The Pashupata Yoga (IV)

Verse 1 (skanda.8.177.1)

सनत्कुमार उवाच । अन्तरात्मा च चेतोवान्मनः संकल्पजं स्मृतम् । महाभूतप्रचाराच्च क्षोभाग्निर्जोव उच्यते

sanatkumāra uvāca | antarātmā ca cetovānmanaḥ saṁkalpajaṁ smṛtam | mahābhūtapracārācca kṣobhāgnirjova ucyate

Sanatkumara said: The inner self, possessed of consciousness, is the mind, remembered as born of intention; through the activity of the great elements, the agitating fire is called the jiva.

Verse 2 (skanda.8.177.2)

न शरीरं विना चेतस्तच्चेन् नास्ति कुतश्च तत् । चेतोपि न विना जीवं स चापि न विना मनः

na śarīraṁ vinā cetastaccen nāsti kutaśca tat | cetopi na vinā jīvaṁ sa cāpi na vinā manaḥ

Without the body there is no consciousness; and if that body were not, whence would that consciousness be? Consciousness too does not exist without the jiva, and that too does not exist without the mind.

Verse 3 (skanda.8.177.3)

प्राणो जीव इति प्रोक्तः स्पर्शादन्यत् प्रवर्तते । मनः सर्वं निबध्नाति कर्मारम्भमिति श्रुतिः

prāṇo jīva iti proktaḥ sparśādanyat pravartate | manaḥ sarvaṁ nibadhnāti karmārambhamiti śrutiḥ

Prana is declared to be the jiva; apart from contact with the body, it operates otherwise; the mind binds everything - this is the received teaching regarding the initiation of action.

Verse 4 (skanda.8.177.4)

सर्व एते हि संगत्य धारयन्ति शरीरिणम् । यस्य चेतोधिकन्तेषां स चेतोवान् प्रकीर्तितः

sarva ete hi saṁgatya dhārayanti śarīriṇam | yasya cetodhikanteṣāṁ sa cetovān prakīrtitaḥ

All these together sustain the embodied being; whoever among them has consciousness predominant is proclaimed to be "possessed of consciousness."

Verse 5 (skanda.8.177.5)

चेतसा तु विजानाति शुभाशुभनिबन्धनम् । तन्मनश्चेतसि स्थाप्य नित्याध्यात्मरतिर्भवेत्

cetasā tu vijānāti śubhāśubhanibandhanam | tanmanaścetasi sthāpya nityādhyātmaratirbhavet

By consciousness alone one discerns the bondage of good and evil; having fixed that mind in consciousness, one attains eternal delight in the things of the spirit.

Verse 6 (skanda.8.177.6)

शब्दादिविषयातीत इन्द्रियाणि निगृह्य तु । ध्यानारम्भपरो देही स स्यात् कर्मविवर्जितः

śabdādiviṣayātīta indriyāṇi nigṛhya tu | dhyānārambhaparo dehī sa syāt karmavivarjitaḥ

Transcending sound and the other sense-objects, having restrained the senses, the embodied being devoted to the commencement of meditation becomes free of action.

Verse 7 (skanda.8.177.7)

इन्द्रियाणि न बध्नन्ति मनो देहसमास्थितम् । जीवो बन्धात्मको ज्ञेयः शुभाशुभनिबन्धनात्

indriyāṇi na badhnanti mano dehasamāsthitam | jīvo bandhātmako jñeyaḥ śubhāśubhanibandhanāt

The senses do not bind the mind that abides fixed in the body; the jiva should be known as of the nature of bondage, through the binding of good and evil.

Verse 8 (skanda.8.177.8)

रजसस्तमसश्चैव गुणयोरशुभात्मनोः । उद्रेकाज्जायते दुःखं सौख्यं सत्वात् प्रजायते

rajasastamasaścaiva guṇayoraśubhātmanoḥ | udrekājjāyate duḥkhaṁ saukhyaṁ satvāt prajāyate

From the excess of the two inauspicious qualities, rajas and tamas, sorrow is born; happiness arises from sattva.

Verse 9 (skanda.8.177.9)

सौख्यस्य परिणामाद्धि दुःखोत्पत्तिः शरीरिणाम् । जायते च सुखं विप्र भूयो दुःखविपर्ययात्

saukhyasya pariṇāmāddhi duḥkhotpattiḥ śarīriṇām | jāyate ca sukhaṁ vipra bhūyo duḥkhaviparyayāt

From the transformation of happiness, indeed, sorrow arises in embodied beings; and happiness, O brahmin, arises again from the reversal of sorrow.

