Bhishma Teaches the Fourfold Yoga of Meditation

Verse 1 (12.193.1)

हन्त वक्ष्यामि ते पार्थ ध्यानयोगं चतुर्विधम् । यं ज्ञात्वा शाश्वतीं सिद्धिं गच्छन्तीह महर्षयः ॥

hanta vakṣyāmi te pārtha dhyānayogaṃ caturvidham | yaṃ jñātvā śāśvatīṃ siddhiṃ gacchantīha maharṣayaḥ

Listen, Partha: I shall teach you the fourfold yoga of meditation, knowing which the great seers here attain lasting perfection.

Verse 2 (12.193.2)

यथा स्वनुष्ठितं ध्यानं तथा कुर्वन्ति योगिनः । महर्षयो ज्ञानतृप्ता निर्वाणगतमानसाः ॥

yathā svanuṣṭhitaṃ dhyānaṃ tathā kurvanti yoginaḥ | maharṣayo jñānatṛptā nirvāṇagatamānasāḥ

Yogins practise meditation as it should be well performed - the great seers who are content with knowledge, their minds set on liberation.

Verse 3 (12.193.3)

नावर्तन्ते पुनः पार्थ मुक्ताः संसारदोषतः । जन्मदोषपरिक्षीणाः स्वभावे पर्युपस्थिताः ॥

nāvartante punaḥ pārtha muktāḥ saṃsāradoṣataḥ | janmadoṣaparikṣīṇāḥ svabhāve paryupasthitāḥ

They do not return again, O Partha, freed from the faults of worldly existence, with the faults of birth worn away, established in their own nature.

Note on the text: Corrected अन्मदोषपरिक्षीणाः → जन्मदोषपरिक्षीणाः (misprint in Wikisource; अ for ज; CE janmadoṣaparikṣīṇāḥ). Wikisource's स्वभावे पर्युपस्थिताः against the CE's svabhāve paryavasthitāḥ is a recension variant (the page's footnote cites पर्यवस्थिताः), kept.

Verse 4 (12.193.4)

निर्द्वन्द्वा नित्यसत्वस्था विमुक्तिं नित्यमाश्रिताः । असङ्गीन्यविवादीनि मनः शान्तिकराणि च ॥

nirdvandvā nityasatvasthā vimuktiṃ nityamāśritāḥ | asaṅgīnyavivādīni manaḥ śāntikarāṇi ca

Free from the pairs of opposites, ever established in goodness, always resorting to liberation, their ways are unattached, free of dispute, and bring peace to the mind.

Note on the text: Corrected नित्यमश्रिताः → नित्यमाश्रिताः (dropped ā-mātrā in Wikisource; CE āśritāḥ). Wikisource's विमुक्तिं against the CE's vimuktā is a recension variant, kept.

Verse 5 (12.193.5)

तत्र ध्यानेन संश्लिष्टमेकाग्रे धारयेन्मनः । तत्र च ध्यानसंरोधादथ ज्ञानी भवत्युत ॥

tatra dhyānena saṃśliṣṭamekāgre dhārayenmanaḥ | tatra ca dhyānasaṃrodhādatha jñānī bhavatyuta

There, with the mind joined to meditation, one should hold it on a single point; and there, by restraint in meditation, one becomes a knower.

Note on the text: Line 1 corresponds to CE 12.188.5a (Wikisource ध्यानेन संश्लिष्टमेकाग्रे against the CE's svādhyāyasaṃśliṣṭam ekāgraṃ: recension variant, kept). Line 2 (तत्र च ध्यानसंरोधादथ ज्ञानी भवत्युत) is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 6 (12.193.6)

चतुर्विधेषु भावेषु योऽर्थसक्तः सदैव हि । तज्ज्ञात्वा वास्तवं तेषामर्थेषु परिवर्तते । पिण्डीकृत्येन्द्रियग्राममासीनः काष्ठवन्मुनिः ॥

caturvidheṣu bhāveṣu yo'rthasaktaḥ sadaiva hi | tajjñātvā vāstavaṃ teṣāmartheṣu parivartate | piṇḍīkṛtyendriyagrāmamāsīnaḥ kāṣṭhavanmuniḥ

One who is ever attached to the objects within the four kinds of states, understanding their real nature, moves among those objects; the sage sits like a log of wood, having drawn the whole host of the senses together.

Note on the text: Three-line verse, as on the page (labelled 12-193-6a/b/c). Lines 1-2 (चतुर्विधेषु भावेषु … अर्थेषु परिवर्तते) are not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); line 3 is CE 12.188.5c (piṇḍīkṛtyendriyagrāmam āsīnaḥ kāṣṭhavan muniḥ).

