The Path of Liberation of the Individual Soul from Bondage

Henceforth, I shall explain a Yoga that is very difficult of access and whereby the devotees visualize the Atman, the Isvara (brilliant) like the sun.

The fire of Yoga quickly burns the entire cage of sins. Pure and perspicuous knowledge which directly accords the attainment of Liberation (from Samsara) arises thereby.

Knowledge originates through Yoga; Yoga functions through knowledge. The great God (Mahesvara) is delighted with one devoted to the practice of Yoga and knowledge.

Those who practise the great Yoga once, twice or thrice everyday or continuously should be known as Mahesvaras.

Yoga should be known as one of two kinds. The first one is called as Abhava Yoga. The other one is known as the Mahayoga (the great Yoga). It is the most excellent among all Yogas.

The Yoga wherein one's own soul is meditated upon as void and devoid of all false appearances is proclaimed as Abhava Yoga whereby one realizes thoroughly one's own self.

The Yoga wherein one sees one's own self as immaculate, eternal bliss and identical with me is called by me as the highest Yoga.

Those other paths of Yogas practised by other Yogins and those Yogas which are heard (described) in other extensive works (on Yoga) do not deserve to be even one-sixteenth part of the Brahma-Yoga (Yoga leading to the realization of the Brahman).

The Yoga in which the liberated souls directly perceive the universe as one with Isvara, that Yoga is considered to be the greatest of all Yogas.

Thousands and numerous Yogins of controlled minds who consider themselves as excluded or different from Isvara do not perceive me as one without a second.

(O excellent sages, the following are the essential adjuncts of Yoga) viz. Pranayama, Dhyana (meditation), Pratyahara (withdrawal of the sense-organs), Dharana (retention), Samadhi (trance), Yama (control), Niyama (Restraint and observance), Asana (posture).

The adjuncts of the same Yoga have been narrated to you. Yoga is the concentration of the mind in me alone along with control of the intermediary urges.

Ahimsa (non-violence), Satya (truth), Asteya (non-stealth), Brahmacarya (celibacy) and Aparigraha (non-possession or non-acceptance of monetary gifts) - these are the Yamas (controls). They have been succinctly mentioned. They bestow purity of mind upon men.

It has been declared by the great sages that Ahimsa (non-violence) is non-causation of distress to any living being at any time physically, mentally and verbally.

There is no greater Virtue than Ahimsa; there is nothing more conducive to happiness than Ahimsa. The Himsa (violence) that is committed according to the injunctions (of the Vedas) is indeed glorified as Ahimsa.

The act of stating precisely in conformity to what is factual is called Satya (truthfulness) by the twice-born ones. One obtains everything through Satya. Everything is founded on Satya.

Removal of another man's wealth or property either by stealth or through force is called Steya (stealth). Refraining from doing it is Asteya. It is a means of Virtue of merit.

Eschewing copulation either physically, mentally and orally in all stages, at times, and in all places is called Brahmacarya (celibacy).

Nontaking of monetary gifts voluntarily even during adversity is called Aparigraha. One should maintain it strenuously.

Tapas (penance), Svadhyaya (self-study of Vedas), Santosa (contentment), Sauca (purity), Isvara-Pujana (worship of God) - these are mentioned as Niyamas (observances) succinctly. They are the bestowers of Yogic perfection (Siddhis).

Ascetics call it the excellent penance if the body is dessicated by means of fasts and observances of religious vows like Paraka, Krcchra, Candrayana etc.

Learned men say that this is Svadhyaya if one performs the Japa of the Vedantic passages, Satarudriya (Vajasaneyi Samhita XVI.1-66), Pranava (Om) etc. It brings about the achievement of Sattva Guna in men.

There are three types of Svadhyayas viz. Vacika (verbal), Upamsu (inaudible muttering) and Manasa (mental); those who know the meanings of the Vedas say that the latter ones are better than the earlier ones.

The Svadhyaya (recitation or study of the Vedas) the words of which are clearly audible (understandable) to other listeners is called Vacika (vocal). Now the characteristic of Upamsu (inaudible) Svadhyaya is as follows:

That which involves only the throbbing of lips but the words of which are inaudible to others is designated as Upamsu (inaudible Svadhyaya). It is better (more efficacious) than vocal Japa.

