Revered Dr. Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati continues his series on the Principles of Bhakti Yoga, reading from the teachings of Kapila Muni in the Srimad Bhagavatam, Skanda 3, Discourse 28 (translation by Swami Bhajanananda): 1. śrī-bhagavān uvāca yogasya lakṣaṇaṁ vakṣye sabījasya nṛpātmaje mano yenaiva vidhinā prasannaṁ yāti sat-patham The Blessed Lord said: "O princess, I shall describe the authorized system of yoga, by the practice of which one’s mind becomes joyful and advances on the path of Truth." 2. sva-dharmācaraṇaṁ śaktyā vidharmāc ca nivartanam daivāl labdhena santoṣa ātmavic-caraṇārcanam "One must perform one’s dharma with all one’s strength and avoided prohibited actions. One should be satisfied with what one has through destiny and worship the lotus feet of the Self-realized." 3. grāmya-dharma-nivṛttiś ca mokṣa-dharma-ratis tathā mita-medhyādanaṁ śaśvad vivikta-kṣema-sevanam "Giving up worldly activities one should then develop a taste for activates that lead to liberation. One should always eat pure food in moderation and stay in a secluded and peaceful dwelling." 4. ahiṁsā satyam asteyaṁ yāvad-artha-parigrahaḥ brahmacaryaṁ tapaḥ śaucaṁ svādhyāyaḥ puruṣārcanam "One should practice nonviolence, truthfulness, non-stealing, possessing only what is necessary, celibacy, austerity, cleanliness, self-study, and worship of the Supreme Person." 5. maunaṁ sad-āsana-jayaḥ sthairyaṁ prāṇa-jayaḥ śanaiḥ pratyāhāraś cendriyāṇāṁ viṣayān manasā hṛdi "One should practice silence, attain mastery of a proper and steady posture, control the breath/prana, gradually withdraw the senses from sense-objects, and focus the mind on the heart." 6. sva-dhiṣṇyānām eka-deśe manasā prāṇa-dhāraṇam vaikuṇṭha-līlābhidhyānaṁ samādhānaṁ tathātmanaḥ "One should fix the mind and prana in one place in a chakra in the body and meditate upon the pastimes of Lord of Vaikunta and thus become absorbed in the self." 7. etair anyaiś ca pathibhir mano duṣṭam asat-patham buddhyā yuñjīta śanakair jita-prāṇo hy atandritaḥ "By these and other ways this wicked mind on the path of illusion must be gradually controlled by the intelligence and one’s prana should be carefully focused." 8. śucau deśe pratiṣṭhāpya vijitāsana āsanam tasmin svasti samāsīna ṛju-kāyaḥ samabhyaset "Spreading a proper seat in a pure place and sitting in an easy posture, with body erect , engage in practice." 9. prāṇasya śodhayen mārgaṁ pūra-kumbhaka-recakaiḥ pratikūlena vā cittaṁ yathā sthiram acañcalam "One should purify the passages of prana by inhaling, retaining and exhaling and then reversing the process , thus making the mind-stuff (cittam yathā) steady and unwavering." 10. mano ’cirāt syād virajaṁ jita-śvāsasya yoginaḥ vāyv-agnibhyāṁ yathā lohaṁ dhmātaṁ tyajati vai malam "When a yogi’s breath is thus controlled then the mind is soon freed from disturbance, just like gold in an air-fanned fire becomes free of impurities." 11. prāṇāyāmair dahed doṣān dhāraṇābhiś ca kilbiṣān pratyāhāreṇa saṁsargān dhyānenānīśvarān guṇān "Through pranayama, one overcomes faults; by concentration, sins; by withdrawal of the mind, worldliness; and by meditation, ungodly qualities." 12. yadā manaḥ svaḿ virajaḿ yogena susamāhitam kāṣṭhāḿ bhagavato dhyāyet sva-nāsāgrāvalokanaḥ "When one’s mind is purified by yoga, gazing at the tip of the nose, with full concentration one should meditate upon the Supreme Lord." ____________ 34. evaḿ harau bhagavati pratilabdha-bhāvo bhaktyā dravad-dhṛdaya utpulakaḥ pramodāt autkaṇṭhya-bāṣpa-kalayā muhur ardyamānas tac cāpi citta-baḍiśaḿ śanakair viyuńkte T"hus one will develop intense love for Bhagavan Hari, the heart will melt, hairs stand erect from excessive joy and tears will flow constantly from one’s eyes due to longing . Thus overcome , the mind, which has acted as a hook, begins to withdraw."
