The Attainment of Yoga

Verse 1 (markandeya.40.1)

दत्तात्रेय उवाच । उपसर्गाः प्रवर्तन्ते दृष्टे ह्यात्मनि योगिनः । ये तांस्ते संप्रवक्ष्यामि समासेन निबोध मे॥ ४०.१ ॥

dattātreya uvāca upasargāḥ pravartante dṛṣṭe hyātmani yoginaḥ ye tāṁste saṁpravakṣyāmi samāsena nibodha me

Dattatreya said: 'Obstacles arise for the yogi when the Self has begun to be seen. I shall now declare them to you; hear them from me in brief.'

Verse 2 (markandeya.40.2)

काम्याः क्रियास्तथा कामान् मानुषानभिवाञ्छति । स्त्रियो दानफलं विद्यां मायां कुप्यं धनं दिवम्॥ ४०.२ ॥

kāmyāḥ kriyāstathā kāmān mānuṣānabhivāñchati striyo dānaphalaṁ vidyāṁ māyāṁ kupyaṁ dhanaṁ divam

'He comes to desire rites performed for worldly wishes, and human desires—women, the fruits of gift-giving, learning, magical power, base metals, wealth, heaven,'

Verse 3 (markandeya.40.3)

देवत्वममरेशत्वं रसायनचयाः क्रियाः । मरुत्प्रपतनं यज्ञं जलग्न्यावेशनन्तथा॥ ४०.३ ॥

devatvamamareśatvaṁ rasāyanacayāḥ kriyāḥ marutprapatanaṁ yajñaṁ jalagnyāveśanantathā

'—godhood, lordship over the immortals, stores of alchemical elixirs, magical powers, flight like the wind, sacrifice, and the power to enter water and fire unharmed—'

Verse 4 (markandeya.40.4)

श्राद्धानां सर्वदानानां फलानि नियमांस्तथा । तथोपवासात् पूर्ताच्च देवताभ्यर्च्चनादपि॥ ४०.४ ॥

śrāddhānāṁ sarvadānānāṁ phalāni niyamāṁstathā tathopavāsāt pūrtācca devatābhyarccanādapi

'—the fruits of ancestral rites and of all forms of giving, and of religious observances, and likewise the fruits arising from fasting, works of public benefit, and the worship of deities.'

Verse 5 (markandeya.40.5)

तेभ्यस्तेभ्यश्च कर्मभ्य उपसृष्टोऽभिवाञ्छति । चित्तमित्थं वर्तमानं यत्नाद्योगी निवर्तयेत्॥ ४०.५ ॥

tebhyastebhyaśca karmabhya upasṛṣṭo 'bhivāñchati cittamitthaṁ vartamānaṁ yatnādyogī nivartayet

'Beset by such temptations, he comes to desire the fruits of these various acts. The yogi should, with effort, turn back the mind when it behaves in this way.'

Verse 6 (markandeya.40.6)

ब्रह्मसङ्गिमनः कुर्वन्नुपसर्गात् प्रमुच्यते । उपसर्गैर्जितैरेभिरुपसर्गास्ततः पुनः॥ ४०.६ ॥

brahmasaṅgimanaḥ kurvannupasargāt pramucyate upasargairjitairebhirupasargāstataḥ punaḥ

'By fixing the mind on Brahman, one is freed from the obstacle. Yet even when these obstacles have been overcome, further obstacles then arise again—'

Verse 7 (markandeya.40.7)

योगिनः संप्रवर्तन्ते सात्त्वराजसतामसाः । प्रातिभिः श्रावणो दैवो भ्रमावत्तौ तथापरौ॥ ४०.७ ॥

yoginaḥ saṁpravartante sāttvarājasatāmasāḥ prātibhiḥ śrāvaṇo daivo bhramāvattau tathāparau

'—for the yogi, obstacles arise that are sattvic, rajasic, and tamasic: the prātibha, the śrāvaṇa, the daiva, and two others called bhrama and āvarta.'

Verse 8 (markandeya.40.8)

पञ्चैते योगिनां योगविघ्राय कटुकोदयाः । वेदार्थाः काव्यशास्त्रार्था विद्याशिल्पान्यशेषतः॥ ४०.८ ॥

pañcaite yogināṁ yogavighrāya kaṭukodayāḥ vedārthāḥ kāvyaśāstrārthā vidyāśilpānyaśeṣataḥ

'These five arise, with harsh consequence, to obstruct the yoga of yogis: the meanings of the Vedas, of poetry and treatises, and all branches of knowledge and craft—'

Verse 9 (markandeya.40.9)

प्रतिभान्ति यदस्येति प्रातिभः स तु योगिनः । शब्दार्थानाखिलान् वेत्ति शब्दं गृह्णाति चैव यत्॥ ४०.९ ॥

pratibhānti yadasyeti prātibhaḥ sa tu yoginaḥ śabdārthānākhilān vetti śabdaṁ gṛhṇāti caiva yat

'—when all these appear spontaneously to the yogi, it is called prātibha; by it he knows the meanings of all words, and comprehends any utterance whatsoever.'

