earth.
तस्य स्पन्दवशाद् अन्तः क्रियावैचित्र्यम् ईयुषः । अपानादीनि नामानि कल्पितानि कृतात्मभिः
Because of its various movements within, those who have discerned the self have designated its different functions with names such as apāna and others.
आमोदस्य यथा पुष्पं शौक्ल्यस्य तुहिनं यथा । तथैष रथ आधारश् चित्तस्याभिन्नतां गतः
Just as fragrance belongs to a flower, or whiteness to snow, so this vehicle (prāṇa) has become inseparable from the mind as its support.
अन्तःप्राणपरिस्पन्दात् सङ्कल्पकलनोन्मुखी । संवित् सञ्जायते यैषा तच् चित्तं विद्धि राघव
From the inner vibration of prāṇa, consciousness arises, inclined toward the formation of thoughts and concepts; know this as the mind, O Raghava.
प्राणस्पन्दं विदुस् स्पन्दं तत्स्पन्दाद् एव संविदः । चक्रावर्तविधायिन्यो जलस्पन्दाद् इवोर्मयः
The wise know the movement of prāṇa as the movement of consciousness itself; just as waves arise from the movement of water, so do the cycles of consciousness arise from the vibration of prāṇa.
चित्तं प्राणपरिस्पन्दम् आहुर् आगमभूषणाः । तस्मिन् संरोधिते नूनम् उपशान्तं भवेन् मनः
The teachers adorned with the scriptures declare that the mind is the movement of prāṇa; when that is truly restrained, the mind becomes tranquil.
मनस्स्पन्दोपशान्त्यायं संसारः प्रविलीयते । सूर्यालोकपरिस्पन्दशान्तौ व्यवहृतिर् यथा
When the agitation of the mind subsides, this worldly existence dissolves, just as activity ceases when the sunlight is withdrawn.
अनिशं चरतां देहगेहे गहनगामिनाम् । प्राणादीनां परिस्पन्दो वायूनां रोध्यते कथम्
How can the movement of the life-forces, which wander ceaselessly in the body’s abode and travel deep within, be restrained?
शास्त्रसज्जनसम्पर्काद् वैराग्याभ्यासयोगतः । अनास्थायां कृतास्थायां पूर्वं संसारवृत्तिषु
Through contact with scripture and noble people, by the practice of dispassion and yoga, and by withdrawing interest from former worldly pursuits—
यथाभिवाञ्छितध्यानाच् चिरम् एकतयोदितात् । एतत्तत्त्वघनाभ्यासात् प्राणस्पन्दो निरुध्यते
By meditating as one truly desires, for a long time and with one-pointedness, and by the repeated practice of this essential truth, the movement of the life-force is restrained.
पूरकादिनिजायामदृढाभ्यासाद् अखेदजात् । एकान्तध्यानसंयोगात् प्राणस्पन्दो निरुध्यते
Through firm and tireless practice of one’s own breath—such as inhalation and the rest—and by union with solitary meditation, the movement of the life-force is restrained.
ओङ्कारोच्चारणप्रान्तशब्दतत्त्वानुधावनात् । सुषुप्ते संविदो जाते प्राणस्पन्दो निरुध्यते
By pursuing the essence of sound to its end through the utterance of Om, and when consciousness enters deep sleep, the movement of the life-force is restrained.
रेचके नूनम् अभ्यस्ते प्राणे स्फारं खम् आगते । न स्पृशत्य् अङ्गरन्ध्राणि प्राणस्पन्दो निरुध्यते
When exhalation is well practiced and the breath expands into the vast sky, it does not touch the body’s channels; thus, the movement of the life-force is restrained.
कुम्भके पूर्ववत् कालम् अनन्तं परितिष्ठति । अभ्यासात् स्तम्भिते प्राणे प्राणस्पन्दो निरुध्यते
In breath retention, as before, the breath remains for a long, indefinite time; through practice, when the breath is stilled, the movement of the life-force is restrained.
तालुमूलगतां यत्नाज् जिह्वयाक्रम्य घण्टिकाम् । ऊर्ध्वरन्ध्रगते प्राणे प्राणस्पन्दो निरुध्यते
When, by effort, the tongue presses the uvula at the root of the palate, and the breath is directed to the upper aperture, the movement of the breath is restrained.