भीष्म उवाच हन्त वक्ष्यामि ते पार्थ ध्यानयोगं चतुर्विधम्। यं ज्ञात्वा शाश्वती सिद्धिं गच्छन्तीह महर्षयः॥ यथा स्वनुष्ठितं ध्यानं तथा कुर्वन्ति योगिनः। महर्षयो ज्ञानतृप्ता निर्वाणगतमानसाः॥
Bhishma said 'I shall not, O son of Pritha, describe to you for four kinds of Yoga meditation. Obtaining a knowledge of the same, the great Rishis, attain to eternal success even in this world. Pleased with knowledge, with hearts engaged in Liberation, and conversant with Yoga, great Rishis, act in such a way that their Yoga meditation may get on properly.
नावर्तन्ते पुनः पार्थ मुक्ताः संसारदोषतः। जन्मदोषपरिक्षीणा: स्वभावे पर्यवस्थिताः॥
O son of Pritha, being freed from the faults of the world, these are not born again. Freed from liability to re-birth, they live in their state of original purity.
निर्द्वन्द्वा नित्यसत्त्वस्था विमुक्ता नियमस्थिताः। असङ्गान्यविवादीनि मनःशान्तिकराणि च॥
Freed from the influence of all pairs of opposite (such as heat and cold, joy and sorrow, etc.), ever existing in their own (pure) state, freed (from attachments), never accepting anything (in gift), they live in places separated from their wives and children, without others with whom disputes may arise, and favourable to perfect tranquillity of hearts.
तत्र ध्यानेन संश्लिष्टमेकाग्रं धारयेन्मनः। पिण्डीकृत्येन्द्रियग्राममासीन: काष्ठवन्मुनिः॥
There restraining speech, such a person sits like a piece of wood, killing all the senses, and with mind immersed in the Supreme Self by the help of meditation.
शब्दं न विन्देच्छ्रोत्रेण स्पर्श त्वचा न वेदयेत्। रूपं न चक्षुषा विद्याज्जिह्वया न रसांस्तथा॥
He has no perception of sound through the car; no perception of touch through the skin no perception of from through the eye; no perception of taste through the tongue.
प्रेयाण्यपि च सर्वाणि जह्याद् ध्यानेन योगवित्। पञ्चवर्गप्रमाथीनि नेच्छेच्चैतानि वीर्यवान्॥
He has no perception also of scents through the organ of smell. He would, immersed in Yoga and meditation, renounce all things.
ततो मनसि संगृह्य पञ्चवर्ग विचक्षणः। समादध्यान्मनो भ्रान्तमिन्द्रियैः सह पञ्चभिः॥
Possessed of great energy of mind, he has no desire for anything that works up the five senses. The wise man, then should, withdrawing his five senses into the mind, fix the unstable mind with the five senses (into the Intellect).
विसंचारि निरालम्बं पञ्चद्वारं चलाचलम्। पूर्वं ध्यानपथे धीरः समादध्यान्मोऽन्तरा॥
The Yogin should possessed of patience, fix his mind which always wanders, so that his five gates may be made firm regarding things that are themselves unstable. He should, in this sky of the heart, fix his mind into the path of meditation, making it independent of the body or any other refuge.
इन्द्रियाणि मनश्चैव यदा पिण्डीकरोत्ययम्। एष ध्यानपथः पूर्वो मया समनुवर्णितः॥
I have spoken of the path of meditation as the first, since the Yogin has first to destroy his senses and the mind.
तस्य तत् पूर्वसंरुद्धमात्मनः षष्ठमान्तरम्। स्फुरिष्यति समुद्घान्ता विद्युदम्बुधरे यथा॥
The mind, which constitutes the sixth, when thus controlled, tries of flash out like the capricious and fickle lightning playing among the clouds.
जलविन्दुर्यथा लोल: पर्णस्थः सर्वतश्चलः। एवमेवास्य चित्तं च भवति ध्यानवर्त्मनि॥
As a drop of water on a leaf in unstable and moves about on all sides, so becomes the Yogin's mind when first fix on the path of meditation.
समाहितं क्षणं किञ्चिद् ध्यानवर्त्मनि तिष्ठति। पुनर्वायुपथं भ्रान्तं मनो भवति वायुवत्॥
When fixed, for some time the inind stays in that path. When, however, it goes astray again into the path of the wind, it becomes as fleet as the wind.
अनिर्वेदो गतक्लेशो गततन्द्रिरमत्सरी। समादध्यात् पुनश्चेतो ध्यानेन ध्यानयोगवित्॥
The person who has mastered the science of Yoga,-without losing his heart by this, never regarding the loss of the toil undergone, shaking off idleness and malice,-should, again, direct his mind to meditation.
विचारश्च विवेकश्च वितर्कश्चपजायते। मुनेः समादधानस्य प्रथमं ध्यानमादितः॥
When one observing the vow of silence, begins to set his mind of Yoga, then discrimination, knowledge, and power to avoid cvil follow him in the trail.
मनसा क्लिश्यमानस्तु समाधानं च कारयेत्। न निर्वेदं मुनिर्गच्छेत् कुर्यादेवात्मनो हितम्॥
He should, though disturbed by the fickleness of his mind, fix it in meditation. The Yogin should never despair, but seek own his well-being.
पांसुभस्मकरीषाणां यथा वै राशयश्चिताः। सहसा वारिणा सिक्ता न यान्ति परिभावनम्॥ किञ्चित् स्निग्धं यथा च स्याच्छुष्कचूर्णमभावितम्। क्रमशस्तु शनैर्गच्छेत् सर्वं तत्परिभावनम्॥ एवमेवेन्द्रियग्रामं शनैः सम्परिभावयेत्। संहरेत् क्रमशश्चैव स सम्यक् प्रशमिष्यति॥
As when drenched with water, a mass of dust or ashes or of a burnt cow-dung, does not seem to be soaked, as it remains dry if drenched partially, and requires continued drenching before it becomes thoroughly soaked, so should the Yogin gradually control all his senses. He should gradually withdraw them (from all objects). The man who acts thus succeeds in controlling them.
स्वयमेव मनश्चैवं पञ्चवर्गं च भारत। पूर्वं ध्यानपथे स्थाप्य नित्ययोगेन शाम्यति॥
One succeeds, O Bharata, by directing one's mind and to the path of senses meditation, in controlling them perfectly by steadfast Yoga.
न तत्पुरुषकारेण न च दैवेन केनचित्। सुखमेष्यति तत् तस्य यदेवं संयतात्मनः॥
The happiness that he fells who has succeeded in controlling his mind and senses is such that its like can never be experienced through exertion or Destiny.
सुखे तेन संयुक्तो रंस्यते ध्यानकर्मणि। गच्छन्ति योगिनो ह्येवं निर्वाणां तन्निरामयम्॥
Enjoying such felicity, be continues to find pleasure in the act of meditation. Yogins attain, in this way, to the highly blessed state of Nirvana.'