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.
समस्तकलनोन्मुक्ते नकिञ्चिन्नाम्नि सूक्ष्मखे । ध्यानात् संविदि लीनायां प्राणस्पन्दो निरुध्यते
When, through meditation, all mental constructions are dissolved and consciousness merges into the subtle space called 'nothing at all,' the movement of the breath is restrained.
द्वादशाङ्गुलपर्यन्ते नासाग्रे विमलाम्बरे । सम्यग् दृशोः प्रशाम्यन्त्योः प्राणस्पन्दो निरुध्यते
When, at the tip of the nose, in the pure space extending twelve finger-breadths, and as the sight comes to rest perfectly, the movement of the breath is restrained.
अभ्यासाद् ऊर्ध्वरन्ध्रेण तालूर्ध्वद्वादशान्तगे । प्राणे गलितसंवित्तौ प्राणस्पन्दो निरुध्यते
Through practice, when the breath ascends through the upper aperture to the twelve-finger-breadth point above the palate, and awareness dissolves, the movement of the breath is restrained.
भ्रूमध्ये तारकालोकशान्ताव् अस्तम् उपागते । चेतने केतने बुद्धेः प्राणस्पन्दो निरुध्यते
When, in the space between the eyebrows, the star-like light of tranquility sets, and consciousness, the banner of intellect, subsides, the movement of the breath is restrained.
चिरं कालं हृदेकान्तव्योमसंवेदनान् मुनेः । अवासनमनोध्यानात् प्राणस्पन्दो निरुध्यते
When, for a long time, the sage abides in the awareness of the inner sky of the heart, and the mind is free from impressions and meditation, the movement of the breath is restrained.
ब्रह्मञ् जगति भूतानां हृदयं तत् किम् उच्यते । इदं सर्वं महादर्शे यस्मिंस् तत् प्रतिबिम्बति
O Brahman, what is called the heart of all beings in the world? It is that in which all this is reflected, like a great mirror.
साधो जगति भूतानां द्विविधं हृदयं स्थितम् । उपादेयं च हेयं च विभागो ऽयं तयोश् शृणु
O noble one, in the world, the heart of beings is of two kinds: one to be accepted and one to be rejected. Listen to the distinction between the two.
इयत्तया परिच्छिन्ने देहे यद् वक्षसो ऽन्तरे । हेयं तद् धृदयं विद्धि तनाव् एकतटे स्थितम्
Know that the heart, which is to be discarded, is situated as a limited thing within the body, specifically in the region of the chest, resting on one side of the slender body.
संविन्मात्रं तु हृदयम् उपादेयं नृणां स्मृतम् । तद् अन्तरे च बाह्ये च न च बाह्ये न चान्तरे
But the heart that is to be accepted, it is said, is pure consciousness alone in people; it is neither inside nor outside, and yet it is both inside and outside.
तत् तत्प्रधानं हृदयं तत्रेदं समवस्थितम् । तद् आदर्शः पदार्थानां तत् कोशस् सर्वसम्पदाम्
That heart, which is predominant in each case, is where this world abides; it is the mirror of all objects, the treasury of all riches.