Brahma Purana — Chapter 235
BrP 235.1
इदानीं ब्रूहि योगं च दुःखसंयोगभेषजम् यं विदित्वाव्ययं तत्र युञ्जामः पुरुषोत्तमम् ॥
idānīṃ brūhi yogaṃ ca duḥkhasaṃyogabheṣajam yaṃ viditvāvyayaṃ tatra yuñjāmaḥ puruṣottamam //
Now speak also of yoga, the remedy for contact with suffering, by knowing which we may there join ourselves to the imperishable Supreme Person.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 235.2
श्रुत्वा स वचनं तेषां कृष्णद्वैपायनस् तदा अब्रवीत् परमप्रीतो योगी योगविदां वरः ॥
śrutvā sa vacanaṃ teṣāṃ kṛṣṇadvaipāyanas tadā abravīt paramaprīto yogī yogavidāṃ varaḥ //
Then, having heard their words, Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana, the yogin, the best of those who know yoga, greatly pleased, spoke:
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 235.3
योगं वक्ष्यामि भो विप्राः शृणुध्वं भवनाशनम् यम् अभ्यस्याप्नुयाद् योगी मोक्षं परमदुर्लभम् ॥
yogaṃ vakṣyāmi bho viprāḥ śṛṇudhvaṃ bhavanāśanam yam abhyasyāpnuyād yogī mokṣaṃ paramadurlabham //
I shall declare yoga, O brahmins; listen — it destroys (further) existence, by practising which a yogin may attain liberation, most hard to win.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 235.4
श्रुत्वादौ योगशास्त्राणि गुरुम् आराध्य भक्तितः इतिहासं पुराणं च वेदांश् चैव विचक्षणः ॥
śrutvādau yogaśāstrāṇi gurum ārādhya bhaktitaḥ itihāsaṃ purāṇaṃ ca vedāṃś caiva vicakṣaṇaḥ //
Having first heard the treatises on yoga, having worshipped a teacher with devotion, and (having heard) epic, purāṇa and the Vedas, the discerning man —
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 235.5
आहारं योगदोषांश् च देशकालं च बुद्धिमान् ज्ञात्वा समभ्यसेद् योगं निर्द्वंद्वो निष्परिग्रहः ॥
āhāraṃ yogadoṣāṃś ca deśakālaṃ ca buddhimān jñātvā samabhyased yogaṃ nirdvaṃdvo niṣparigrahaḥ //
— the intelligent man, knowing food and the faults (that obstruct) yoga, and the (proper) place and time, should practise yoga, free from the pairs of opposites, taking nothing (from others).
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 235.6
भुञ्जन् सक्तुं यवागूं च तक्रमूलफलं पयः यावकं कणपिण्याकम् आहारं योगसाधनम् ॥
bhuñjan saktuṃ yavāgūṃ ca takramūlaphalaṃ payaḥ yāvakaṃ kaṇapiṇyākam āhāraṃ yogasādhanam //
Eating barley-meal, barley gruel, buttermilk, roots and fruit, milk, barley porridge, husk and oil-cake — such is the food that furthers yoga.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 235.7
न मनोविकले ध्माते न श्रान्ते क्षुधिते तथा न द्वंद्वे न च शीते च न चोष्णे नानिलात्मके ॥
na manovikale dhmāte na śrānte kṣudhite tathā na dvaṃdve na ca śīte ca na coṣṇe nānilātmake //
Not when the mind is disturbed, not when panting, not when tired, nor when hungry, not amid the pairs of opposites, not in cold, not in heat, not in wind.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 235.8
सशब्दे न जलाभ्यासे जीर्णगोष्ठे चतुष्पथे सरीसृपे श्मशाने च न नद्यन्ते ऽग्निसंनिधौ ॥
saśabde na jalābhyāse jīrṇagoṣṭhe catuṣpathe sarīsṛpe śmaśāne ca na nadyante 'gnisaṃnidhau //
Not where there is noise, not at a bathing-place, not in a decayed cow-pen, at a crossroads, where creeping things are, in a cremation ground, nor by a river, nor near fire.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 235.9
न चैत्ये न च वल्मीके सभये कूपसंनिधौ न शुष्कपर्णनिचये योगं युञ्जीत कर्हिचित् ॥
na caitye na ca valmīke sabhaye kūpasaṃnidhau na śuṣkaparṇanicaye yogaṃ yuñjīta karhicit //
Not at a sacred tree-shrine, not at an ant-hill, not in a fearsome place, not near a well, not on a heap of dry leaves should one ever practise yoga.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 235.10
देशान् एतान् अनादृत्य मूढत्वाद् यो युनक्ति वै प्रवक्ष्ये तस्य ये दोषा जायन्ते विघ्नकारकाः ॥
deśān etān anādṛtya mūḍhatvād yo yunakti vai pravakṣye tasya ye doṣā jāyante vighnakārakāḥ //
For him who, disregarding these places, practises out of folly, I shall declare what faults arise that cause obstruction.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 235.11
