Meditation

Without knowledge there is no meditation, without meditation there is no knowledge: he who has knowledge and meditation is near unto Nirvana.

He who gives himself to vanity, and does not give himself to meditation, forgetting the real aim (of life) and grasping at pleasure, will in time envy him who has exerted himself in meditation.

The disciples of Gotama are always well awake, and their mind day and night always delights in meditation.

Assuming equability by the aid of his mind, he should fix his mind on the mind itself. Reciting the highly beneficial composition (viz., the Gayatri), he meditates with the aid of his intellect on Brahma alone. Afterwards he leaves off even that, being then absorbed in concentrated contemplation.[626] In consequence of his dependence on the strength of the Gayatri which he recites, this concentrated contemplation will come of itself. By penances he attains to purity of soul, and self-restraint, and cessation of aversion and desire. Freed from attachment and delusion, above the influence of all pairs of opposites (such as heat and cold, joy and sorrow, etc.), he never grieves and never suffers himself to be drawn towards worldly objects. He does not regard himself as the actor nor as the enjoyer or sufferer of the consequences of his acts. He never, through selfishness, fixes his mind on anything. Without being employed in the acquisition of wealth, he abstains also from disregarding or insulting others, but not from work. The work in which he is employed is that of meditation; he is devoted to meditation, and seeks meditation unalterably. By meditation he succeeds in bringing about concentrated contemplation, and then gradually leaves off meditation itself. In that state he enjoys the felicity which attaches to the abandonment of all things. Having thoroughly mastered the principle of desire he casts off his life-breaths and then enters into the Brahmic body. Or, if he does not desire to enter into the Brahmic body, he at once goes upwards into the region of Brahma and has never to undergo rebirth. Having become tranquillity's self, and being freed from all kinds of calamity, such a person, by depending upon his own intelligence, succeeds in attaining to that Soul which is pure and immortal and which is without a stain."'"

"'"Vasishtha said, 'I shall tell thee what thou askest! Listen however, to me, O monarch, as I expound to thee the practices of Yoga separately. Contemplation, which constitutes an obligatory practice with Yogins, is their highest puissance[1619]. Those conversant with Yoga say that Contemplation is of two kinds. One is the concentration of the mind, and the other is called Pranayama (regulation of breath). Pranayama is said to be endued with substance; while concentration of mind is unendued with it.[1620] Excepting the three times when a man passes urine and stools and eats, one should devote the whole of his time to contemplation. Withdrawing the senses from their objects by the aid of the mind, one possessed of intelligence, having made oneself pure, should agreeably to the two and twenty modes of transmitting the Prana breath, unite the Jiva-soul with That which transcends the four and twentieth topic (called Ignorance or Prakriti)[1621] which is regarded by the wise as dwelling in every part of the body and as transcending decay and destruction. It is by means of those two and twenty methods that the Soul may always be known, as heard by us. It is certain that this practice of Yoga is his whose mind is never affected by evil passions. It is not any other person's. Dissociated from all attachments, abstemious in diet, and subduing all the senses, one should fix one's mind on the Soul, during the first and the last part of the night, after having, O king of Mithila, suspended the functions of the senses, quieted the mind by the understanding, and assumed a posture as motionless as that of a block of stone. When men of knowledge, conversant with the rules of Yoga, become as fixed as a stake of wood, and as immovable as a mountain, then are they said to be in Yoga.

"'Bhishma said, "I shall now, O son of Pritha, discourse to thee upon the four kinds of yoga meditation. The great Rishis, obtaining a knowledge of the same, attain to eternal success even here. Great Rishis gratified with knowledge, with hearts set upon Emancipation, and conversant with yoga, act in such a way that their yoga meditation may get on properly. These, O son of Pritha, being freed from the faults of the world, never come back (for rebirth). Liberated from liability to rebirth, they live in their original Soul-state.[618] Freed from the influence of all pairs of opposites (such as heat and cold, joy and sorrow, etc.), ever existing in their own (original) state, liberated (from attachments), never accepting anything (in gift), they live in places free from the companionship of wives and children, without others with whom disputes may arise, and favourable to perfect tranquillity of heart. There such a person, restraining speech, sits like a piece of wood, crushing all the senses, and with mind undividedly united by the aid of meditation (with the Supreme Soul). He has no perception of sound through the ear; no perception of touch through the skin; no perception of form through the eye; no perception of taste through the tongue. He has no perception also of scents through the organ of smell. Immersed in yoga, he would abandon all things, rapt in meditation. Possessed of great energy of mind, he has no desire for anything that excites the five senses. The wise man, withdrawing his five senses into the mind, should then fix the unstable mind with the five senses (into the Intellect). Possessed of patience, the yogin should fix his mind which always wanders (among worldly objects), so that his five gates (under the influence of training) may be made stable in respect of things that are themselves unstable. He should, in the firmament of the heart, fix his mind into the path of meditation, making it independent of the body or any other refuge.