Verse 7 (12.193.7)

शब्दं न विन्देच्छ्रोत्रेण त्वचा स्पर्शं न वेदयेत् । रूपं न चक्षुषा विद्याज्जिह्वया न रसांस्तथा ॥

śabdaṃ na vindecchrotreṇa tvacā sparśaṃ na vedayet | rūpaṃ na cakṣuṣā vidyājjihvayā na rasāṃstathā

He should not take in sound with the ear, nor feel touch with the skin; he should not know form with the eye, nor tastes with the tongue.

Verse 8 (12.193.8)

घ्रेयाण्यपि च सर्वाणि जह्याद्घ्राणेन योगवित् । पञ्चवर्गप्रमाथीनि नेच्छेच्चैतानि वीर्यवान् ॥

ghreyāṇyapi ca sarvāṇi jahyādghrāṇena yogavit | pañcavargapramāthīni neccheccaitāni vīryavān

And the knower of yoga should give up all smells through the nose; the vigorous man should not wish for these things that agitate the group of five.

Note on the text: Corrected जह्याद्राणेन → जह्याद्घ्राणेन (misprint in Wikisource; the conjunct घ्र is dropped; smallest fix giving the evident word, parallel to श्रोत्रेण, चक्षुषा, जिह्वया in the previous verse). The CE reads jahyād dhyānena yogavit here; Wikisource's reading is kept as corrected.

Verse 9 (12.193.9)

ततो मनसि संसृज्य पञ्चवर्गं विचक्षणः । समादध्यान्मनो भ्रान्तमिन्द्रियैः सह पञ्चभिः ॥

tato manasi saṃsṛjya pañcavargaṃ vicakṣaṇaḥ | samādadhyānmano bhrāntamindriyaiḥ saha pañcabhiḥ

Then the wise man, joining the group of five to the mind, should steady the wandering mind together with the five senses.

Note on the text: Corrected पञ्चवर्ग → पञ्चवर्गं (dropped anusvara in Wikisource; CE pañcavargaṃ) and पञ्चमिः → पञ्चभिः (misprint in Wikisource; म for भ; CE pañcabhiḥ).

Verse 10 (12.193.10)

विसंचारि निरालम्बं पञ्चद्वारं चलाचलम् । पूर्वं ध्यानपदे धीरः समादध्यान्मनो नरः ॥

visaṃcāri nirālambaṃ pañcadvāraṃ calācalam | pūrvaṃ dhyānapade dhīraḥ samādadhyānmano naraḥ

Restless, unsupported, five-doored, ever moving - the steadfast man should first fix the mind in the path of meditation.

Note on the text: Wikisource's ध्यानपदे (the page's footnote cites ध्यानपथे) and मनो नरः against the CE's dhyānapathe … mano 'ntaram are recension variants, kept.

Verse 11 (12.193.11)

इन्द्रियाणि मनश्चैव यदा पिण्डीकरोत्ययम् । एष ध्यानपथः पूर्वो मया समनुवर्णितः ॥

indriyāṇi manaścaiva yadā piṇḍīkarotyayam | eṣa dhyānapathaḥ pūrvo mayā samanuvarṇitaḥ

When a man draws the senses and the mind together, that is the first path of meditation, as I have described it.

Note on the text: Corrected एव → एष (misprint in Wikisource; व for ष; CE eṣa).

Verse 12 (12.193.12)

तस्य तत्पूर्वसंरुद्धमात्मषष्ठं मनोऽन्तरा । स्फुरिष्यति समुद्भ्रान्तं विद्युदम्बुधरे यथा ॥

tasya tatpūrvasaṃruddhamātmaṣaṣṭhaṃ mano'ntarā | sphuriṣyati samudbhrāntaṃ vidyudambudhare yathā

In him that sixth, the mind, formerly held in check, will flash about within, bewildered, like lightning in a cloud.

Note on the text: Corrected संरुद्धमात्सषष्ठं → संरुद्धमात्मषष्ठं (i.e. आत्सषष्ठं → आत्मषष्ठं; misprint in Wikisource; स for म; the CE reads manaḥṣaṣṭham anantaram, a different wording, not substituted) and समुद्धान्तं → समुद्भ्रान्तं (broken conjunct in Wikisource; CE samudbhrāntam).

Verse 13 (12.193.13)

जलबिन्दुर्यथा लोलः पर्णस्थः सर्वतश्चलः । एवमेवास्य तच्चित्तं भ्रमति ध्यानवर्त्मनि ॥

jalabinduryathā lolaḥ parṇasthaḥ sarvataścalaḥ | evamevāsya taccittaṃ bhramati dhyānavartmani

Like a trembling drop of water on a leaf, moving in every direction, so his mind wanders in the path of meditation.

