"Kapila's Instructions on the Execution:"

Skandham-3.2,

Chapter-28.

Slokam-1 to 44.

 

Kapila's Instructions on the Execution:

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(1) The Supreme Lord said: 'I will now describe to you, o royal daughter, the original of the yoga-system, practicing which the mind for sure will become joyful and attain the path of the Absolute Truth. (2) Respecting one's own duties to the best of one's ability and avoiding duties meant for others, one should live up to the feet of the spiritual teacher [the self-realized soul] in satisfaction over what is achieved. (3) Ceasing with conventional duties and in attraction to righteous duties of salvation, eating little and pure, always living in seclusion, one is dwelling at ease. (4) Nonviolent, truthful and free from unrighteous acquisition, possessing as much as one needs, in celibacy and austerity, cleanliness and study of the Veda's one should honor the Original Personality. (5) In silence with the good of steadiness in the control of yogapostures and the vital air, withdrawing gradually from the objects of the senses one should put one's mind to the heart. (6) With the vital air fixed to one's own center, with a one-pointed mind concentrating on the pastimes of [the Lord of] Vaikunthha, is one of the soul thus absorbed [in samâdhi]. (7) By these and other processes must the contaminated mind on the path of material enjoyment gradually be controlled by intelligence, indeed being alert in the fixation of one's breath. (8) This one should do after seating oneself in a sanctified place exercising one's postures, keeping one's body there erect in an easy way. (9) Clearing the passage of the vital air one should inhale, retain and exhale or the reverse, so that the mind becomes steady and free from fluctuations. (10) The mind of the yogî in such self-control can soon be free from disturbances, just like gold in the fire fanned with air verily is quickly purified. (11) Through breathcontrol one eradicates contaminations, by turning inward material association recedes, by concentrating the mind sin is overcome and by meditation one rises above the power of the modes of nature. 

(12) When one's own thinking is purified and controlled by the practice of yoga, one should meditate the Supreme Lord His form and measure of time [a mechanical or waterclock fixed on the sun's summit with the division of time according the Bhâgavatam], looking at the tip of one's nose. (13) Bearing His club, conch and discus, with ruddy eyes resembling the interior of a lotus and a dark complexion like the petals of a blue lotus, He has a cheerful lotuslike countenance. (14) With yellow silk garments that resemble the filaments of a lotus, He has the mark of Srîvatsa [a few white hairs] on His breast, bearing the brilliant Kaustubha jewel around His neck. (15-16) There is a garland of forestflowers humming with intoxicated bees, a priceless necklace, as well as bracelets, a crown, armlets, anklets and a girdle of the finest quality around His waist; He who has His seat in the lotus of the heart is most charming to behold, serene to the mind and gladdening to the eyes. (17) For the people of all places He is always very beautiful and worshipable in the midst of the youth of boyhood, eager to bestow blessings upon the one who is offering. (18) One should meditate on all parts of the Godhead, enhancing the glory by singing the verses of the devotees about His greatness, until one's mind stops from wandering. (19) One should look in one's mind for the pure nature of the pastimes of standing, moving, sitting and of lying down with the beautiful Lord dwelling in the heart. (20) With his mind fixed on the form having distinguished all the limbs in his concentration, should the one contemplating attend to the separate of each part of the Lord. (21) One should take notice of the lotusfeet of the Lord adorned with the marks of the thunderbolt, the elephant driving rod, the banner and the lotus and be aware of the prominent brilliance of His red nails that have the splendor of the circle of the moon which dispelled the thick darkness of the heart. (22) From the water of the Ganges washing from His feet, is the holy born on the head of S'iva that, of the meditator, became the auspicious that as a thunderbolt was hurled at his mountain of sin; for a long time one should so meditate the Lord His lotus feet.