Verse 10 (markandeya.40.10)

योजनानां सहस्रेभ्यः श्रावणः सोऽभिधीयते । ममन्ताद्वीक्षते चाष्टौ स यदा देवतोपमः॥ ४०.१० ॥

yojanānāṁ sahasrebhyaḥ śrāvaṇaḥ so 'bhidhīyate mamantādvīkṣate cāṣṭau sa yadā devatopamaḥ

'That by which he hears from a thousand leagues away is called śrāvaṇa; and when, godlike, he sees in all eight directions at once—'

Verse 11 (markandeya.40.11)

उपसर्गन्तमप्याहुर्दैवमुन्मत्तवद् बुधाः । भ्राम्यते यन्निरालम्बं मनो दोषेण योगिनः॥ ४०.११ ॥

upasargantamapyāhurdaivamunmattavad budhāḥ bhrāmyate yannirālambaṁ mano doṣeṇa yoginaḥ

'—the wise call that obstacle too daiva, which makes him behave as if intoxicated. That fault by which the yogi's mind, ungrounded, wanders—'

Verse 12 (markandeya.40.12)

समस्ताचारविभ्रांशाद् भ्रमः स परिकीर्तितः । आवर्त इव तोयस्य ज्ञानावर्तो यदाकुलः॥ ४०.१२ ॥

samastācāravibhrāṁśād bhramaḥ sa parikīrtitaḥ āvarta iva toyasya jñānāvarto yadākulaḥ

'—arising from the total collapse of right conduct, that is called bhrama. When, like a whirlpool of water, a whirl of knowledge arises and disturbs him—'

Verse 13 (markandeya.40.13)

नाशयेच्चित्तमावर्त उपसर्गः स उच्यते । एतैर्नाशितयोगास्तु सकला देवयोनयः॥ ४०.१३ ॥

nāśayeccittamāvarta upasargaḥ sa ucyate etairnāśitayogāstu sakalā devayonayaḥ

'—and destroys the mind, that whirl is called the obstacle. By these, indeed, all the classes of divine beings have had their yoga destroyed,'

Verse 14 (markandeya.40.14)

उपसर्गैर्महाघोरैरावर्तन्ते पुनः पुनः । प्रावृत्य कम्बलं शुक्लं योगी तस्मान्मनोमयम्॥ ४०.१४ ॥

upasargairmahāghorairāvartante punaḥ punaḥ prāvṛtya kambalaṁ śuklaṁ yogī tasmānmanomayam

'—and by these terrible obstacles they are made to whirl again and again. Therefore the yogi, having wrapped his mind as if in a pure white garment,'

Verse 15 (markandeya.40.15)

चिन्तयेत् परमं ब्रह्म कृत्वा तत्प्रवणं मनः । योगयुक्तः सदा योगी लघ्वाहारो जितेन्द्रियः॥ ४०.१५ ॥

cintayet paramaṁ brahma kṛtvā tatpravaṇaṁ manaḥ yogayuktaḥ sadā yogī laghvāhāro jitendriyaḥ

'—should meditate on the supreme Brahman, having made the mind wholly inclined toward it. The yogi, ever disciplined in yoga, should take light food and keep the senses conquered.'

Verse 16 (markandeya.40.16)

सूक्ष्मास्तु धारणाः सप्त भूराद्या मूर्घ्नि धारयेत् । धरित्रीं धारयेद्योगी तत् सौक्ष्म्यं प्रतिपद्यते॥ ४०.१६ ॥

sūkṣmāstu dhāraṇāḥ sapta bhūrādyā mūrghni dhārayet dharitrīṁ dhārayedyogī tat saukṣmyaṁ pratipadyate

'There are seven subtle dhāraṇās, beginning with earth, which should be held in concentration at the crown of the head. The yogi, by holding the earth-element, attains its subtlety.'