Verse 10 (skanda.8.177.10)

एवमन्योन्यसंबद्धं गुणत्रयविकारजम् । सुखदुःखात्मकं मोहं भूतान्याविश्य तिष्ठति

evamanyonyasaṁbaddhaṁ guṇatrayavikārajam | sukhaduḥkhātmakaṁ mohaṁ bhūtānyāviśya tiṣṭhati

Thus, mutually connected, born of the transformation of the three qualities, the delusion of the nature of pleasure and pain, having entered into beings, abides.

Verse 11 (skanda.8.177.11)

मनश्चेतःसमाधानाद्विषयोद्विजनादपि । तस्य नाशः समाख्यातः सङ्गस्य च विवर्जनात्

manaścetaḥsamādhānādviṣayodvijanādapi | tasya nāśaḥ samākhyātaḥ saṅgasya ca vivarjanāt

Through the fixing of the mind in consciousness, and also through withdrawal from sense-objects, its destruction is declared, and through the abandonment of attachment.

Verse 12 (skanda.8.177.12)

इच्छानिग्रहणे सक्ताः क्रोधादिपरिवर्जिताः । निर्ममा निरहङ्कारा बध्यन्ते नैव कर्मभिः

icchānigrahaṇe saktāḥ krodhādiparivarjitāḥ | nirmamā nirahaṅkārā badhyante naiva karmabhiḥ

Those devoted to the restraint of desire, free from anger and the rest, without possessiveness, without egotism, are never bound by their deeds.

Verse 13 (skanda.8.177.13)

आत्मा सर्वगतो ह्येषः सूक्ष्मः संभोगवर्जितः । योगिनस्तं प्रपश्यन्ति ध्यानाद्वायुविवर्जनात्

ātmā sarvagato hyeṣaḥ sūkṣmaḥ saṁbhogavarjitaḥ | yoginastaṁ prapaśyanti dhyānādvāyuvivarjanāt

This Self is indeed all-pervading, subtle, free of enjoyment; the yogins behold it through meditation, through the setting aside of the breath.

Verse 14 (skanda.8.177.14)

तावद् भ्रमति संसारे चतुर्योनिषु जन्तुषु । यावन्नात्मानमन्वेष्टि स च विन्नो न जन्म च

tāvad bhramati saṁsāre caturyoniṣu jantuṣu | yāvannātmānamanveṣṭi sa ca vinno na janma ca

So long as one does not seek out the Self, one wanders in worldly existence among the creatures of the four wombs; and he who has found it has no further birth.

Verse 15 (skanda.8.177.15)

यद्यपि ध्यानसंसर्गादबुद्ध्वा ब्रह्म नश्यति । तथापि ब्रह्मसायुज्यान्न तु जन्म पुनर्लभेत्

yadyapi dhyānasaṁsargādabuddhvā brahma naśyati | tathāpi brahmasāyujyānna tu janma punarlabhet

Although, through the connection with meditation, without having known Brahman, one may perish, still, through union with Brahman, one does not obtain birth again.

Verse 16 (skanda.8.177.16)

अथैश्वर्यं परं ध्यानाद्योगजं प्राप्नुते मुनिः । विदित्वा परमात्मानं ततो न पुनराव्रजेत्

athaiśvaryaṁ paraṁ dhyānādyogajaṁ prāpnute muniḥ | viditvā paramātmānaṁ tato na punarāvrajet

Then the sage attains, through meditation, the supreme majesty born of yoga; having known the Supreme Self, he does not return again thereafter.

Verse 17 (skanda.8.177.17)

असुखान्यपि कर्माणि महापापकृतान्यपि । कृत्वा ध्यानरतो जन्तुस्तरसा नयति क्षयम्

asukhānyapi karmāṇi mahāpāpakṛtānyapi | kṛtvā dhyānarato jantustarasā nayati kṣayam

Even deeds that are joyless, even those done as great sins, the creature devoted to meditation swiftly brings to their destruction.

Verse 18 (skanda.8.177.18)

प्राप्य कर्मक्षयं कृत्स्नं ध्यानयुक्त्या महामुने । तिष्ठते निर्भयो योगी परमैश्वर्यसंयुतः

prāpya karmakṣayaṁ kṛtsnaṁ dhyānayuktyā mahāmune | tiṣṭhate nirbhayo yogī paramaiśvaryasaṁyutaḥ

Having attained the complete exhaustion of his deeds through the discipline of meditation, O great sage, the yogin abides fearless, endowed with supreme majesty.