(23) Up to His knees one should meditate on the Goddess of Fortune, Laksmî, the of the entire universe lotus-eyed mother of Brahmâ that is worshiped by all the godly, who massages with her caring fingers the lower legs of the Almighty Lord transcendental to material existence. (24) One has to meditate on His two thighs, standing on the shoulders of Garuda, that are the storehouse of all energy extending down with the luster of the [whitish-blue] linseedflower, as well as on His rounded hips in the exquisite yellow cloth, encircled by the girdle. (25) Next one meditates on the expanse of His navel, which is the foundation of all the worlds, situated in His abdomen, from where the lotus sprang up that is the residence of the self-born one [Brahmâ] containing all the planetary systems. One should meditate the most exquisite of the pair of nipples of the Lord that are like emeralds in the whitish light of the pearls from His necklace. (26) The chest of the Lord of Wisdom which is the abode of Mahâ-Laksmî, bestows on persons their minds and eyes all the transcendental pleasure. One should also meditate in one's mind upon the neck of the one adored by the entire universe, which enhances the beauty of the Kaustubha jewel. (27) The arms with their arm-ornaments polished by the revolving of Mount Mandara, from which the controllers of the universe originated, one should meditate upon as well as on the dazzling luster of the Sudarshana disc [lit.: with ten-hundred spokes] and the swanlike conch in the lotushand of the Lord. (28) One should remember the club of the Supreme Lord, that is named Kaumodakî and is very dear to Him, smeared as it is with the bloodstains of the soldiers of the enemy; the garland humming with the sound of the bumblebees surrounding it and the necklace of pearls about His neck that represents the principle of the pure living entity [the devotee]. (29) One should meditate the lotuslike countenance of the Supreme Lord standing for the different forms that He took in this world out of compassion for the devotees and the glittering alligator-shaped earrings of His that oscillating illumine His prominent nose and His cheeks crystal clear. (30) Then one meditates attentively in the eye of one's mind, the elegance of His face adorned with lots of curly hair, His lotus eyes and dancing eyebrows, that would put a lotus surrounded by bees and a pair of swimming fish, to shame. (31) The one devoted should from within his heart for long, with full devotion, meditate upon the frequent compassionate glances from His eyes, that soothe the most fearful of the three agonies [of the actions of oneself, others and of material nature] and which are accompanied by the abundant full grace of His loving smiles. (32) The smile of the Lord dries up the ocean of tears of all persons who bowed for Him and His arched eyebrows, most benevolent by His internal potency, are manifested to be, for the protection of all sages, the charm of the God of Sexuality. (33) Easy to meditate is the abundant laughter of His lips, that reveal the splendor of His small teeth that are like a row of jasmine buds. In the core of one's heart one should meditate to fix one's mind, steeped in love for Him who resides there of devotion for Vishnu, not wishing to see anything else. 

(34) Of the pure love thus through devotion developed towards Hari, the Supreme Lord, is one in the melting of one's heart constantly afflicted, with one's hair standing on end out of extreme joy and a flow of tears out of intense love, in such a way, that especially the mind like [a fish] on a hook gradually withdraws. (35) The moment the mind is in the position of liberation, it immediately turns indifferent and goes extinct in detachment from the sense objects; like a flame is the person of such a mind at that time no longer in separation [from the 'big fire' of the Supersoul] and does he enjoy the freedom from the dynamics of the modes of material nature. (36) Situated in his ultimate glory by the cessation of the mind reacting on matter, he moreover to this in transcendence above happiness and distress sees that indeed the cause of pleasure and pain lies in the ignorance of falsely identifying himself in ego, in which he attributed to himself what now is realized as the form and measure of time [the kâshthha] of the Supersoul [the localized aspect of the Lord]. (37) And of the body does the perfected soul have no idea that it wouldn't last, would stay or would take birth because he achieved his destined real identity; as is the situation of one blinded by intoxication who does not realize whether or not he has any clothes on his body. (38) As so are now the activities of the body, under the direction of the Divine, continuing for the time of their intended actions; because surely is then the body along with its senses and its byproducts of yoga, situated in the selfabsorption of which he, as born from a dream, does not accept the body as his own, being awakened to his constitutional position. (39) The way from the affection for a son and from wealth a mortal man even to himself is understood as being different, so is similarly the original person different from his physical interest. (40) Although as well from the flames, its sparks or from the smoke a fire from itself is intimately connected, it is different in its blazing. (41) The elements, the senses, the mind and the primary nature [see 3-26:10] of the individual soul, even so differ from the seer, the Supreme Lord known as the spiritual complete [Brahman]. (42) Seeing the soul in all manifestations and all manifestations in the soul one should with an equal vision see all that is manifested as of the same nature. (43) As the one of fire is differently manifesting itself in different forms of wood, so also has the one spiritual soul, different births under different natural conditions with its position in material nature. (44) After conquering thus the difficult to understand operation of cause and effect of one's own material energy, one then remains in the transcendental position.