Verse 17 (markandeya.40.17)

आत्मानं मन्यते चोर्वों तद्गन्धञ्च जहाति सः । यथैवाप्सु रसं सूक्ष्मं तद्वद्रूपञ्च तेजसि॥ ४०.१७ ॥

ātmānaṁ manyate corvoṁ tadgandhañca jahāti saḥ yathaivāpsu rasaṁ sūkṣmaṁ tadvadrūpañca tejasi

'He then considers himself to be one with the earth, and abandons its odor. In the same way, he holds the subtle essence of taste in water, and form in fire,'

Verse 18 (markandeya.40.18)

स्पर्शं वायो तथा तद्वद्विभ्रतस्तस्य धारणाम् । व्योम्रः सूक्ष्मां प्रवृत्तिञ्च शब्दं तद्वज्जहाति सः॥ ४०.१८ ॥

sparśaṁ vāyo tathā tadvadvibhratastasya dhāraṇām vyomraḥ sūkṣmāṁ pravṛttiñca śabdaṁ tadvajjahāti saḥ

'—and touch in air, sustaining his concentration in this way. He then relinquishes, in the same manner, the subtle activity of space, namely sound.'

Verse 19 (markandeya.40.19)

मनसा सर्वभूतानां मनस्याविशते यदा । मानसीं धारणां बिभ्रन्मनः सूक्ष्मञ्च जायते॥ ४०.१९ ॥

manasā sarvabhūtānāṁ manasyāviśate yadā mānasīṁ dhāraṇāṁ bibhranmanaḥ sūkṣmañca jāyate

'When, with his own mind, he enters the mind of all beings, sustaining the mental dhāraṇā, then the mind itself becomes subtle.'

Verse 20 (markandeya.40.20)

तद्वद् बुद्धिमशेषाणां सत्त्वानामेत्य योगवित् । परित्यजति सम्प्राप्य बुद्धिसौक्ष्म्यमनुत्तमम्॥ ४०.२० ॥

tadvad buddhimaśeṣāṇāṁ sattvānāmetya yogavit parityajati samprāpya buddhisaukṣmyamanuttamam

'In the same way, the knower of yoga, having entered the intellect of all beings, and having attained the unsurpassed subtlety of intellect, relinquishes it too.'

Verse 21 (markandeya.40.21)

परित्यजति सूक्ष्माणि सप्त त्वेतानि योगवित् । सम्यग्विज्ञाय योऽलर्क ! तस्यावृत्तिर्न विद्यते॥ ४०.२१ ॥

parityajati sūkṣmāṇi sapta tvetāni yogavit samyagvijñāya yo 'larka ! tasyāvṛttirna vidyate

'Thus the knower of yoga relinquishes all these seven subtle states one by one. He, O Alarka, who understands this fully, has no return to rebirth.'

Verse 22 (markandeya.40.22)

एतासां धारणानान्तु सप्तानां सौक्ष्म्यमात्मवान् । दृष्ट्वा दृष्ट्वा ततः सिद्धिं त्यक्त्वा त्यक्त्वा परां व्रजेत्॥ ४०.२२ ॥

etāsāṁ dhāraṇānāntu saptānāṁ saukṣmyamātmavān dṛṣṭvā dṛṣṭvā tataḥ siddhiṁ tyaktvā tyaktvā parāṁ vrajet

'Having, in each case, perceived the subtlety of these seven dhāraṇās, the self-possessed yogi should, in each case, relinquish the resulting siddhi, and thus proceed onward to the supreme.'

Verse 23 (markandeya.40.23)

यस्मिन् यस्मिंश्च कुरुते भूते रागं महीपते । तस्मिंस्तस्मिन् समासक्तिं संप्राप्य स विनश्यति॥ ४०.२३ ॥

yasmin yasmiṁśca kurute bhūte rāgaṁ mahīpate tasmiṁstasmin samāsaktiṁ saṁprāpya sa vinaśyati

'For, O king, on whatever element he develops attachment, in that very element he becomes fixed through attachment, and thereby his progress is undone.'

Verse 24 (markandeya.40.24)

तस्माद्विदित्वा सूक्ष्माणि संसक्तानि परस्परम् । परित्यजति यो देही स परं प्राप्नुयात् पदम्॥ ४०.२४ ॥

tasmādviditvā sūkṣmāṇi saṁsaktāni parasparam parityajati yo dehī sa paraṁ prāpnuyāt padam

'Therefore, having understood that these subtle elements are mutually interlinked, that embodied soul who relinquishes them too attains the supreme state.'