This firm holding back of the senses is what is known as Yoga. Then one should become watchful, for Yoga comes and goes.

Yoga literally means to join or to unite the lower self with the Higher Self, the object with the subject, the worshipper with God. In order to gain this union, however, one must first disunite oneself from all that scatters the physical, mental and intellectual forces; so the outgoing perceptions must be detached from the external world and indrawn. When this is accomplished through constant practice of concentration and meditation, the union takes place of its own accord. But it may be lost again, unless one is watchful.

If It dwells in all living beings, why do we not see It? Because the ordinary man's vision is too dull and distracted. It is visible to those alone whose intellect has been purified by constant thought on the Supreme, and whose sight therefore has become refined and sharpened. This keenness of vision comes only when all our forces have been made one-pointed through steadfast practice of concentration and meditation.

There shall be no sin (imputed) unto those who believe and do good works for what they may have eaten (in the past). So be mindful of your duty (to Allah), and believe, and do good works; and again: be mindful of your duty, and believe; and once again: be mindful of your duty, and do right. Allah loveth the good.

Will they then not meditate on the Qur'an, or are there locks on the hearts?

Establish worship at the two ends of the day and in some watches of the night. Lo! good deeds annul ill-deeds. This is reminder for the mindful.

Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation.

I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.

I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.

Sanjaya. Thus gathered I the gracious speech of Krishna, O my King! Thus have I told, with heart a-thrill, this wise and wondrous thing By great Vyasa's learning writ, how Krishna's self made known The Yoga, being Yoga's Lord. So is the high truth shown! And aye, when I remember, O Lord my King, again Arjuna and the God in talk, and all this holy strain, Great is my gladness: when I muse that splendour, passing speech, Of Hari, visible and plain, there is no tongue to reach My marvel and my love and bliss. O Archer-Prince! all hail! O Krishna, Lord of Yoga! surely there shall not fail Blessing, and victory, and power, for Thy most mighty sake, Where this song comes of Arjun, and how with God he spake.

Thus hath been opened thee This Truth of Truths, the Mystery more hid Than any secret mystery. Meditate! And--as thou wilt--then act!

Arjuna. What is his mark who hath that steadfast heart, Confirmed in holy meditation? How Know we his speech, Kesava? Sits he, moves he Like other men?

Now storms the victor at the Trojan wall; Surveys the towers, and meditates their fall. But Jove descending shook the Idaean hills, And down their summits pour’d a hundred rills: The unkindled lightning in his hand he took, And thus the many-coloured maid bespoke:

“O warriors, partners of Achilles’ praise! Be mindful of your deeds in ancient days; Your godlike master let your acts proclaim, And add new glories to his mighty name. Think your Achilles sees you fight: be brave, And humble the proud monarch whom you save.”

Resolved alike, divine Sarpedon glows With generous rage that drives him on the foes. He views the towers, and meditates their fall, To sure destruction dooms the aspiring wall; Then casting on his friend an ardent look, Fired with the thirst of glory, thus he spoke:

2 Tlou shalt be Aditi as thou hast entered within, appeaser of celestial anger. 3 We have drunk Soma and become immortal; we have attained the light, the Gods discovered. 4 Absorbed into the heart, be sweet, O Indu, as a kind father to his son, O Soma, 5 These glorious drops that give me freedom have I drunk. Closely they knit my joints as straps secure a c 6 Make me shine bright like fire produced by friction: give us a clearer sight and make us better. 7 May we enjoy with an enlivened spirit the juice thou givest, like ancestral riches. 8 King Soma, favour us and make us prosper: we are thy devotees; of this be mindful. 9 For thou hast settled in each joint, O Soma, aim of men's eyes and guardian of our bodies. 10 May I be with the Friend whose heart is tender, who, Lord of Bays! when quaffed will never harm me 11 Our maladies have lost their strength and vanished: they feared, and passed away into the darkness. 13 Associate with the Fathers thou, O Soma, hast spread thyself abroad through earth and heaven. 14 Give us your blessing, O ye Gods' preservers. Never may sleep or idle talk control us. 15 On all sides,. Soma, thou art our life−giver: aim of all eyes, light−finder, come within us.