The contemplation of all the words (of the text of prayer) in the proper sequence of words and syllables without throbbing of the lips, is called Manasa Japa (mental Japa).

Sages say that the praise-worthy attitude of the man who regards whatever wealth is acquired through luck (without striving for it) as sufficient (to him), is called contentment and it is characterised by a feeling of happiness.

O excellent Brahmanas, Sauca (cleanliness) is said to be twofold - the external and the internal. The external cleanliness is by means of clay and water, while the internal one consists of the purity of the mind.

The extremely steady devotion to Siva through the Verbal, mental and physical activities such as singing eulogy, recollection (of His Name etc.) and worship (of Siva) is called Isa Pujana (Worship of God).

The Yamas and the Niyamas have been expounded. Now understand the Pranayama. Prana is the air circulating within one's own body. Its restraint is called Ayama.

Pranayama is three-fold, the Uttama (excellent), Madhyama (the middling) and the Adhama (lowly). Another two-fold classification of Pranayama is Sagarbha and Agarbha (i.e. Pranayama with the repetition of Om or any other Mantra bija is Sagarbha and without it is called Agarbha).

The lowly type of Pranayama is Manda and the duration (of retention of breath) is twelve Matras; the middling is of the duration of twenty-four Matras while the last type of restraint of Prana is of thirtysix Matras. In these three types, perspiration, shivering and gasping are generated in due order. This is the most excellent of the Yogas to even ordinary men (due to bliss) [v.l. The excellence of these should be judged by the bliss caused thereby].

That Yoga is called Sunapha and is the triumph of Sagarbha type of Pranayama. O learned ones, the sages say that this is the characteristic of the breath-control of Yogins.

Controlling one's breath, one should repeat three times the Gayatri Mantra along with its Vyahrtis (OM Bhuh, Bhuvah, Svah) and its head. This is called the breath-control.

It is mentioned in all scriptures by Yogins of fully controlled minds, that the Pranayama consists of three stages Recaka, Puraka and Kumbhaka.

Recaka is exhalation of breath while its retention (inhalation) is called Puraka. The state of equilibrium (between the two) is spoken of as Kumbhaka.

O excellent men, it is said by good men that the restraint of the sense-organs which are naturally straying over the pleasurable objects is called Pratyahara.

Dharana is the fixation of the mind in the lotus of the heart, umbilical region, cerebral region limbs, forehead and such other spots.

Learned men called Dhyana (contemplation) as the continuous concentration of mind which is fixed on particular spot (part of the body) and is undistracted by any other object nearby.

The perception of one form (object of contemplation) alone is Samadhi (trance) wherein the awareness of the surrounding place is absent. Only the object is perceived. This is the excellent injunction in the Yoga.

Twelve Pranayamas lead up to the Dharana; twelve Dharanas lead into Dhyana. Twelve such Dhyanas are said to constitute a Samadhi.

Asanas (bodily postures) are (mainly three) Svastika, Padma and Ardha. This is the most excellent of all means.

O leading Brahmanas, the soles of both the feet are placed over the thighs. Sitting thus is called the excellent Padma posture.

Both the soles of the feet are placed in between the knees and the thighs; seating oneself in this excellent posture is called Svastika.

O excellent Brahmanas, when one sits placing one's foot on the other thigh (e.g. right foot on the left thigh), it becomes Ardhasana. It is an excellent posture for the accomplishment of Yoga.

Yoga is not seen practised at in the improper time or in an unsuitable place; nor should it be practised near fire, in water or on dried leaf-stack.

The following places are also to be avoided for Yogic Practice: places where vermins abound, cremation ground, dilapidated cowpen, the quadrangle or place where four roads meet, a crowded noisy place or where there is an ant-hill or a Caitya (Buddhist place of worship), an unauspicious place full of wicked men, and places where mosquitoes are in plenty. Nor should one practise Yoga when the body is ailing or when the mind is dispirited.

With his mind devoted to Him (Lord Siva), one should always practise Yoga in a secluded place in an auspicious well-guarded place, in the cave of a mountain, on the banks of a river, in holy place, in a temple or in a clean place in the house, or in an isolated place devoid of worms or vermins.