Verse 25 (markandeya.40.25)

एतान्येव तु सन्धाय सप्त सूक्ष्माणि पार्थिव ! । भूतादीनां विरागोऽत्र सद्भावज्ञस्य मुक्तये॥ ४०.२५ ॥

etānyeva tu sandhāya sapta sūkṣmāṇi pārthiva ! bhūtādīnāṁ virāgo 'tra sadbhāvajñasya muktaye

'Having brought together these very seven subtle states, O king, dispassion toward the elements and the rest is here the means to liberation for one who knows true reality.'

Verse 26 (markandeya.40.26)

गन्धादिषु समासक्तिं सम्प्राप्य स विनश्यति । पुनरावर्तते भूप ! स ब्रह्मापरमानुषम्॥ ४०.२६ ॥

gandhādiṣu samāsaktiṁ samprāpya sa vinaśyati punarāvartate bhūpa ! sa brahmāparamānuṣam

'But having become attached to odor and the other sense-qualities, he undoes his progress, and, O king, he returns again even from the non-human world of Brahmā.'

Verse 27 (markandeya.40.27)

सप्तैता धारणा योगी समतीत्य यदिच्छति । तस्मिंस्तस्मिंल्लयं सूक्ष्मे भूते याति नरेश्वर !॥ ४०.२७ ॥

saptaitā dhāraṇā yogī samatītya yadicchati tasmiṁstasmiṁllayaṁ sūkṣme bhūte yāti nareśvara !

'If the yogi, O lord of men, having passed beyond these seven dhāraṇās, so desires, he may attain dissolution into that particular subtle element—'

Verse 28 (markandeya.40.28)

देवानामसुराणां वा गन्धर्वोरगरक्षसाम् । देहेषु लयमायाति सङ्गं नाप्रोति च क्वचित्॥ ४०.२८ ॥

devānāmasurāṇāṁ vā gandharvoragarakṣasām deheṣu layamāyāti saṅgaṁ nāproti ca kvacit

'—or, alternatively, he may attain dissolution into the bodies of gods, asuras, gandharvas, serpents, or rākṣasas, without ever incurring attachment anywhere.'

Verse 29 (markandeya.40.29)

अणिमा लघिमा चैव महिमा प्राप्तिरेव च । प्राकाम्यं च तथेशित्वं वशित्वञ्च तथापरम्॥ ४०.२९ ॥

aṇimā laghimā caiva mahimā prāptireva ca prākāmyaṁ ca tatheśitvaṁ vaśitvañca tathāparam

'Aṇimā, laghimā, mahimā, and prāpti; prākāmya, and likewise īśitva and vaśitva—'

Verse 30 (markandeya.40.30)

यत्रकामावसायित्वं गुणानेतांस्तथैश्वरान् । प्राप्नोत्यष्टौ नरव्याघ्र ! परं निर्वाणसूचकान्॥ ४०.३० ॥

yatrakāmāvasāyitvaṁ guṇānetāṁstathaiśvarān prāpnotyaṣṭau naravyāghra ! paraṁ nirvāṇasūcakān

'—and yatrakāmāvasāyitva. He attains these eight lordly powers, O tiger among men, which betoken the approach of supreme liberation.'

Verse 31 (markandeya.40.31)

सूक्ष्मात् सूक्ष्मतमोऽणीयान् शीघ्रत्वं लघिमा गुणः । महिमाशेषपूज्यत्वात् प्राप्तिर्नाप्राप्यमस्य यत्॥ ४०.३१ ॥

sūkṣmāt sūkṣmatamo 'ṇīyān śīghratvaṁ laghimā guṇaḥ mahimāśeṣapūjyatvāt prāptirnāprāpyamasya yat

'To become finer than the finest, subtler than the subtlest, is aṇimā; the power of swiftness is the quality called laghimā; mahimā is greatness through being honored by all; prāpti is that whereby nothing remains unattainable.'

Verse 32 (markandeya.40.32)

प्राकाम्यमस्य व्यापित्वादीशित्वञ्चेश्वरो यतः । वखित्वाद्वशिमा नाम योगिनः सप्तमो गुणः॥ ४०.३२ ॥

prākāmyamasya vyāpitvādīśitvañceśvaro yataḥ vakhitvādvaśimā nāma yoginaḥ saptamo guṇaḥ

'Prākāmya belongs to him through his all-pervasiveness; īśitva is his because he becomes the Lord himself; and from the power of subjugation, the yogi's seventh attribute is called vaśitva.'

