The Mystic Perfections of Yoga

Verse 1 (bhagavata.11.15.1)

श्रीभगवानुवाच जितेन्द्रियस्य युक्तस्य जितश्वासस्य योगिनः । मयि धारयतश्चेत उपतिष्ठन्ति सिद्धयः ॥ 15.1 ॥

śrī-bhagavān uvāca jitendriyasya yuktasya jita-śvāsasya yoginaḥ mayi dhārayataś ceta upatiṣṭhanti siddhayaḥ

The Blessed Lord said: For the yogi who has mastered the senses, is disciplined, has conquered the breath, and holds the mind fixed on Me, the mystic perfections present themselves of their own accord.

Verse 2 (bhagavata.11.15.2)

श्रीउद्धव उवाच कया धारणया कास्वित् कथं वा सिद्धिरच्युत । कति वा सिद्धयो ब्रूहि योगिनां सिद्धिदो भवान् ॥ 15.2 ॥

śrī-uddhava uvāca kayā dhāraṇayā kā svit kathaṁ vā siddhir acyuta kati vā siddhayo brūhi yogināṁ siddhi-do bhavān

Sri Uddhava said: O infallible one, through what concentration does which perfection arise, and how? How many such perfections are there? Please tell me, for You are the bestower of perfection upon yogis.

Verse 3 (bhagavata.11.15.3)

श्रीभगवानुवाच सिद्धयोऽष्टादश प्रोक्ता धारणा योगपारगैः । तासामष्टौ मत्प्रधाना दशैव गुणहेतवः ॥ 15.3 ॥

śrī-bhagavān uvāca siddhayo ’ṣṭādaśa proktā dhāraṇā yoga-pāra-gaiḥ tāsām aṣṭau mat-pradhānā daśaiva guṇa-hetavaḥ

The Blessed Lord said: Masters who have crossed to the far shore of yoga declare there are eighteen mystic perfections attained through concentration; of these, eight have Me as their essence, and ten arise from the modes of nature.

Verse 4 (bhagavata.11.15.4)

अणिमा महिमा मूर्तेर्लघिमा प्राप्तिरिन्द्रियैः । प्राकाम्यं श्रुतदृष्टेषु शक्तिप्रेरणमीशिता ॥ 15.4 ॥

aṇimā mahimā mūrter laghimā prāptir indriyaiḥ prākāmyaṁ śruta-dṛṣṭeṣu śakti-preraṇam īśitā

Anima, mahima and laghima of the physical form; prapti through the senses; prakamya over things heard and seen; the power to direct all potencies; and ishita, the power of sovereign control;

Verse 5 (bhagavata.11.15.5)

गुणेष्वसङ्गो वशिता यत्कामस्तदवस्यति । एता मे सिद्धयः सौम्य अष्टावौत्पत्तिका मताः ॥ 15.5 ॥

guṇeṣv asaṅgo vaśitā yat-kāmas tad avasyati etā me siddhayaḥ saumya aṣṭāv autpattikā matāḥ

— vashita, non-attachment amid the modes; and kamavasayita, by which one attains whatever one desires: gentle Uddhava, these eight are considered My own naturally arising perfections.

Verse 6 (bhagavata.11.15.6)

अनूर्मिमत्त्वं देहेऽस्मिन् दूरश्रवणदर्शनम् । मनोजवः कामरूपं परकायप्रवेशनम् ॥ 15.6 ॥

anūrmimattvaṁ dehe ’smin dūra-śravaṇa-darśanam mano-javaḥ kāma-rūpaṁ para-kāya-praveśanam

Freedom from the body's waves of hunger and thirst; hearing and seeing things far away; moving at the speed of thought; assuming any desired form; entering another's body;

Verse 7 (bhagavata.11.15.7)

स्वच्छन्दमृत्युर्देवानां सहक्रीडानुदर्शनम् । यथासङ्कल्पसंसिद्धिराज्ञाप्रतिहता गतिः ॥ 15.7 ॥

svacchanda-mṛtyur devānāṁ saha-krīḍānudarśanam yathā-saṅkalpa-saṁsiddhir ājñāpratihatā gatiḥ

— dying at will; witnessing the divine sports of the gods; perfect fulfillment of whatever one resolves; and having one's command go unopposed.