Verse 19 (skanda.8.177.19)

कामरोषौ तथा सङ्गो द्वेषो रागविनिश्चयः । एते क्षुद्रतरा भावा मुक्त एभिर्विमुच्यते

kāmaroṣau tathā saṅgo dveṣo rāgaviniścayaḥ | ete kṣudratarā bhāvā mukta ebhirvimucyate

Desire and wrath, likewise attachment, hatred, and the fixed determination of passion - these are the baser states; freed from these, one becomes liberated.

Verse 20 (skanda.8.177.20)

गर्वो दम्भो ह्यहङ्कारस्तर्को मानोथ मत्सरः । पारुष्यं क्रूरता चैव भावाः क्षत्रनिबन्धनाः

garvo dambho hyahaṅkārastarko mānotha matsaraḥ | pāruṣyaṁ krūratā caiva bhāvāḥ kṣatranibandhanāḥ

Pride, hypocrisy, and egotism, argumentativeness, arrogance, and envy, harshness and cruelty as well - these states are bound up with the warrior's nature.

Verse 21 (skanda.8.177.21)

यस्यैते मोहना न स्युर्विन्दन्त्यात्मानमीश्वरम् । मोहभावान्तरातीतः समदुःखसुखस्सदा

yasyaite mohanā na syurvindantyātmānamīśvaram | mohabhāvāntarātītaḥ samaduḥkhasukhassadā

He for whom these deluding things do not exist attains the Self, the Lord; transcending the states of delusion, ever equal in pain and pleasure,

Verse 22 (skanda.8.177.22)

निर्ममत्वादिभिर्युक्तो योगीति परिपठ्यते । यज्ञकर्म समुत्सृज्य वैष्णवं मोहबन्धनम्

nirmamatvādibhiryukto yogīti paripaṭhyate | yajñakarma samutsṛjya vaiṣṇavaṁ mohabandhanam

endowed with freedom from possessiveness and the rest, he is proclaimed a "yogin." Having relinquished sacrificial ritual, and the Vaishnava bondage of delusion,

Verse 23 (skanda.8.177.23)

अध्यात्मपरमो नित्यं मुमुक्षुर्ब्राह्मणो भवेत् । त्रिवर्गं संपरित्यज्य योपवर्गे रतिं लभेत्

adhyātmaparamo nityaṁ mumukṣurbrāhmaṇo bhavet | trivargaṁ saṁparityajya yopavarge ratiṁ labhet

the brahmin, ever devoted to the things of the spirit, becomes a seeker of liberation; having wholly abandoned the triple aims of life, he attains delight in the fourth, liberation.

Verse 24 (skanda.8.177.24)

दिवौकसामसौ पूज्यो विप्र इत्यभिधीयते । ध्यानेन क्षीयते कर्म पापं वा यदि वा शुभम्

divaukasāmasau pūjyo vipra ityabhidhīyate | dhyānena kṣīyate karma pāpaṁ vā yadi vā śubham

He is called worthy of worship by the dwellers of heaven, "a true brahmin"; by meditation, deeds are worn away, whether sinful or meritorious.

Verse 25 (skanda.8.177.25)

क्षीणकर्मा ततो योगी तत्परं ब्रह्म विन्दति । प्राप्तयोगो मुनिर्ध्यानी यद्यत् कर्तुमभीप्सते

kṣīṇakarmā tato yogī tatparaṁ brahma vindati | prāptayogo munirdhyānī yadyat kartumabhīpsate

Then the yogin, his deeds exhausted, attains that supreme Brahman; the sage who has attained yoga, the meditator, whatever he desires to accomplish,

Verse 26 (skanda.8.177.26)

तत्तद् भवति तस्याशु मनसा चिन्तितेन वा । योगिनं पुरुषं दृष्ट्वा पापैर्मुच्यन्ति तत्क्षणात् । योपि संभाषते तेन सोपि सद्गतिमाप्नुते

tattad bhavati tasyāśu manasā cintitena vā | yoginaṁ puruṣaṁ dṛṣṭvā pāpairmucyanti tatkṣaṇāt | yopi saṁbhāṣate tena sopi sadgatimāpnute

that comes to be for him at once, by mind, or by mere thought. Men, upon beholding such a yogin, are freed from their sins that very instant; and whoever converses with him also attains a good state.

Verse 27 (skanda.8.177.27)

योगमेव परं ज्ञात्वा सर्वाशुभविमोचनम् । सचेतसो द्विजा विप्र बभूवुर्हि मुमुक्षवः

yogameva paraṁ jñātvā sarvāśubhavimocanam | sacetaso dvijā vipra babhūvurhi mumukṣavaḥ

Knowing yoga alone as supreme, the releaser from all inauspiciousness, the twice-born, mindful, became indeed seekers of liberation, O brahmin.

