Critical Edition
भीष्म उवाच हन्त वक्ष्यामि ते पार्थ ध्यानयोगं चतुर्विधम् यं ज्ञात्वा शाश्वतीं सिद्धिं गच्छन्ति परमर्षयः
AI Translation: Bhishma said: I shall tell you, O Partha, the four kinds of meditation-yoga, knowing which the supreme sages attain eternal perfection.
यथा स्वनुष्ठितं ध्यानं तथा कुर्वन्ति योगिनः महर्षयो ज्ञानतृप्ता निर्वाणगतमानसाः
AI Translation: Just as they have practiced meditation, so do the yogis The great sages, satisfied with knowledge, with minds gone to nirvana,
नावर्तन्ते पुनः पार्थ मुक्ताः संसारदोषतः जन्मदोषपरिक्षीणाः स्वभावे पर्यवस्थिताः
M. N. Dutt: 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.
निर्द्वंद्वा नित्यसत्त्वस्था विमुक्ता नित्यमाश्रिताः असङ्गीन्यविवादीनि मनःशान्तिकराणि च
M. N. Dutt: 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 स्वाध्यायसंश्लिष्टमेकाग्रं धारयेन्मनः पिण्डीकृत्येन्द्रियग्राममासीनः काष्ठवन्मुनिः
M. N. Dutt: 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 स्पर्शं त्वचा न वेदयेत् रूपं न चक्षुषा विद्याज्जिह्वया न रसांस्तथा
M. N. Dutt: 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.
घ्रेयाण्यपि च सर्वाणि जह्याद्ध्यानेन योगवित् पञ्चवर्गप्रमाथीनि नेच्छेच्चैतानि वीर्यवान्
M. N. Dutt: He has no perception also of scents through the organ of smell. He would, immersed in Yoga and meditation, renounce all things.
ततो मनसि संसज्य पञ्चवर्गं विचक्षणः समादध्यान्मनो भ्रान्तमिन्द्रियैः सह पञ्चभिः
M. N. Dutt: 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 पूर्वे ध्यानपथे धीरः समादध्यान्मनोऽन्तरम्
M. N. Dutt: 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
M. N. Dutt: I have spoken of the path of meditation as the first, since the Yogin has first to destroy his senses and the mind.
तस्य तत्पूर्वसंरुद्धं मनःषष्ठमनन्तरम् स्फुरिष्यति समुद्भ्रान्तं विद्युदम्बुधरे यथा
M. N. Dutt: The mind, which constitutes the sixth, when thus controlled, tries of flash out like the capricious and fickle lightning playing among the clouds.
जलबिन्दुर्यथा लोलः पर्णस्थः सर्वतश्चलः एवमेवास्य तच्चित्तं भवति ध्यानवर्त्मनि
M. N. Dutt: 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 किंचिद्ध्यानवर्त्मनि तिष्ठति पुनर्वायुपथं भ्रान्तं मनो भवति वायुवत्
M. N. Dutt: 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 गततन्द्रीरमत्सरः समादध्यात्पुनश्चेतो ध्यानेन ध्यानयोगवित्
M. N. Dutt: 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 वितर्कश्च विवेकश्चोपजायते मुनेः समादधानस्य प्रथमं ध्यानमादितः
M. N. Dutt: 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 मुनिर्गच्छेत्कुर्यादेवात्मनो हितम्
M. N. Dutt: 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 परिभावनाम्
AI Translation: Just as heaps of sand, ashes, and dung, when suddenly sprinkled with water, do not become soft,
किंचित्स्निग्धं यथा च स्याच्छुष्कचूर्णमभावितम् क्रमशस्तु शनैर्गच्छेत्सर्वं तत्परिभावनम्
AI Translation: And a little bit of oiliness, as in the case of dry powder that is not processed. But gradually, everything should be processed in this way.
एवमेवेन्द्रियग्रामं शनैः संपरिभावयेत् संहरेत्क्रमशश्चैव स सम्यक्प्रशमिष्यति
AI Translation: Thus should one gradually contemplate the group of senses, and gradually withdraw them. Then he will be completely pacified.
स्वयमेव मनश्चैव पञ्चवर्गश्च भारत पूर्वं ध्यानपथं प्राप्य नित्ययोगेन शाम्यति
M. N. Dutt: 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 तत्तस्य यदेवं संयतात्मनः
M. N. Dutt: 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.
सुखेन तेन संयुक्तो रंस्यते ध्यानकर्मणि गच्छन्ति योगिनो ह्येवं निर्वाणं तन्निरामयम्
M. N. Dutt: 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.'