After bowing down to leading Yogins, their disciples, Lord Vinayaka, his own preceptor and me, the Yogin shall begin the practice of Yoga with full concentration of the mind.

He should sit in any of the postures - Svastika, Padma or Ardhasana with his equi-poised gaze fixed on the tip of his nose and eyes partially opened. He shall be free from fear and calm; the illusory worries of worldly nature should be eschewed. One should then meditate on Paramesvara abiding in one's own soul.

The mystic lotus should be conceived at the tip of the tuft of hair (on the crown of one's head) twelve Angulas in length. Dharma is its bulbous root from which it is originated. It is extremely beautiful and has spiritual knowledge as its stalk and eight divine potencies as its petals. It is white and has Vairagya (Detachment) for its pericarp. One should contemplate gold-coloured calyx (the greatest Kosa) in the pericarp of that lotus.

Within it one should meditate on the Lord whom they call divine and unchanging, the Lord who is endowed with all Saktis (divine potencies), who is directly expressed by Omkara, is unmanifest, enveloped in flames of rays (v.l. full of brilliance); one should meditate on the great brilliance, the imperishable one. He should deposit the bliss in that brilliance. He should meditate on Isa the great cause stationed in the middle of the Kosa (heart). Having become (identical) with its Atman which is omnipresent, one should not think of anything else.

This is the secret-most knowledge. Now another type of meditation is described. After having contemplated as before on the excellent lotus in the heart, the Atman should be thought of as a doer, with the lustre equal to that of fire. In the middle of that lotus, Purusa, the twentyfifth principle should be thought of as being of the form of the flame of fire.

He should meditate upon the supreme Atman in its middle - The Paramatman as the supreme firmament, the principle expressed by Omkara and called eternal, auspicious, the unmanifest, latent in Prakrti and the supreme light, the inner highest principle, the basis of Atman and unsullied.

One should meditate on it with concentration and think of Mahesvara as a single form, after purifying all the principles through Pranava.

Or the Atman should be fixed in the greatest region which is free from impurity, after purifying one's own body with the self-same water of perfect knowledge.

One should dedicate one's soul unto me and concentrate one's mind in me and take up the Bhasma from the Agnihotra fire. He should then dust all his limbs with it repeating the mantras of Agni and Aditya.

Then one should meditate upon Lord Isana in the form of the supreme light within one's own Atman. This is the Yoga, pertaining to Pasupati. It is conducive to the liberation of the Pasu from the Pasa.

This is the path of all the Vedantas. The Sruti says that it is beyond all Asramas (stages of life). This is the greatest esoteric truth that should be concealed as it bestows Sayujya with absorption in me.

The observances for the twice-born celibate devotees have been recounted. (Now I shall mention the observances): Celibacy, non-violence, forgiveness, cleanliness, penance, self-control, contentment, truthfulness, faith in Vedas, etc. These are the special ancillaries of the religious vows. Even if one of the holy vows is lacking it does not affect it.

Hence, one endowed with the attributes of the Atman deserves to take up my Vrata (holy vow) - Many people who are devoid of lust, fear and anger have identified themselves with me, have resorted to me and have been purified by this Yoga and have reached my state of being.

As men approach me, so do I accept them.

Hence, you all should worship me, the supreme Lord, by means of the path of knowledge or the path of devotion or by means of the greatest Vairagya (detachment).

Ever pure, one should worship me with the mind endowed with enlightenment. He should renounce all Karmas, accept no monetary gift and should partake of the alms (voluntarily given).

He then attains identity with me. This secret has been communicated by me. He who does not hate any living being, who is friendly and sympathetic with all beings, who is devoid of myness and egotism and who is my devotee, is beloved to me.

A Yogin who is ever contented, is always endowed with self-control, is firm in his resolution, who is my devotee, who has dedicated his mind and intellect unto me, is my beloved.

He, by whom the world is not afflicted, he, who is not afflicted by the world, and he who is devoid of gaiety, anger, fear and anxiety is dear to me.

He who has no expectations, is pure, prompt and efficient, unconcerned and devoid of troubles and who has renounced all undertakings and is thus devoted to me is my beloved.