Verse 8 (bhagavata.11.15.8)

त्रिकालज्ञत्वमद्वन्द्वं परचित्ताद्यभिज्ञता । अग्न्यर्काम्बुविषादीनां प्रतिष्टम्भोऽपराजयः ॥ 15.8 ॥

tri-kāla-jñatvam advandvaṁ para-cittādy-abhijñatā agny-arkāmbu-viṣādīnāṁ pratiṣṭambho ’parājayaḥ

Knowledge of the three times; freedom from the dualities of heat and cold and the like; knowing the minds of others; the power to halt fire, sun, water, poison and the rest; and remaining ever unconquered —

Verse 9 (bhagavata.11.15.9)

एताश्चोद्देशतः प्रोक्ता योगधारणसिद्धयः । यया धारणया या स्याद् यथा वा स्यान्निबोध मे ॥ 15.9 ॥

etāś coddeśataḥ proktā yoga-dhāraṇa-siddhayaḥ yayā dhāraṇayā yā syād yathā vā syān nibodha me

— these, in brief, are the perfections attained through yogic concentration. Now understand from Me by which concentration each perfection specifically arises, and in what manner.

Verse 10 (bhagavata.11.15.10)

भूतसूक्ष्मात्मनि मयि तन्मात्रं धारयेन्मनः । अणिमानमवाप्नोति तन्मात्रोपासको मम ॥ 15.10 ॥

bhūta-sūkṣmātmani mayi tan-mātraṁ dhārayen manaḥ aṇimānam avāpnoti tan-mātropāsako mama

One who fixes his mind purely on the subtle essence of the elements as My own self, worshiping Me in that subtle form alone, obtains the perfection called anima.

Verse 11 (bhagavata.11.15.11)

महत्तत्त्वात्मनि मयि यथासंस्थं मनो दधत् । महिमानमवाप्नोति भूतानां च पृथक् पृथक् ॥ 15.11 ॥

mahat-tattvātmani mayi yathā-saṁsthaṁ mano dadhat mahimānam avāpnoti bhūtānāṁ ca pṛthak pṛthak

Fixing the mind on Me as the very self of the mahat-tattva, in its proper station, one obtains mahima, greatness, and further, mastery over each of the elements individually.

Verse 12 (bhagavata.11.15.12)

परमाणुमये चित्तं भूतानां मयि रञ्जयन् । कालसूक्ष्मार्थतां योगी लघिमानमवाप्नुयात् ॥ 15.12 ॥

paramāṇu-maye cittaṁ bhūtānāṁ mayi rañjayan kāla-sūkṣmārthatāṁ yogī laghimānam avāpnuyāt

The yogi who colors his mind with Me as the atomic essence pervading all elements, thereby understanding the subtlest nature of time, attains the perfection called laghima.

Verse 13 (bhagavata.11.15.13)

धारयन् मय्यहंतत्त्वे मनो वैकारिकेऽखिलम् । सर्वेन्द्रियाणामात्मत्वं प्राप्तिं प्राप्नोति मन्मनाः ॥ 15.13 ॥

dhārayan mayy ahaṁ-tattve mano vaikārike ’khilam sarvendriyāṇām ātmatvaṁ prāptiṁ prāpnoti man-manāḥ

Fixing the whole mind on Me within the principle of false ego born of the mode of goodness, one whose mind is thus absorbed in Me obtains prapti, becoming the very controlling self of all the senses.

Verse 14 (bhagavata.11.15.14)

महत्यात्मनि यः सूत्रे धारयेन्मयि मानसम् । प्राकाम्यं पारमेष्ठ्यं मे विन्दतेऽव्यक्तजन्मनः ॥ 15.14 ॥

mahaty ātmani yaḥ sūtre dhārayen mayi mānasam prākāmyaṁ pārameṣṭhyaṁ me vindate ’vyakta-janmanaḥ

One who fixes his mind on Me as the self within the sutra, the thread of the mahat-tattva, obtains from Me, whose origin is unmanifest, the most excellent perfection called prakamya.