Verse 28 (skanda.8.177.28)

ध्यानं ध्येयं परं चैव धातारं चैव ये विदुः । तापनात् तपनात् ताप्यान्मुक्तास्ते दुःखबन्धनात्

dhyānaṁ dhyeyaṁ paraṁ caiva dhātāraṁ caiva ye viduḥ | tāpanāt tapanāt tāpyānmuktāste duḥkhabandhanāt

Those who know meditation, the object of meditation, and the Ordainer supreme, are freed from the bondage of the suffering that comes from torment, from heat, and from what is to be endured.

Verse 29 (skanda.8.177.29)

सर्वारम्भपरित्यागान्ममत्वादिविवर्जनात् । सांख्ययोगागमावेकौ भेदस्तत्वविमोचने

sarvārambhaparityāgānmamatvādivivarjanāt | sāṁkhyayogāgamāvekau bhedastatvavimocane

Through the relinquishment of all undertakings, through freedom from possessiveness and the rest, the Sankhya and Yoga traditions are one; the difference lies only in the release of the ultimate principle.

Verse 30 (skanda.8.177.30)

निर्गुणः सांख्यमुख्यानां पुरुषः परिपठ्यते । दीपनिर्वाणवत्तेषां देहभेदे गतिः स्मृता

nirguṇaḥ sāṁkhyamukhyānāṁ puruṣaḥ paripaṭhyate | dīpanirvāṇavatteṣāṁ dehabhede gatiḥ smṛtā

For the foremost Sankhyas, the Purusha is proclaimed to be without qualities; for them, like the extinguishing of a lamp, the destiny at the parting of the body is declared.

Verse 31 (skanda.8.177.31)

ईश्वरः सर्वनिर्मुक्तः क्षेत्रज्ञो योगिनां मतः । परमैश्वर्यसंयुक्तास्तं विशन्ति हि योगिनः

īśvaraḥ sarvanirmuktaḥ kṣetrajño yogināṁ mataḥ | paramaiśvaryasaṁyuktāstaṁ viśanti hi yoginaḥ

The Lord, wholly free, is held by the yogins to be the Knower of the Field; endowed with supreme majesty, the yogins indeed enter into him.

Verse 32 (skanda.8.177.32)

धारणाभिः समं ताभिः प्राणायामैस्तथैव च । आत्मानं योजयेद्यस्तु स यागं लभते परम्

dhāraṇābhiḥ samaṁ tābhiḥ prāṇāyāmaistathaiva ca | ātmānaṁ yojayedyastu sa yāgaṁ labhate param

Whoever unites the Self together with concentrations and with breath-controls as well, he attains the supreme sacrifice.

Verse 33 (skanda.8.177.33)

अहिंसादिसमायुक्तो योगी विगतमत्सरः । ध्यानमभ्यसते यस्तु स जयेन्मृत्युजन्मनी

ahiṁsādisamāyukto yogī vigatamatsaraḥ | dhyānamabhyasate yastu sa jayenmṛtyujanmanī

The yogin, endowed with non-violence and the rest, free of envy, who practices meditation, conquers both death and birth.

Verse 34 (skanda.8.177.34)

निर्गुणो निरहङ्कारो जितद्वन्द्वोनवग्रहः । भिक्षोपात्तरसाहारो मुमुक्षुरिति शब्द्यते

nirguṇo nirahaṅkāro jitadvandvonavagrahaḥ | bhikṣopāttarasāhāro mumukṣuriti śabdyate

Free of qualities, free of egotism, having conquered the pairs of opposites, without the nine planetary afflictions, taking sustenance gained through begging - such a one is called a "seeker of liberation."

Verse 35 (skanda.8.177.35)

सर्वारम्भसमावस्थः सर्वाश्रयविवर्जितः । कर्ममार्गादतिक्रान्तो ध्यानीति परिकीर्त्यते

sarvārambhasamāvasthaḥ sarvāśrayavivarjitaḥ | karmamārgādatikrānto dhyānīti parikīrtyate

Established equally toward all undertakings, free of every dependence, having gone beyond the path of action - such a one is proclaimed a "meditator."

Verse 36 (skanda.8.177.36)

यस्य नोद्विजते चेतो दुःखापत्तौ महामुने । न हष्यति सुखे चैव ध्यानीति स विशब्दितः

yasya nodvijate ceto duḥkhāpattau mahāmune | na haṣyati sukhe caiva dhyānīti sa viśabditaḥ

He whose consciousness is not troubled at the onset of suffering, O great sage, and does not rejoice at happiness either - he is called a "meditator."