बाधिर्यं जडता लोपः स्मृतेर् मूकत्वम् अन्धता ज्वरश् च जायते सद्यस् तद्वद् अज्ञानसंभवः ॥
bādhiryaṃ jaḍatā lopaḥ smṛter mūkatvam andhatā jvaraś ca jāyate sadyas tadvad ajñānasaṃbhavaḥ //
Deafness, dullness, loss of memory, dumbness, blindness and fever arise at once, and likewise ignorance comes about.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 235.12
तस्मात् सर्वात्मना कार्या रक्षा योगविदा सदा धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाणां शरीरं साधनं यतः ॥
tasmāt sarvātmanā kāryā rakṣā yogavidā sadā dharmārthakāmamokṣāṇāṃ śarīraṃ sādhanaṃ yataḥ //
Therefore the knower of yoga must always guard (himself) with all his being, since the body is the instrument for dharma, wealth, pleasure and liberation.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 235.13
आश्रमे विजने गुह्ये निःशब्दे निर्भये नगे शून्यागारे शुचौ रम्ये चैकान्ते देवतालये ॥
āśrame vijane guhye niḥśabde nirbhaye nage śūnyāgāre śucau ramye caikānte devatālaye //
In a hermitage, in a solitary hidden place, silent and free of fear, on a mountain, in an empty house, in a clean and pleasant spot, and in a secluded temple of a god —
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 235.14
रजन्याः पश्चिमे यामे पूर्वे च सुसमाहितः पूर्वाह्णे मध्यमे चाह्नि युक्ताहारो जितेन्द्रियः ॥
rajanyāḥ paścime yāme pūrve ca susamāhitaḥ pūrvāhṇe madhyame cāhni yuktāhāro jitendriyaḥ //
— in the last watch of the night and in the first, well collected, and in the forenoon and at midday, with measured food, his senses subdued —
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 235.15
आसीनः प्राङ्मुखो रम्य आसने सुखनिश्चले नातिनीचे न चोच्छ्रिते निःस्पृहः सत्यवाक् शुचिः ॥
āsīnaḥ prāṅmukho ramya āsane sukhaniścale nātinīce na cocchrite niḥspṛhaḥ satyavāk śuciḥ //
— seated facing east on a pleasant seat, comfortable and unmoving, neither too low nor raised too high, free of longing, truthful in speech, pure —
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 235.16
युक्तनिद्रो जितक्रोधः सर्वभूतहिते रतः सर्वद्वंद्वसहो धीरः समकायाङ्घ्रिमस्तकः ॥
yuktanidro jitakrodhaḥ sarvabhūtahite rataḥ sarvadvaṃdvasaho dhīraḥ samakāyāṅghrimastakaḥ //
— with sleep measured, anger conquered, delighting in the welfare of all beings, enduring all pairs of opposites, steadfast, holding body, legs and head aligned —
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 235.17
नाभौ निधाय हस्तौ द्वौ शान्तः पद्मासने स्थितः संस्थाप्य दृष्टिं नासाग्रे प्राणान् आयम्य वाग्यतः ॥
nābhau nidhāya hastau dvau śāntaḥ padmāsane sthitaḥ saṃsthāpya dṛṣṭiṃ nāsāgre prāṇān āyamya vāgyataḥ //
— placing his two hands on his navel, calm, sitting in the lotus posture, fixing his gaze on the tip of his nose, restraining the breaths, controlling his speech —
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 235.18
समाहृत्येन्द्रियग्रामं मनसा हृदये मुनिः प्रणवं दीर्घम् उद्यम्य संवृतास्यः सुनिश्चलः ॥
samāhṛtyendriyagrāmaṃ manasā hṛdaye muniḥ praṇavaṃ dīrgham udyamya saṃvṛtāsyaḥ suniścalaḥ //
— the sage, having withdrawn the host of the senses by the mind into the heart, having raised the praṇava long, his mouth closed, quite motionless —
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 235.19
रजसा तमसो वृत्तिं सत्त्वेन रजसस् तथा संछाद्य निर्मले शान्ते स्थितः संवृतलोचनः ॥
rajasā tamaso vṛttiṃ sattvena rajasas tathā saṃchādya nirmale śānte sthitaḥ saṃvṛtalocanaḥ //
— having covered over the working of darkness by passion, and that of passion by goodness, he stands in what is stainless and calm, his eyes closed.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 235.20
हृत्पद्मकोटरे लीनं सर्वव्यापि निरञ्जनम् युञ्जीत सततं योगी मुक्तिदं पुरुषोत्तमम् ॥
hṛtpadmakoṭare līnaṃ sarvavyāpi nirañjanam yuñjīta satataṃ yogī muktidaṃ puruṣottamam //
The yogin should constantly join himself to the highest Person, hidden in the hollow of the heart-lotus, all-pervading, spotless, the giver of liberation.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 235.21