Verse 15 (bhagavata.11.15.15)

विष्णौ त्र्यधीश्वरे चित्तं धारयेत् कालविग्रहे । स ईशित्वमवाप्नोति क्षेत्रज्ञक्षेत्रचोदनाम् ॥ 15.15 ॥

viṣṇau try-adhīśvare cittaṁ dhārayet kāla-vigrahe sa īśitvam avāpnoti kṣetrajña-kṣetra-codanām

One who fixes the mind on Vishnu, the lord of the three modes, the very embodiment of time, obtains ishitva, the power to direct both the field-knower and the field itself in all conditioned beings.

Verse 16 (bhagavata.11.15.16)

नारायणे तुरीयाख्ये भगवच्छब्दशब्दिते । मनो मय्यादधद् योगी मद्धर्मा वशितामियात् ॥ 15.16 ॥

nārāyaṇe turīyākhye bhagavac-chabda-śabdite mano mayy ādadhad yogī mad-dharmā vaśitām iyāt

The yogi who fixes his mind on Me in My form as Narayana, known as the fourth principle, designated by the word 'Bhagavan,' takes on My very nature and thereby attains vashita.

Verse 17 (bhagavata.11.15.17)

निर्गुणे ब्रह्मणि मयि धारयन् विशदं मनः । परमानन्दमाप्नोति यत्र कामोऽवसीयते ॥ 15.17 ॥

nirguṇe brahmaṇi mayi dhārayan viśadaṁ manaḥ paramānandam āpnoti yatra kāmo ’vasīyate

One who fixes a clarified mind on Me in My form as the attributeless Brahman attains supreme bliss, wherein every desire finds its complete fulfillment.

Verse 18 (bhagavata.11.15.18)

श्वेतद्वीपपतौ चित्तं शुद्धे धर्ममये मयि । धारयञ्छ्वेततां याति षडूर्मिरहितो नरः ॥ 15.18 ॥

śvetadvīpa-patau cittaṁ śuddhe dharma-maye mayi dhārayañ chvetatāṁ yāti ṣaḍ-ūrmi-rahito naraḥ

One who fixes the mind on Me as the Lord of Shvetadvipa, pure and the very embodiment of dharma, attains that pure whiteness of being, freed from the six waves of hunger, thirst, grief, delusion, old age and death.

Verse 19 (bhagavata.11.15.19)

मय्याकाशात्मनि प्राणे मनसा घोषमुद्वहन् । तत्रोपलब्धा भूतानां हंसो वाचः शृणोत्यसौ ॥ 15.19 ॥

mayy ākāśātmani prāṇe manasā ghoṣam udvahan tatropalabdhā bhūtānāṁ haṁso vācaḥ śṛṇoty asau

One who, with the mind, carries forward the primal sound within Me as the very self of space and the life-breath, comes to perceive there and can hear the speech of all beings.

Verse 20 (bhagavata.11.15.20)

चक्षुस्त्वष्टरि संयोज्य त्वष्टारमपि चक्षुषि । मां तत्र मनसा ध्यायन् विश्वं पश्यति दूरतः ॥ 15.20 ॥

cakṣus tvaṣṭari saṁyojya tvaṣṭāram api cakṣuṣi māṁ tatra manasā dhyāyan viśvaṁ paśyati dūrataḥ

Merging the eye into the sun and the sun into the eye, and meditating there upon Me with the mind, one comes to see the whole universe from a great distance.

Verse 21 (bhagavata.11.15.21)

मनो मयि सुसंयोज्य देहं तदनुवायुना । मद्धारणानुभावेन तत्रात्मा यत्र वै मनः ॥ 15.21 ॥

mano mayi su-saṁyojya dehaṁ tad-anuvāyunā mad-dhāraṇānubhāvena tatrātmā yatra vai manaḥ

One who fully unites the mind with Me, and, through the breath that follows the mind, unites the body as well, attains through the power of this concentration on Me the ability for the self to be present wherever the mind may go.

Verse 22 (bhagavata.11.15.22)

यदा मन उपादाय यद् यद् रूपं बुभूषति । तत्तद् भवेन्मनोरूपं मद्योगबलमाश्रयः ॥ 15.22 ॥

yadā mana upādāya yad yad rūpaṁ bubhūṣati tat tad bhaven mano-rūpaṁ mad-yoga-balam āśrayaḥ

Whenever, applying the mind, one wishes to assume any particular form, that very form comes into being as a form of the mind, by taking shelter in the power of My mystic potency.