Verse 37 (skanda.8.177.37)

मोक्षसिद्धिप्रदः पन्थास्त्रिविधः परिकीर्तितः । पूर्वः संकेतनः प्रोक्तः पश्चात् संकथनः स्मृतः

mokṣasiddhipradaḥ panthāstrividhaḥ parikīrtitaḥ | pūrvaḥ saṁketanaḥ proktaḥ paścāt saṁkathanaḥ smṛtaḥ

The path that grants the accomplishment of liberation is proclaimed threefold: the first is called "indicative"; the second is remembered as "discursive";

Verse 38 (skanda.8.177.38)

संसक्तश्च तृतीयस्तु तेषां भेदमिमं शृणु । प्रतिरूपं विभोः कृत्वा दशभिर्नियमैर्युतः

saṁsaktaśca tṛtīyastu teṣāṁ bhedamimaṁ śṛṇu | pratirūpaṁ vibhoḥ kṛtvā daśabhirniyamairyutaḥ

and the third is "attached"; hear now the distinction between them. Having made a likeness of the Lord, endowed with the ten observances,

Verse 39 (skanda.8.177.39)

उपास्ते यो मुनिर्ध्यायन् स संकेतन उच्यते । वेदादृतसुखासङ्गः सत्वकर्मा त्वबान्धवान्

upāste yo munirdhyāyan sa saṁketana ucyate | vedādṛtasukhāsaṅgaḥ satvakarmā tvabāndhavān

the sage who worships, meditating, is called one of the "indicative" path - beyond Vedic ritual, attached to happiness, engaged in sattvic action, yet without kinsmen -

Verse 40 (skanda.8.177.40)

परित्यज्येश्वरं ध्यायेत् तत्संकथनमुच्यते । सर्वारम्भपरित्यागात् कपिलादिनिषेवितः

parityajyeśvaraṁ dhyāyet tatsaṁkathanamucyate | sarvārambhaparityāgāt kapilādiniṣevitaḥ

having relinquished all this, he meditates upon the Lord; this is called the "discursive" path. Through the relinquishment of all undertakings, served by Kapila and the others,

Verse 41 (skanda.8.177.41)

स्मृतः संकथनः पन्था योगाग्निपरिदीपकः । निर्विकल्पस्तु यत्सर्वं ब्रह्म एवेति पश्यति

smṛtaḥ saṁkathanaḥ panthā yogāgniparidīpakaḥ | nirvikalpastu yatsarvaṁ brahma eveti paśyati

the discursive path is remembered as the kindler of the fire of yoga. Free of all distinctions, one who sees that all this is Brahman alone,

Verse 42 (skanda.8.177.42)

भिन्नसर्वक्रियाचारो ध्यानी संसक्त उच्यते । त्रिविधस्यापि मार्गस्य नियमानियमानि च

bhinnasarvakriyācāro dhyānī saṁsakta ucyate | trividhasyāpi mārgasya niyamāniyamāni ca

of divided practice in every action, the meditator is called "attached." Of the threefold path as well, the observances and non-observances -

Verse 43 (skanda.8.177.43)

तान्येव परिकीर्त्यन्ते चर्याभेदा स्त्वनेकधा । त्रयोपि हेतवो मुक्तेरिमे ध्यानपथा मुने

tānyeva parikīrtyante caryābhedā stvanekadhā | trayopi hetavo mukterime dhyānapathā mune

these very things are declared, the differences of practice being manifold; all three, however, are causes of liberation - these paths of meditation, O sage.

Verse 44 (skanda.8.177.44)

सम्यगेतान्मुनिर्ज्ञात्वा निर्ममोन्यतमं श्रितः । तदाप्नोति परं ध्यानं येन विन्दति तत्परम्

samyagetānmunirjñātvā nirmamonyatamaṁ śritaḥ | tadāpnoti paraṁ dhyānaṁ yena vindati tatparam

The sage who rightly knows these, and, free of possessiveness, resorts to any one of them, thereby attains the supreme meditation, by which he comes to know that Supreme.

Verse 45 (skanda.8.177.45)

सर्वान्ध्यानविधीँस्त्वेतानुच्यमानानिमान्मया । शृणु व्यास महाबुद्धे योगैश्वर्यफलप्रदान्

sarvāndhyānavidhī~stvetānucyamānānimānmayā | śṛṇu vyāsa mahābuddhe yogaiśvaryaphalapradān

All these rules of meditation, now being declared by me, hear them, Vyasa of great intellect - the bestowers of the fruit of yogic majesty.