Verse 33 (markandeya.40.33)

यत्रेच्छास्थानमप्युक्तं यत्रकामावसायिता । ऐश्वर्यकारणैरेभिर्योगिनः प्रोक्तमष्टधा॥ ४०.३३ ॥

yatrecchāsthānamapyuktaṁ yatrakāmāvasāyitā aiśvaryakāraṇairebhiryoginaḥ proktamaṣṭadhā

'And that state where desire finds its complete fulfillment wherever willed is called yatrakāmāvasāyitā. By these causes of lordship, the yogi's power is declared eightfold.'

Verse 34 (markandeya.40.34)

मुक्तिसंसूचकं भूप ! परं निर्वाणमात्मनः । ततो न जायते नैव वर्धते न विनश्यति॥ ४०.३४ ॥

muktisaṁsūcakaṁ bhūpa ! paraṁ nirvāṇamātmanaḥ tato na jāyate naiva vardhate na vinaśyati

'O king, these betoken liberation—the supreme extinction of the Self. Thereafter it is not born, nor does it grow, nor does it perish,'

Verse 35 (markandeya.40.35)

नापि क्षयमवाप्रोति परिणामं न गच्छति । छेदं क्लेदं तथा दाहं शोषं भूरादितो न च॥ ४०.३५ ॥

nāpi kṣayamavāproti pariṇāmaṁ na gacchati chedaṁ kledaṁ tathā dāhaṁ śoṣaṁ bhūrādito na ca

'nor does it undergo decay, nor transformation. Nor does it suffer cutting, rotting, burning, or drying arising from earth and the other elements,'

Verse 36 (markandeya.40.36)

भूतवर्गादवाप्नोति शब्दाद्यैः ह्रियते न च । न चास्य सन्ति शब्दाद्यास्तद्भोक्ता तैर्न युज्यते॥ ४०.३६ ॥

bhūtavargādavāpnoti śabdādyaiḥ hriyate na ca na cāsya santi śabdādyāstadbhoktā tairna yujyate

'nor does it experience anything from the group of elements, nor is it carried away by sound and the other objects; and since it possesses no sound and the rest, being no longer their experiencer, it is not bound by them.'

Verse 37 (markandeya.40.37)

यथाहि कनकं खण्डमपद्रव्यवदग्निना । दग्धदोषं द्वितीयेन खण्डेनैक्यं व्रजेन्नृप॥ ४०.३७ ॥

yathāhi kanakaṁ khaṇḍamapadravyavadagninā dagdhadoṣaṁ dvitīyena khaṇḍenaikyaṁ vrajennṛpa

'For, O king, just as a piece of gold, once its impurity has been burnt away by fire, as if it were extraneous matter, attains union with a second piece of gold,'

Verse 38 (markandeya.40.38)

न विशेषमवाप्रोति तद्वद्योगाग्निना यतिः । निर्दग्धदोषस्तेनैक्यं प्रयाति ब्रह्मणा सह॥ ४०.३८ ॥

na viśeṣamavāproti tadvadyogāgninā yatiḥ nirdagdhadoṣastenaikyaṁ prayāti brahmaṇā saha

'—and no distinction remains between them—so too the ascetic, his impurities burnt away by the fire of yoga, attains undivided oneness with Brahman.'

Verse 39 (markandeya.40.39)

यथाग्निरग्नौ संक्षिप्तः समानत्वमनुव्रजेत् । तदाख्यस्तन्मयो भूतो न गृह्येत विशेषतः॥ ४०.३९ ॥

yathāgniragnau saṁkṣiptaḥ samānatvamanuvrajet tadākhyastanmayo bhūto na gṛhyeta viśeṣataḥ

'Just as fire, cast into fire, attains complete sameness with it—called by the same name, having become of the same nature, no longer distinguishable as separate—'

Verse 40 (markandeya.40.40)

परेण ब्रह्मणा तद्वत् प्राप्यैक्यं दग्धकिल्विषः । योगी याति पृथग्भावं न कदाचिन्महीपते !॥ ४०.४० ॥

pareṇa brahmaṇā tadvat prāpyaikyaṁ dagdhakilviṣaḥ yogī yāti pṛthagbhāvaṁ na kadācinmahīpate !

'—so too, O king, the yogi, his sins burnt away, having attained union with the supreme Brahman, never again undergoes separate existence.'

Verse 41 (markandeya.40.41)

यथा जलं जलेनैक्यं निक्षिप्तमुपगच्छति । तथात्मा साम्यमभ्येति योगिनः परमात्मनि॥ ४०.४१ ॥

yathā jalaṁ jalenaikyaṁ nikṣiptamupagacchati tathātmā sāmyamabhyeti yoginaḥ paramātmani

'Just as water, when poured into water, attains oneness with it, so too the self of the yogi attains equality with the Supreme Self.'