Verse 23 (bhagavata.11.15.23)

परकायं विशन् सिद्ध आत्मानं तत्र भावयेत् । पिण्डं हित्वा विशेत् प्राणो वायुभूतः षडङ्घ्रिवत् ॥ 15.23 ॥

para-kāyaṁ viśan siddha ātmānaṁ tatra bhāvayet piṇḍaṁ hitvā viśet prāṇo vāyu-bhūtaḥ ṣaḍaṅghri-vat

The perfected yogi wishing to enter another's body should first meditate on himself as already present there; then, giving up his own body, his life-breath, becoming like the wind, enters it, just as a bee moves from one flower to another.

Verse 24 (bhagavata.11.15.24)

पार्ष्ण्यापीड्य गुदं प्राणं हृदुरःकण्ठमूर्धसु । आरोप्य ब्रह्मरन्ध्रेण ब्रह्म नीत्वोत्सृजेत्तनुम् ॥ 15.24 ॥

pārṣṇyāpīḍya gudaṁ prāṇaṁ hṛd-uraḥ-kaṇṭha-mūrdhasu āropya brahma-randhreṇa brahma nītvotsṛjet tanum

Pressing the heel against the anus, and raising the life-breath through the heart, chest, throat and crown, one should carry it through the brahma-randhra to Brahman and then relinquish the body.

Verse 25 (bhagavata.11.15.25)

विहरिष्यन् सुराक्रीडे मत्स्थं सत्त्वं विभावयेत् । विमानेनोपतिष्ठन्ति सत्त्ववृत्तीः सुरस्त्रियः ॥ 15.25 ॥

vihariṣyan surākrīḍe mat-sthaṁ sattvaṁ vibhāvayet vimānenopatiṣṭhanti sattva-vṛttīḥ sura-striyaḥ

One who wishes to sport in the pleasure gardens of the gods should meditate on the pure goodness abiding within Me, and celestial women, born of that same goodness, will come to him by celestial chariot.

Verse 26 (bhagavata.11.15.26)

यथा सङ्कल्पयेद् बुद्ध्या यदा वा मत्परः पुमान् । मयि सत्ये मनो युञ्जंस्तथा तत् समुपाश्नुते ॥ 15.26 ॥

yathā saṅkalpayed buddhyā yadā vā mat-paraḥ pumān mayi satye mano yuñjaṁs tathā tat samupāśnute

Whatever a person devoted to Me resolves with the intelligence, fixing the mind on Me, the very embodiment of truth, that he surely attains, exactly as he resolved it.

Verse 27 (bhagavata.11.15.27)

यो वै मद्भावमापन्न ईशितुर्वशितुः पुमान् । कुतश्चिन्न विहन्येत तस्य चाज्ञा यथा मम ॥ 15.27 ॥

yo vai mad-bhāvam āpanna īśitur vaśituḥ pumān kutaścin na vihanyeta tasya cājñā yathā mama

One who has truly attained My nature, being himself the ruler and controller, is never thwarted by anything anywhere; his command holds good just as My own does.

Verse 28 (bhagavata.11.15.28)

मद्भक्त्या शुद्धसत्त्वस्य योगिनो धारणाविदः । तस्य त्रैकालिकी बुद्धिर्जन्ममृत्यूपबृंहिता ॥ 15.28 ॥

mad-bhaktyā śuddha-sattvasya yogino dhāraṇā-vidaḥ tasya trai-kālikī buddhir janma-mṛtyūpabṛṁhitā

For the yogi whose existence has been purified through devotion to Me, and who is skilled in the practice of meditation, his intelligence spans the three times, comprehending birth and death themselves.

Verse 29 (bhagavata.11.15.29)

अग्न्यादिभिर्न हन्येत मुनेर्योगमयं वपुः । मद्योगशान्तचित्तस्य यादसामुदकं यथा ॥ 15.29 ॥

agny-ādibhir na hanyeta muner yoga-mayaṁ vapuḥ mad-yoga-śānta-cittasya yādasām udakaṁ yathā

Just as water cannot harm the bodies of aquatic creatures, the yoga-perfected body of a sage whose mind has become tranquil through union with Me cannot be harmed by fire and the other elements.

