12.188
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
hanta vakṣyāmi te pārtha dhyānayogaṃ caturvidham। yaṃ jñātvā śāśvatīṃ siddhiṃ gacchanti paramarṣayaḥ ॥12-188-1॥
O Pārtha, I will now explain to you the fourfold yoga of meditation, by knowing which the supreme sages attain eternal perfection.
yathā svanuṣṭhitaṃ dhyānaṃ tathā kurvanti yoginaḥ। maharṣayo jñānatṛptā nirvāṇagatamānasāḥ ॥12-188-2॥
Just as meditation is properly practiced, so do the yogis act; the great sages, satisfied with knowledge, have minds that have attained liberation.
nāvartante punaḥ pārtha muktāḥ saṃsāra-doṣataḥ। janma-doṣa-parikṣīṇāḥ svabhāve paryavasthitāḥ ॥12-188-3॥
O Pārtha, those who are liberated from the faults of saṃsāra do not return again; those whose faults of birth are exhausted remain established in their own true nature.
nirdvandvā nityasattvasthā vimuktā nityamāśritāḥ। asaṅgīnyavivādīni manaḥśāntikarāṇi ca ॥12-188-4॥
They are free from dualities, steadfast in eternal essence, liberated, always resorting to the eternal, unattached, free from disputes, and bring peace of mind.
tatra svādhyāyasaṃśliṣṭamekāgraṃ dhārayen manaḥ। piṇḍīkṛtyendriyagrāmam āsīnaḥ kāṣṭhavan muniḥ॥12-188-5॥
There, the sage should sit like a log, having gathered the senses, and hold the mind one-pointed, joined with self-study.
śabdaṃ na vindecchrotreṇa sparśaṃ tvacā na vedayet| rūpaṃ na cakṣuṣā vidyājjihvayā na rasāṃstathā ||12-188-6||
One should not perceive sound with the ear, nor feel touch with the skin, nor know form with the eye, nor taste tastes with the tongue, in this way.
ghreyāṇy api ca sarvāṇi jahyād dhyānena yogavit। pañcavargapramāthīni necchec caitāni vīryavān॥12-188-7॥
The yogi, through meditation, should renounce all desirable things; the strong-minded should not wish for these fivefold destroyers.
tato manasi saṁsajya pañcavargaṁ vicakṣaṇaḥ। samādadhyānmano bhrāntamindriyaiḥ saha pañcabhiḥ ॥12-188-8॥
Then, the wise person, having gathered the group of five in the mind, should steady the restless mind along with the five senses.
visañcāri nirālambaṃ pañcadvāraṃ calācalam। pūrve dhyānapathe dhīraḥ samādadhyānmano'ntaram ॥12-188-9॥
The mind, which moves about without support and has five doors, both moving and unmoving, should be fixed within by the steadfast one on the former path of meditation.
indriyāṇi manaścaiva yadā piṇḍīkarotyayam। eṣa dhyānapathaḥ pūrvo mayā samanuvarṇitaḥ ॥12-188-10॥
When one gathers the senses and the mind together, I have already described this earlier path of meditation.
tasya tatpūrva-saṁruddhaṁ manaḥ-ṣaṣṭham-anantaram। sphuriṣyati samudbhrāntaṁ vidyud-ambudhare yathā ॥12-188-11॥
His mind, which had previously been restrained, will suddenly surge forth, agitated, just like lightning in a cloud.
jalabinduryathā lolaḥ parṇasthaḥ sarvataścalaḥ। evamevāsy taccittaṃ bhavati dhyānavartmani ॥12-188-12॥
Just as a water-drop, unsteady and moving in all directions on a leaf, so too does this person's mind become restless on the path of meditation.
samāhitaṃ kṣaṇaṃ kiñcid dhyānavartmani tiṣṭhati। punar vāyupathaṃ bhrāntaṃ mano bhavati vāyuvat ॥12-188-13॥
For a moment, the mind remains somewhat collected on the path of meditation; but again, wandering on the path of the wind, it becomes like the wind.
anirvedo gatakleśo gatatandrīramatsaraḥ। samādadhyātpunaśceto dhyānena dhyānayogavit ॥12-188-14॥
One who is free from despondency, suffering, lethargy, and envy should again fix his mind in meditation, being skilled in the yoga of meditation.
vicāraś ca vitarkaś ca vivekaś copajāyate। muneḥ samādhadhānasya prathamaṃ dhyānam āditaḥ ॥12-188-15॥
At the beginning of the first meditation, deliberation, reflection, and discernment arise for the sage who is engaged in concentration.
manasā kliśyamānastu samādhānaṃ ca kārayet। na nirvedaṃ munirgacchet kuryādeva ātmano hitam ॥12-188-16॥
Even if troubled in mind, one should seek resolution and not let the sage fall into despair; one should always act for one's own welfare.
pāṃsubhasmakarīṣāṇāṃ yathā vai rāśayaścitāḥ। sahasā vāriṇā siktā na yānti paribhāvanām ॥12-188-17॥
Just as heaps of dust, ash, and dung, when suddenly soaked with water, do not dissolve, so too...
kiñcit-snigdhaṃ yathā ca syāt śuṣka-cūrṇaṃ abhāvitam | kramaśas tu śanair gacchet sarvaṃ tat paribhāvanam ॥12-188-18॥
The powder should be made slightly unctuous, and if it is dry and not yet moistened, the moistening should be done gradually and slowly.
evamevendriyagrāmaṃ śanaiḥ samparibhāvayet। saṃharetkramaśaścaiva sa samyakpraśamiṣyati ॥12-188-19॥
In this way, one should slowly and thoroughly restrain the group of senses; withdrawing them gradually, he will indeed attain complete tranquility.
svayameva manaścaiva pañcavargaśca bhārata। pūrvaṃ dhyānapathaṃ prāpya nityayogena śāmyati ॥12-188-20॥
O Bhārata, the mind and the five senses, by themselves, become tranquil through constant practice of yoga, having first attained the path of meditation.
na tatpuruṣakāreṇa na ca daivena kenacit। sukham eṣyati tat tasya yad evaṃ saṃyatātmanaḥ ॥12-188-21॥
Happiness does not come to a person merely by personal effort or by fate alone; it comes to him who is thus self-restrained.
sukhena tena saṁyukto raṁsyate dhyānakarmaṇi। gacchanti yogino hyevaṁ nirvāṇaṁ tannirāmayam ॥12-188-22॥
He, united with happiness, delights in meditation. Thus, yogis indeed attain that liberation which is free from all affliction.