One who equally reacts to censure and praise, who is silent, who is contented with whatever comes to him (he gets), who has no fixed abode, whose mind is steady and who is my devotee will attain me.

One who performs all rites always doing continually all action but taking refuge in me, he reaches by my grace the eternal supreme abode.

One should seek refuge in me alone after mentally dedicating all actions unto me, after becoming devoid of hopes and myness and considering me as the ultimate goal.

By eschewing over-attachment to the fruits of actions and being ever contented and depending on nothing, one is enlightened by the action in which he is engaged.

One who is devoid of hopes, has his mind and self controlled and has abandoned all possession, attains to that supreme region by performing Karma by the body alone.

If one is contented with what he obtains without efforts, if one is beyond the scope of mutually opposed pairs, the action performed by him for propitiating me is destructive of worldly existence.

"Fix your mind on me; be devoted to me; offer sacrifice to me; be solely absorbed in me, knowing me as the supreme Deity, the Lord of Yoga, propitiate me.

They call me the supreme Light. Thus enlightening each other and always speaking about me, they attain Sayujya (union with me).

By means of the shining lamp of knowledge I destroy the entire darkness of those who are continuously attached to me.

Those who have concentrated their mind in me and are always worshipping me, I supply them what they need and preserve what is already possessed by them.

Others seeking enjoyment of pleasures may worship other deities. Their fruit should be known to that extent according to the capacity and power of that deity.

Those who are devoted to other deities but are endowed with conceptions of me, are also liberated.

Hence, after abandoning all other transient deities, one should resort to me, the Lord. He attains the greatest region.

One must abandon love for sons and others. One should be devoid of sorrow and possessions. One should be detached and worship the Linga of Paramesvara until death.

I give unto them the greatest region within a single birth, if they worship the Linga always, after eschewing all sensual pleasures.

The Linga of the great Atman is the only Real (?) silver-line in lustre (v.l. stainless). The Linga is spiritual knowledge and is stationed in the hearts of Yogins.

Regular devotees worship Mahesvara in the Linga anywhere, after sanctifying it duly. They may worship it in water, in the middle of fire, in the sky, in the sun or in other places.

Linga pertaining to Isvara must be conceived of in jewels etc., and the Lord may be worshipped. All this is one with Linga and everything is within Linga.

Hence one should worship the Eternal Lord anywhere in the Linga. The performers (of sacrifices and rituals) regard it as existing in the fire, the wise ones in water, the sky and in the sun, the fools in wood (i.e. idols made of wood) but with Yogins the Linga is in their hearts.

Even if the spiritual knowledge has not dawned, if one is detached, if one has sufficient love, one should perform the Japa of Pranava as long as one lives. Since it is Brahma's physical body.

Or a Brahmana should perform the Japa of Satarudriya until death. He should have full control over the mind and remain single. He attains the greatest region.

O Brahmanas, one should remain at Varanasi with full concentration until death. By means of the grace of god Siva, he attains the greatest region. There, the lord grants the greatest knowledge to all the embodied beings at the time of departure (passing away.) Thereby they are liberated from bondage.

If a devotee fully dedicates himself unto me and performs the entire duties of the four castes and stages of life, he obtains perfect knowledge in the very same birth and attains the auspicious region.

O Brahmanas, all those people of lowly birth and sinful origin who reside there, cross the ocean of worldly existence, thanks to the grace of Isvara. But obstacles befall those persons whose minds are affected by sins.

Hence, O Brahmanas, one should always resort to virtuous activities for the sake of liberation. This is the secret of the Vedas. It should not be given (indiscriminately) to any one and everyone.

It should be given only to a virtuous one who is a devotee observing the vow of celibacy.

After imparting this excellent Yoga, the eternal Lord spoke to Narayana who was seated there and who was free from ailments: "This knowledge has been explained by me for the welfare of the expounders of Brahman. This auspicious knowledge of Brahman should be imparted by you to the disciples of quiescent minds." After mentioning this matter, the unborn Lord spoke to the leading Yogins.

O excellent Brahmanas, for the sake of the welfare of devotees of the twice-born caste, you too should impart to all devoted disciples, my perfect knowledge at my instance. There is no doubt in this that he who is Isvara (Siva) is Narayana. This greatest knowledge should be imparted to those who do not see any difference (between the two) viz. Siva and Visnu.