करणेन्द्रियभूतानि क्षेत्रज्ञे प्रथमं न्यसेत् क्षेत्रज्ञश् च परे योज्यस् ततो युञ्जति योगवित् ॥
karaṇendriyabhūtāni kṣetrajñe prathamaṃ nyaset kṣetrajñaś ca pare yojyas tato yuñjati yogavit //
He should first deposit the instruments, the senses and the elements in the knower of the field; and the knower of the field is to be joined to the Supreme — thus the knower of yoga practises yoga.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 235.22
मनो यस्यान्तम् अभ्येति परमात्मनि चञ्चलम् संत्यज्य विषयांस् तस्य योगसिद्धिः प्रकाशिता ॥
mano yasyāntam abhyeti paramātmani cañcalam saṃtyajya viṣayāṃs tasya yogasiddhiḥ prakāśitā //
He whose restless mind, abandoning the objects of sense, reaches its end in the Supreme Self — for him the accomplishment of yoga is made manifest.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 235.23
यदा निर्विषयं चित्तं परे ब्रह्मणि लीयते समाधौ योगयुक्तस्य तदाभ्येति परं पदम् ॥
yadā nirviṣayaṃ cittaṃ pare brahmaṇi līyate samādhau yogayuktasya tadābhyeti paraṃ padam //
When the mind, freed of objects, dissolves into the supreme Brahman, then, for one joined in yoga in concentration, (he) attains the highest station.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 235.24
असंसक्तं यदा चित्तं योगिनः सर्वकर्मसु भवत्य् आनन्दम् आसाद्य तदा निर्वाणम् ऋच्छति ॥
asaṃsaktaṃ yadā cittaṃ yoginaḥ sarvakarmasu bhavaty ānandam āsādya tadā nirvāṇam ṛcchati //
When the yogin's mind becomes unattached in all actions, then, having reached bliss, he goes to extinction.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 235.25
शुद्धं धामत्रयातीतं तुर्याख्यं पुरुषोत्तमम् प्राप्य योगबलाद् योगी मुच्यते नात्र संशयः ॥
śuddhaṃ dhāmatrayātītaṃ turyākhyaṃ puruṣottamam prāpya yogabalād yogī mucyate nātra saṃśayaḥ //
Having reached, by the power of yoga, the pure Supreme Person, called the fourth, who is beyond the three abodes, the yogin is released — there is no doubt here.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 235.26
निःस्पृहः सर्वकामेभ्यः सर्वत्र प्रियदर्शनः सर्वत्रानित्यबुद्धिस् तु योगी मुच्येत नान्यथा ॥
niḥspṛhaḥ sarvakāmebhyaḥ sarvatra priyadarśanaḥ sarvatrānityabuddhis tu yogī mucyeta nānyathā //
Free of longing for all desires, of pleasing appearance everywhere, but with the awareness everywhere that things are impermanent — thus the yogin would be released, not otherwise.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 235.27
इन्द्रियाणि न सेवेत वैराग्येण च योगवित् सदा चाभ्यासयोगेन मुच्यते नात्र संशयः ॥
indriyāṇi na seveta vairāgyeṇa ca yogavit sadā cābhyāsayogena mucyate nātra saṃśayaḥ //
The knower of yoga should not indulge the senses, and by dispassion and by the constant practice of yoga he is released — there is no doubt here.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 235.28
न च पद्मासनाद् योगो न नासाग्रनिरीक्षणात् मनसश् चेन्द्रियाणां च संयोगो योग उच्यते ॥
na ca padmāsanād yogo na nāsāgranirīkṣaṇāt manasaś cendriyāṇāṃ ca saṃyogo yoga ucyate //
Yoga does not come from the lotus posture, nor from gazing at the tip of the nose; the joining of the mind and the senses is called yoga.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 235.29
एवं मया मुनिश्रेष्ठा योगः प्रोक्तो विमुक्तिदः संसारमोक्षहेतुश् च किम् अन्यच् छ्रोतुम् इच्छथ ॥
evaṃ mayā muniśreṣṭhā yogaḥ prokto vimuktidaḥ saṃsāramokṣahetuś ca kim anyac chrotum icchatha //
Thus, best of sages, has yoga been declared by me, the giver of complete release and the cause of liberation from saṃsāra. What else do you wish to hear?
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 235.30
श्रुत्वा ते वचनं तस्य साधु साध्व् इति चाब्रुवन् व्यासं प्रशस्य संपूज्य पुनः प्रष्टुं समुद्यताः ॥
śrutvā te vacanaṃ tasya sādhu sādhv iti cābruvan vyāsaṃ praśasya saṃpūjya punaḥ praṣṭuṃ samudyatāḥ //
Having heard his words, they said "well spoken, well spoken," and praising and honouring Vyāsa, they prepared to ask again.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition