Canto 2 - Chapter 1: The process of meditation and the cosmic form of the Lord described ...

Sanskrit (संस्कृतम्)	English Translation
ॐ श्रीपरमात्मने नमः श्रीमद्भागवतं - द्वितीयस्कन्धः ॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥ ॥ द्वितीयस्कन्धः ॥ ॥ प्रथमोऽध्यायः - १ ॥	Śrīmad Bhāgavata Mahāpurāṇa Book Two Discourse I The process of meditation and the cosmic form of the Lord described (Preamble)
श्रीशुक उवाच । वरीयानेष ते प्रश्नः कृतो लोकहितं नृप । आत्मवित्सम्मतः पुंसां श्रोतव्यादिषु यः परः ॥ १॥ श्रोतव्यादीनि राजेन्द्र नृणां सन्ति सहस्रशः । अपश्यतामात्मतत्त्वं गृहेषु गृहमेधिनाम् ॥ २॥ निद्रया ह्रियते नक्तं व्यवायेन च वा वयः । दिवा चार्थेहया राजन् कुटुम्बभरणेन वा ॥ ३॥ देहापत्यकलत्रादिष्वात्मसैन्येष्वसत्स्वपि । तेषां प्रमत्तो निधनं पश्यन्नपि न पश्यति ॥ ४॥ तस्माद्भारत सर्वात्मा भगवानीश्वरो हरिः । श्रोतव्यः कीर्तितव्यश्च स्मर्तव्यश्चेच्छताभयम् ॥ ५॥ एतावान् साङ्ख्ययोगाभ्यां स्वधर्मपरिनिष्ठया । जन्मलाभः परः पुंसामन्ते नारायणस्मृतिः ॥ ६॥ प्रायेण मुनयो राजन् निवृत्ता विधिषेधतः । नैर्गुण्यस्था रमन्ते स्म गुणानुकथने हरेः ॥ ७॥ इदं भागवतं नाम पुराणं ब्रह्मसम्मितम् । अधीतवान् द्वापरादौ पितुर्द्वैपायनादहम् ॥ ८॥ परिनिष्ठितोऽपि नैर्गुण्य उत्तमश्लोकलीलया । गृहीतचेता राजर्षे आख्यानं यदधीतवान् ॥ ९॥ तदहं तेऽभिधास्यामि महापौरुषिको भवान् । यस्य श्रद्दधतामाशु स्यान्मुकुन्दे मतिः सती ॥ १०॥ एतन्निर्विद्यमानानामिच्छतामकुतोभयम् । योगिनां नृप निर्णीतं हरेर्नामानुकीर्तनम् ॥ ११॥ किं प्रमत्तस्य बहुभिः परोक्षैर्हायनैरिह । वरं मुहूर्तं विदितं घटते श्रेयसे यतः ॥ १२॥ खट्वाङ्गो नाम राजर्षिर्ज्ञात्वेयत्तामिहायुषः । मुहूर्तात्सर्वमुत्सृज्य गतवानभयं हरिम् ॥ १३॥ तवाप्येतर्हि कौरव्य सप्ताहं जीवितावधिः । उपकल्पय तत्सर्वं तावद्यत्साम्परायिकम् ॥ १४॥ अन्तकाले तु पुरुष आगते गतसाध्वसः । छिन्द्यादसङ्गशस्त्रेण स्पृहां देहेऽनु ये च तम् ॥ १५॥ गृहात्प्रव्रजितो धीरः पुण्यतीर्थजलाप्लुतः । शुचौ विविक्त आसीनो विधिवत्कल्पितासने ॥ १६॥ अभ्यसेन्मनसा शुद्धं त्रिवृद्ब्रह्माक्षरं परम् । मनो यच्छेज्जितश्वासो ब्रह्मबीजमविस्मरन् ॥ १७॥ नियच्छेद्विषयेभ्योऽक्षान् मनसा बुद्धिसारथिः । मनः कर्मभिराक्षिप्तं शुभार्थे धारयेद्धिया ॥ १८॥ तत्रैकावयवं ध्यायेदव्युच्छिन्नेन चेतसा । मनो निर्विषयं युक्त्वा ततः किञ्चन न स्मरेत् । पदं तत्परमं विष्णोर्मनो यत्र प्रसीदति ॥ १९॥ रजस्तमोभ्यामाक्षिप्तं विमूढं मन आत्मनः । यच्छेद्धारणया धीरो हन्ति या तत्कृतं मलम् ॥ २०॥ यस्यां सन्धार्यमाणायां योगिनो भक्तिलक्षणः । आशु सम्पद्यते योग आश्रयं भद्रमीक्षतः ॥ २१॥	Śrī Śuka replied : This enquiry of yours, made with a view to the good of the world, O king, is most welcome. It is esteemed by the knowers of the Self and is the most important of all that is worth hearing, remembering or chanting. (1) There are thousands of things worth hearing and attending to, O ruler of kings, for men who are attached to their home and engaged in performing the five great sacrifices enjoined on the householders, and are blind to the truth of the Self. (2) Their span of life, O king, is stolen away at night by sleep or by copulation, and in the day-time by endeavours to make money or to provide for the family. (3) Maddened by affection for those that are intimately connected with oneself, viz., one's body, progeny, wife and so on, unreal as they are, one fails to visualize their end, though actually witnessing it. (4) Therefore, O descendant of Bharata, he who seeks to attain the fearless state (of Mokṣa) should listen to, recite and dwell on the stories of the almighty Lord Śrī Hari, the Soul of the universe. (5) To be put in mind of Śrī Nārāyaṇa at the last moment (of one's life) that alone is the supreme reward of human birth, howsoever this may be earned through Self-Knowledge or Devotion or even through steadfastness to one's sacred duty. (6) Even ascetics, O king, that are established in the Absolute and have reached beyond the sphere of injunctions and inhibitions generally delight in discoursing on the virtues of Śrī Hari. (7) This Purāṇa, which is known by the name of Bhāgavata and is as sacred as the Vedas, I studied towards the end of the Dvāpara age, from my father, the sage Dwaipāyana (Vyāsa). (8) Fully established as I was in the Absolute, my heart was captivated by the pastimes of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa of excellent renown. That is how I studied this Purāṇa, O royal sage. (9) You being a votary of Lord Viṣṇu, I shall recite the selfsame Purāṇa to you; for the mind of those who repose their faith in this Purāṇa quickly conceives disinterested love for Śrī Kṛṣṇa (the Bestower of Liberation). (10) For those who have developed an aversion for this world and seek to attain the fearless state, as well as for realized souls that have attained union with God, O king, the chanting of Śrī Hari's names has been concluded to be the best means as well as the end. (11) To a man who is negligent about his own interests, of what use in this world are long years of life that slip away unnoticed (are spent in ignorance) ? Much more valuable is the hour, consciously spent, in endeavouring for the highest good. (12) Having come to know that he was to live only an hour more, the royal sage Khaṭwāṅga renounced everything in that short space of time, and sought refuge with Śrī Hari, who dispels all fear. (13) The limit of your life, O descendant of Kuru, is yet seven days from now. Meanwhile accomplish all that is conducive to your welfare hereafter. (14) When the hour of death comes, man should shake off all fear and cut with the sword of non-attachment the tie of affection for his body as well as for those that are connected with it. (15) Full of self-control, he should quit the house, bathe in the holy waters of some sacred stream or lake and, squatting on a seat, made according to the scriptural ordinance, in a clean and secluded spot, should repeat with his mind the holy Praṇava, consisting of three parts (A, U and M). Nay, controlling his breath, he should also subdue his mind, taking care not to forget the Praṇava (the seed of the Vedas). (16-17) Having reason for his helpmate, he should withdraw his senses from their objects with his mind and by dint of his reason fix his mind, distracted as it is by tendencies to action, on the blessed form of the Lord. (18) With a concentrated mind he should meditate on anyone limb of His body. When the mind is withdrawn from all external objects (by thus fixing it on one limb at a time), it should be so completely absorbed in the thought on the Lord that he should cease to think of anything else. Such a state is the supreme reality of Lord Viṣṇu, by attaining which the mind is flooded with the ecstasy of divine love. (19) If (in the course of such meditation) one's mind is distracted by force of Rajas (passion) or obscured by force of Tamas (darkness or opacity), a wise man should curb it through concentration, which destroys the impurity occasioned by Rajas and Tamas. (20) When through the practice of such concentration the practising Yogi is able to behold his blissful object (the Lord), he forthwith attains Yoga (union with God) which is characterized by Bhakti (loving Devotion). (1-21)
राजोवाच । यथा सन्धार्यते ब्रह्मन् धारणा यत्र सम्मता । यादृशी वा हरेदाशु पुरुषस्य मनोमलम् ॥ २२॥	The king asked : How is concentration practised, O holy sage, and on what object has it been approved of (by the scriptures)? And what kind of concentration speedily removes the impurity of one's mind ? (22)
श्रीशुक उवाच । जितासनो जितश्वासो जितसङ्गो जितेन्द्रियः । स्थूले भगवतो रूपे मनः सन्धारयेद्धिया ॥ २३॥ विशेषस्तस्य देहोऽयं स्थविष्ठश्च स्थवीयसाम् । यत्रेदं दृश्यते विश्वं भूतं भव्यं भवच्च सत् ॥ २४॥ आण्डकोशे शरीरेऽस्मिन् सप्तावरणसंयुते । वैराजः पुरुषो योऽसौ भगवान् धारणाश्रयः ॥ २५॥ पातालमेतस्य हि पादमूलं पठन्ति पार्ष्णिप्रपदे रसातलम् । महातलं विश्वसृजोऽथ गुल्फौ तलातलं वै पुरुषस्य जङ्घे ॥ २६॥ द्वे जानुनी सुतलं विश्वमूर्ते- रूरुद्वयं वितलं चातलं च । महीतलं तज्जघनं महीपते नभस्तलं नाभिसरो गृणन्ति ॥ २७॥ उरःस्थलं ज्योतिरनीकमस्य ग्रीवा महर्वदनं वै जनोऽस्य । तपो रराटीं विदुरादिपुंसः सत्यं तु शीर्षाणि सहस्रशीर्ष्णः ॥ २८॥ इन्द्रादयो बाहव आहुरुस्राः कर्णौ दिशः श्रोत्रममुष्य शब्दः । नासत्यदस्रौ परमस्य नासे घ्राणोऽस्य गन्धो मुखमग्निरिद्धः ॥ २९॥ द्यौरक्षिणी चक्षुरभूत्पतङ्गः पक्ष्माणि विष्णोरहनी उभे च । तद्भ्रूविजृम्भः परमेष्ठिधिष्ण्य- मापोऽस्य तालू रस एव जिह्वा ॥ ३०॥ छन्दांस्यनन्तस्य शिरो गृणन्ति दंष्ट्रा यमः स्नेहकला द्विजानि । हासो जनोन्मादकरी च माया दुरन्तसर्गो यदपाङ्गमोक्षः ॥ ३१॥ व्रीडोत्तरोष्ठोऽधर एव लोभो धर्मः स्तनोऽधर्मपथोऽस्य पृष्ठम् । कस्तस्य मेढ्रं वृषणौ च मित्रौ कुक्षिः समुद्रा गिरयोऽस्थिसङ्घाः ॥ ३२॥ नद्योऽस्य नाड्योऽथ तनूरुहाणि महीरुहा विश्वतनोर्नृपेन्द्र । अनन्तवीर्यः श्वसितं मातरिश्वा गतिर्वयः कर्म गुणप्रवाहः ॥ ३३॥ ईशस्य केशान् विदुरम्बुवाहान् वासस्तु सन्ध्यां कुरुवर्य भूम्नः । अव्यक्तमाहुर्हृदयं मनश्च सचन्द्रमाः सर्वविकारकोशः ॥ ३४॥ विज्ञानशक्तिं महिमामनन्ति सर्वात्मनोऽन्तःकरणं गिरित्रम् । अश्वाश्वतर्युष्ट्रगजा नखानि सर्वे मृगाः पशवः श्रोणिदेशे ॥ ३५॥ वयांसि तद्व्याकरणं विचित्रं मनुर्मनीषा मनुजो निवासः । गन्धर्वविद्याधरचारणाप्सरः स्वरस्मृतीरसुरानीकवीर्यः ॥ ३६॥ ब्रह्माऽऽननं क्षत्रभुजो महात्मा विडूरुरङ्घ्रिश्रितकृष्णवर्णः । नानाभिधाभीज्यगणोपपन्नो द्रव्यात्मकः कर्म वितानयोगः ॥ ३७॥ इयानसावीश्वरविग्रहस्य यः सन्निवेशः कथितो मया ते । सन्धार्यतेऽस्मिन् वपुषि स्थविष्ठे मनः स्वबुद्ध्या न यतोऽस्ति किञ्चित् ॥ ३८॥ स सर्वधीवृत्त्यनुभूतसर्व आत्मा यथा स्वप्नजनेक्षितैकः । तं सत्यमानन्दनिधिं भजेत नान्यत्र सज्जेद्यत आत्मपातः ॥ ३९॥ इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे हंस्यां पारमहंस्यां संहितायां द्वितीयस्कन्धे महापुरुषसंस्थानुवर्णने प्रथमोऽध्यायः ॥ २.१॥	Śrī Śuka replied : Having acquired steadiness of seat and control of one's breath, and having conquered attachment and subdued one's senses, one should fix one's mind on the material form of the Lord by force of one's reason. (23) That is His cosmic or universal Form, the grossest of the gross, wherein is seen this phenomenal universe in its past, present and future form. (24) The Lord who tenants this cosmic body with its seven sheaths (consisting of water, fire, air, ether, the ego, the Mahat-tattva or the principle of cosmic intelligence and Prakṛti of Primordial Matter) as the Great Being (Virāṭ Puruṣa)—He alone is the object of concentration. (25) The knowers of Truth describe Him thus :—Pātāla (the nethermost sphere comprising the heart of the terrestrial globe ) constitutes the soles of His feet and Rasātala (the sphere immediately enclosing Pātāla) the hinder and the front part of His feet. Mahātala (the sphere immediately enclosing Rasātala) corresponds to the ankles of the Creator of the universe and Talātala (the sphere immediately enclosing Mahātala), the shanks of the Virāṭ Puruṣa. (26) Sutala (the sphere immediately enclosing Talātala) represents the knees of the Cosmic Being; while Vitala (the sphere immediately enclosing Sutala) and Atala (the sphere immediately enclosing Vitala and enclosed in its turn by the crust of the earth) form His thighs. The earth's surface corresponds to His loins, O king; while they speak of Bhuvarloka (the sphere immediately enclosing the earth) as His navel. (27) Indra's heaven (the sphere immediately enclosing Bhuvarloka), forms His breast; Maharloka (the sphere immediately enclosing Indra's heaven), His neck and Janaloka (the sphere immediately enclosing Maharloka), His face (below the brow). Tapoloka (the sphere immediately enclosing Janaloka) is recognized as the brow of the Primal Person and Satyaloka (the highest or seventh heaven, immediately enclosing Tapoloka) as the heads of the thousand-headed Lord. (28) It is said that the gods from Indra downwards represent His arms; the cardinal points, His ears and sound, His auditory sense. Nāsatya and Dasra (the twin Aświnikumāras, the physicians of gods) are the nostrils of the Supreme; odour, His olfactory sense and flaming fire, His mouth. (29) The sky constitutes His eyes; the sun, His sense of sight and day and night form the eyelids of the Cosmic Being. The abode of Brahmā (in the Satyaloka) represents the play of His eyebrows; water, His palate and taste, His tongue. (30) They declare the Vedas as the crown of His head; Yama (the god of retribution) constitutes His grinding teeth and the various forms of personal affection (manifest in individuals), His other teeth. The Māyā which deludes men represents His smile and the unending (eternal) process of creation, His sidelong glances. (31) Bashfulness forms His upper lip and greed, the lower; piety constitutes His (right) breast and the path of unrighteousness, His back. Prajāpati (the god presiding over creation) represents His penis and the gods Mitra and Varuṇa, His testicles; the oceans form the cavity of His abdomen and the mountains, the system of His bones. (32) The rivers constitute His arteries and veins and the trees, the hair on the person of the Cosmic Being, O king of kings. The air, possessed of infinite strength, is His breath; Time represents His movement and the uninterrupted action of the three Guṇas (in the form of creation), His activity. (33) The wise recognize the clouds as the hair (on the head) of the Lord and twilight, as the raiment of the Infinite Being, O chief of the Kurus. They declare the Unmanifest (Primordial Matter) as His heart and the familiar moon represents His mind, which is the seat of all passions. (34) They speak of the Mahat-tattva (the Principle of cosmic intelligence) as the power of understanding and Rudra (the god presiding over destruction) as the ego of the Universal Spirit. The horse, the mule, the camel and the elephant represent His nails; while the deer and all other animals abide in His hips and loins. (35) The birds are His wonderful workmanship; the first Manu (known by the name of Swāyambhuva) represents His intellect and man (the offspring of Manu), His abode. The Gandharvas (the celestial musicians), the Vidyādharas (another class of demigods), the Cāraṇas (the celestial bards) and the Apsarās (the celestial nymphs), represent the reminiscences of His melody and the demon hosts, His virility. (36) The Brāhmaṇa represents the mouth; the Kṣatriya, the arms; the Vaiśya, the thighs and the dark-complexioned Śūdra, the feet of that mighty Being. And the performance of sacrifices that are conducted with the help of material substances (such as clarified butter etc.) and in the name of classes of deities bearing various names is His occupation. (37) Such is the magnitude and constitution of the Cosmic Body of the Lord as I have just told you. It is on this grossest form that the mind is concentrated with the help of reason; for there exists nothing apart from this. (38) Just as a dreamer sees himself projected in various forms in a dream, it is the one all-witnessing Self who experience everything through the intellects of all. One should devote oneself to that embodiment of Truth, the storehouse of bliss, and should not feel attached to any other object; for such attachment brings about the degradation of the soul. (39) Thus ends the first discourse in Book Two, describing among other things the Cosmic Body of the Great Being, of the great and glorious Bhāgavata-Purāṇa, otherwise known as the Paramahamsa-Sarhhitā. (23-39)