2 Eager for wealth, we meditate Agni's effectual praise to−day, 3 May Agni, Priest among mankind, take pleasure in our songs of praise, 4 Thou, Agni, art spread widely forth, Priest dear and excellent; through thee 5 Singers exalt thee, Agni, well lauded, best giver of our strength: 6 Thou Agni, as the felly rings the spokes, encompassest the Gods. 1 yearn for bounty manifold.

2 Bring swift, for offering, the snare that suits the time, to the pure−drinker Vayu, roaring as he goes, 3 May Savitar the God send us full life, to each who sacrifices, lives aright and pours the juice 4 May Indra evermore be gracious unto us, and may King Soma meditate our happiness, 5 Indra hath given the body with its song and strength: Brhaspati, thou art the lengthener of life. 6 Indra possesseth might celestial nobly formed: the singer in the hotise is Agni, prudent Sage. 7 Not often have we sinned against you secretly, nor, Vasus, have we openly provoked the Gods. 8 May Savitar remove from us our malady, and may the Mountains keep it far away from where 9 Ye Vasus, let the stone, the presser stand erect: avert all enmities and keep them far remote. 10 Eat strength and fatness in the pasture, kine, who are balmed at the reservoir and at the seat of Law. 11 The singer fills the spirit: all mens, love hath he. Indra takes kindly care of those who pour the juice. 12 Wondrous thy spirit−filling light, triumpliant; thy hosts save from decay and are resistless.

Thus spake the hermit self-restrained, With proper tone by rules ordained, On deepest meditation bent, In holy might preeminent. Then as with hands in reverence raised Absorbed in thought he eastward gazed, The deities he thus addressed Came each in semblance manifest. Delicious gales that cooled the frame From Malaya and Dardar came, That kissed those scented hills and threw Auspicious fragrance where they blew. Then falling fast in sweetest showers Came from the sky immortal flowers, And all the airy region round With heavenly drums was made to sound. Then breathed a soft celestial breeze, Then danced the bright Apsarases, The minstrels and the Gods advanced, And warbling lutes the soul entranced. The earth and sky that music filled, And through each ear it softly thrilled, As from the heavenly quills it fell With time and tune attempered well. Soon as the minstrels ceased to play And airs celestial died away, The troops of Bharat saw amazed What Visvakarma's art had raised. On every side, five leagues around, All smooth and level lay the ground, With fresh green grass that charmed the sight Like sapphires blent with lazulite. There the Wood-apple hung its load, The Mango and the Citron glowed, The Bel and scented Jak were there, And Apela with fruitage fair. There, brought from Northern Kuru, stood Rich in delights, the glorious wood, And many a stream was seen to glide With flowering trees along its side. There mansions rose with four wide halls, And elephants and chargers' stalls, And many a house of royal state, Triumphal arc and bannered gate. With noble doorways, sought the sky, Like a pale cloud, a palace high, Which far and wide rare fragrance shed, With wreaths of white engarlanded. Square was its shape, its halls were wide, With many a seat and couch supplied, Drink of all kinds, and every meat Such as celestial Gods might eat.

Her locks in hermit fashion tied, Clad in bark coat and black deer-hide, When Rama gave consent, the dame Resigned her body to the flame. Then like the fire that burns and glows, To heaven the sainted lady rose, In all her heavenly garments dressed, Immortal wreaths on neck and breast, Bright with celestial gems she shone Most beautiful to look upon, And like the flame of lightning sent A glory through the firmament. That holy sphere the dame attained, By depth of contemplation gained, Where roam high saints with spirits pure In bliss that shall for aye endure.

One day beyond the forest's bound The wandering saint a village found, And asked the swains and neatherds there Who owned the land so rich and fair, With all the hamlets of the plain, And herds of kine and fields of grain. They listened to the hermit's words, And all the guardians of the herds, With suppliant hands together pressed, This answer to the saint addressed: "The Angas' lord who bears the name Of Lomapad, renowned by fame, Bestowed these hamlets with their kine And all their riches, as a sign Of grace, on Rishyasring: and he Vibhandak's son is said to be." The hermit with exulting breast The mighty will of fate confessed, By meditation's eye discerned; And cheerful to his home returned.