He who is called Narayana is my Supreme personality. It abides in the soul of all beings, is quiescent and established imperishably.

The people who see difference (in me and Visnu) and perceive me otherwise, do not see liberation. They are born again and again in the world.

Those who see this unmanifest Visnu and me, Lord Mahesvara as identical are not born again (in Samsara).

Hence observe and worship Visnu, the unchanging Atman without beginning and end as the same as me.

Those who see otherwise and think about the difference in the deities pass on to terrible hells. I am not present in them.

I liberate the person who does not censure Narayana whether he is a fool or a scholar, or a Candala or a Brahmana depending on me.

Hence this great Yogin, the supreme person (Visnu) should be worshipped and bowed to by my devotees in order to generate my pleasure."

After saying this and embracing Vasudeva, the Pinaka-bearing Lord vanished even as all were observing.

Lord Narayana eschewed his excellent body and took up the excellent guise of an ascetic.

He said to the Yogins - "By the grace of Paramesthin (Siva) the blemishless perfect knowledge has been acquired by you all. The perfect knowledge of Lord Mahesa is destructive of worldly existence.

O Lordly sages, go forth without mental affection. All of you propagate the perfect knowledge of Paramesthin to virtuous disciples.

This perfect knowledge pertaining to Isvara should be given to a quiescent devotee, the virtuous one who maintains the sacrificial fire and particularly to a Brahmana."

After saying this, Narayana, the great Yogin, the Atman of the universe, the most excellent among the knowers of Yoga and Yogins, vanished from the scene.

Those sages bowed to Mahesvara, the Lord of Devas and Narayana, the cause of the Bhutas and went to their respective abodes.

Holy lord the great sage Sanatkumara gave the perfect knowledge pertaining to Isvara to Samvarta, who imparted it to Satya-Vrata. The leading Yogin Sanandana gave it to the great sage Pulaha. Pulaha gave it to Gautama. Prajapati Angiras gave it to Bharadvaja, learned in the Vedas.

Kapila gave it to Jaigisavya and Pancasikha. My father Parasara, the seer of all principles, acquired that great perfect knowledge from Sanaka. Valmiki got it from him.

The great Yogi Vamadeva, Rudra, the controller of Kala and wielder of Pinaka, the offspring of Sati and Siva imparted this knowledge to me formerly.

Lord Narayana, Hari, the son of Devaki, himself gave this excellent knowledge to Arjuna.

Ever since I acquired this excellent (perfect knowledge) from Rudra Vamadeva, I have had a special devotion to Girisa (Siva, the Lord of mountains). I have sought special refuge in Girisa worthy of being the shelter, Girisa the Lord of the Bhutas (goblins), the trident-bearing Sthanu, the Lord of Devas.

Accompanied by your wives and sons, O Gentle Sirs, you too resort to Lord Sambhu, Siva the bull-vehicled deity. Exist by means of his grace. Worship Sankara through the path of activity, worship Mahadeva, the Lord of bulls (lord of speech) having serpents for his ornament."

When this was narrated, Saunaka and others bowed to Mahesvara, eternal Sthanu. Delighted in their minds they spoke to Vyasa, the son of Satyavati the holy Lord Krsnadvaipayana, who was Lord Hrsikesa himself and Siva, the Isvara of the worlds.

By your favour, steady devotion to the bull-bannered deity worthy of being a refuge, has arisen. This is inaccessible even to Devas. O excellent sage, please narrate the excellent path of action (Karma-Yoga) whereby Lord Isa has to be propitiated by those who seek salvation. In your presence, Suta may hear the words of the holy Lord.

Hence, mention the epitome of virtue (Dharma) capable of protecting the entire worlds. This is what has been narrated by Visnu the Lord of Devas, who had assumed the form of a tortoise, when he had been requested by Sakra along with the sages at the churning of the Nectar. On hearing the words of the sages, the son of Satyavati, explained the whole of the eternal path of Action.

He who always reads this dialogue of the deity clad in Elephant-hide with the sages the Chief of whom was Sanatkumara shall be liberated from all sins.

He who narrates this to pure Brahmanas devoted to celibacy and he who ponders over the meaning attains the greatest goal.