Verse 30 (bhagavata.11.15.30)

मद्विभूतीरभिध्यायन् श्रीवत्सास्त्रविभूषिताः । ध्वजातपत्रव्यजनैः स भवेदपराजितः ॥ 15.30 ॥

mad-vibhūtīr abhidhyāyan śrīvatsāstra-vibhūṣitāḥ dhvajātapatra-vyajanaiḥ sa bhaved aparājitaḥ

One who meditates on My glorious incarnations, adorned with the Shrivatsa mark and divine weapons, and honored with royal flags, parasols and fans, becomes invincible.

Verse 31 (bhagavata.11.15.31)

उपासकस्य मामेवं योगधारणया मुनेः । सिद्धयः पूर्वकथिता उपतिष्ठन्त्यशेषतः ॥ 15.31 ॥

upāsakasya mām evaṁ yoga-dhāraṇayā muneḥ siddhayaḥ pūrva-kathitā upatiṣṭhanty aśeṣataḥ

For the sage who worships Me in this way through yogic concentration, all the perfections previously described come to him in their entirety.

Verse 32 (bhagavata.11.15.32)

जितेन्द्रियस्य दान्तस्य जितश्वासात्मनो मुनेः । मद्धारणां धारयतः का सा सिद्धिः सुदुर्लभा ॥ 15.32 ॥

jitendriyasya dāntasya jita-śvāsātmano muneḥ mad-dhāraṇāṁ dhārayataḥ kā sā siddhiḥ su-durlabhā

For the sage who has conquered his senses, is self-restrained, has mastered the breath and the mind, and holds fast to concentration upon Me, what perfection could possibly remain difficult to attain?

Verse 33 (bhagavata.11.15.33)

अन्तरायान् वदन्त्येता युञ्जतो योगमुत्तमम् । मया सम्पद्यमानस्य कालक्षपणहेतवः ॥ 15.33 ॥

antarāyān vadanty etā yuñjato yogam uttamam mayā sampadyamānasya kāla-kṣapaṇa-hetavaḥ

These very perfections are declared by the wise to be obstacles and mere causes of wasted time for one who practices the supreme yoga, by which one attains directly to Me.

Verse 34 (bhagavata.11.15.34)

जन्मौषधितपोमन्त्रैर्यावतीरिह सिद्धयः । योगेनाप्नोति ताः सर्वा नान्यैर्योगगतिं व्रजेत् ॥ 15.34 ॥

janmauṣadhi-tapo-mantrair yāvatīr iha siddhayaḥ yogenāpnoti tāḥ sarvā nānyair yoga-gatiṁ vrajet

Whatever perfections can be gained here through good birth, herbs, austerity or mantras, all of these can be gained through yoga alone; but the true goal of yoga cannot be reached by any of those other means.

Verse 35 (bhagavata.11.15.35)

सर्वासामपि सिद्धीनां हेतुः पतिरहं प्रभुः । अहं योगस्य साङ्ख्यस्य धर्मस्य ब्रह्मवादिनाम् ॥ 15.35 ॥

sarvāsām api siddhīnāṁ hetuḥ patir ahaṁ prabhuḥ ahaṁ yogasya sāṅkhyasya dharmasya brahma-vādinām

I am the cause, the master and the lord of all perfections; I am the very foundation of yoga, of Sankhya, of dharma, and of those who expound the truth of Brahman.

Verse 36 (bhagavata.11.15.36)

अहमात्मान्तरो बाह्योऽनावृतः सर्वदेहिनाम् । यथा भूतानि भूतेषु बहिरन्तः स्वयं तथा ॥ 15.36 ॥

aham ātmāntaro bāhyo ’nāvṛtaḥ sarva-dehinām yathā bhūtāni bhūteṣu bahir antaḥ svayaṁ tathā

I am the inner Self of all embodied beings and also that which is outside them, unconcealed by anything, just as the elements themselves exist both within and outside all created things.