Verse 14 (12.193.14)

समाहितं क्षणं किंचिद्ध्यानवर्त्मनि तिष्ठति । पुनर्वायुपथं प्राप्तं मनो भवति वायुवत् ॥

samāhitaṃ kṣaṇaṃ kiṃciddhyānavartmani tiṣṭhati | punarvāyupathaṃ prāptaṃ mano bhavati vāyuvat

For a moment it stays steady in the path of meditation; then, reaching the path of the wind again, the mind becomes like the wind.

Verse 15 (12.193.15)

अनिर्वेदो गतक्लेशो गततन्द्रीरमत्सरः । समादध्यात्पुनश्चेतो ध्यानेन ध्यानयोगवित् ॥

anirvedo gatakleśo gatatandrīramatsaraḥ | samādadhyātpunaśceto dhyānena dhyānayogavit

Without despondency, free from distress, free from drowsiness and from envy, the knower of meditation-yoga should again steady the mind through meditation.

Verse 16 (12.193.16)

विचारश्च विवेकश्च वितर्कश्चोपजायते । मुनेः समादधानस्य प्रथमं ध्यानमादितः ॥

vicāraśca vivekaśca vitarkaścopajāyate | muneḥ samādadhānasya prathamaṃ dhyānamāditaḥ

Reflection, discrimination and discursive thought arise for the sage who is steadying his mind; this is the first meditation, at the beginning.

Verse 17 (12.193.17)

मनसा क्लिश्यमानस्तु समाधानं च कारयेत् । न निर्वेदं मुनिर्गच्छेत्कुर्यादेवात्मनो हितम् ॥

manasā kliśyamānastu samādhānaṃ ca kārayet | na nirvedaṃ munirgacchetkuryādevātmano hitam

Though the mind torments him, he should still bring about concentration; the sage should not fall into despair, but do what is good for himself.

Verse 18 (12.193.18)

पांसुभस्मकरीषाणां यथा वै राशयश्चिताः । सहसा वारिणा सिक्ता न यान्ति परिभावनम् ॥

pāṃsubhasmakarīṣāṇāṃ yathā vai rāśayaścitāḥ | sahasā vāriṇā siktā na yānti paribhāvanam

As heaps of dust, ashes and dried dung, when suddenly sprinkled with water, do not become soaked through,

Verse 19 (12.193.19)

किंचित्स्निग्धं यथा च स्याच्छुष्कचूर्णमभावितम् । क्रमशस्तु शनैर्गच्छेत्सर्वं तत्परिभावनम् ॥

kiṃcitsnigdhaṃ yathā ca syācchuṣkacūrṇamabhāvitam | kramaśastu śanairgacchetsarvaṃ tatparibhāvanam

so, if some moisture is there, a dry powder not yet soaked will in time, step by step and slowly, become soaked all through.

Verse 20 (12.193.20)

एवमेवेन्द्रियग्रामं शनैः संपरिभावयेत् । संहरेत्क्रमशश्चैनं स सम्यक्प्रशमिष्यति ॥

evamevendriyagrāmaṃ śanaiḥ saṃparibhāvayet | saṃharetkramaśaścainaṃ sa samyakpraśamiṣyati

In the same way one should slowly saturate the host of senses and draw them in step by step; thus he will become perfectly calm.

Verse 21 (12.193.21)

स्वयमेव मनश्चैवं पञ्चवर्गं च भारत । पूर्वं ध्यानपथे स्थाप्य नित्ययोगेन शाम्यति ॥

svayameva manaścaivaṃ pañcavargaṃ ca bhārata | pūrvaṃ dhyānapathe sthāpya nityayogena śāmyati

So the mind itself and the group of five, O Bharata, having first been placed on the path of meditation, grow calm through constant yoga.

Verse 22 (12.193.22)

न तत्पुरुषकारेण न च दैवेन केनचित् । सुखमेष्यति तत्तस्य न भवन्ति विपत्तयः ॥

na tatpuruṣakāreṇa na ca daivena kenacit | sukhameṣyati tattasya na bhavanti vipattayaḥ

Not by human effort, nor by any fate, will that happiness come to him; and no misfortunes befall him.

Note on the text: Wikisource's सुखमेष्यति तत्तस्य न भवन्ति विपत्तयः against the CE's sukham eṣyati tat tasya yad evaṃ saṃyatātmanaḥ is a recension variant, kept.

Verse 23 (12.193.23)

सुखेन तेन संयुक्तो रंस्यते ध्यानकर्मणि । गच्छन्ति योगिनो ह्येवं निर्वाणं तन्निरामयम् ॥

sukhena tena saṃyukto raṃsyate dhyānakarmaṇi | gacchanti yogino hyevaṃ nirvāṇaṃ tannirāmayam

United with that happiness, he will delight in the work of meditation; so yogins attain nirvana, free from all ill.

Note on the text: Corrected रस्यते → रंस्यते (dropped anusvara in Wikisource; CE raṃsyate).