If he were to deposit (the gold) without fastening it on, then the foetuses of offspring would be liable to miscarriage. He deposits it fastening it on, to secure the foetuses. He fastens it so that it cannot be untied, for the production of offspring. The cow with which the Soma is bought is speech. 'Thou art the strong', he says; for what he strengthens in his mind, that he expresses in speech. 'Grasped by mind', he says; for by mind is speech grasped. 'Acceptable to Visnu he says [2]. Visnu is the sacrifice; verily be makes her accept able to the sacrifice. 'Through the impulse of thee, of true impulse', he says; verily he wins speech which is impelled by Savitr. As each part is performed, the Raksases are fain to injure the sacrifice; the path of Agni and Surya is one which the Raksases cannot injure. 'I have mounted the eye of the sun, the pupil of the eye of Agni', he says. He mounts the path which is not injured by the Raksases [3]. The cow with which the Soma is bought is speech. 'Thou art thought, thou art mind', he says; verily he instructs her. Therefore children are born instructed. 'Thou art thought', he says, for what one thinks in the mind one expresses in speech. 'Thou art mind', he says; for what one grasps by the mind one performs. 'Thou art meditation', he says; for what one meditates with the mind one expresses in speech [4]. 'Thou art the gift (to the priests)', he says; for (the cow) is the gift. 'Thou art of the sacrifice', he says; verily he makes her fit for the sacrifice. 'Thou art of kingly power', he says, for she is of kingly power. 'Thou art Aditi, double-headed', he says. In that to Aditi belong the opening and the concluding oblations of the sacrifices, therefore does he say that. If (the cow) were not bound, she would be unrestrained; if she were bound by the foot, she would be the funeral cow, and the sacrificer would be likely to perish [5].

By fire he surmounted fervour, by speech holy power, by a gem forms, by Indra the gods, by the wind the breaths, by the sun the sky, by the moon the Naksatras, by Yama the Pitrs, by the king men, by fruit the flavours, by the boa constrictor serpents, by the tiger wild beasts, by the eagle birds, by the stallion horses, by the bull kine, by the he-goat goats, by the ram sheep, by rice food, by barley plants, by the banyan trees, by the Udumbara strength, by the Gayatri the metres, by the Trivrt the Stomas, by the Brahmana speech. vii. 3. 15. Hail! (To) meditation (I offer). To that meditated upon hail! Hail! (To) that which we meditate on (I offer). To mind hail! Hail! (To) mind (I offer). To Prajapati hail! To Ka hail! To Who hail!' To Whoever (katamásmai) hail! To Aditi hail! To Aditi the great hail! To Aditi the gentle hail! To Sarasvati hail! To Sarasvati the mighty hail! To Sarasvati, the purifying hail! To Pusan hail! To Pusan guardian of travellers hail! To Pusan watcher of men hail! To Tvastr hail! To Tvastr the seminal hail! To Tvastr the multiform hail! To Visnu hail! To Visnu the Nikhuryapa hail! To Visnu the Nibhuyapa hail! vii. 3. 16. To the teeth hail! To the jaws hail! To the lips hail! To the mouth hail! To the nostrils hail! To the eyes hail! To the ears hail! The eyelashes above the lower eyelashes-(to them) hail! The eyelashes below the upper eyelashes-(to them) hail!, To the head hail! To the brows hail! To the forehead hail! To the (upper part of the) head hail! To the brain hail! To the hairs hail! To the part that bears (the yoke) hail! To the cervical vertebrae hail! To the neck bones hail! To the spinal column hail! To the vertical column hail! To the flank hail! To the sides hail! [1] To the shoulders hail! To the upper forefeet hail! To the lower forefeet hail! To the legs hail! To the hips hail! To the thighs hail! To the knees hail! To the legs hail! To the buttocks hail! To the mane hail! To the tail hail!

1. The tawny Bull hath bellowed, fair as mighty Mitra to behold: he gleams and flashes with the 2. We choose to-day that chariot-steed of thine, the strong, that brings us bliss, the guardian, the desire of all. 3. Adhvaryu, to the filter lead the Soma juice expressed with stones: make thou it pure for Indra's drink. 4. Swift runs this giver of delight, even the stream of flowingjuice: Swift runs this giver of delight. 5. Pour hitherward, O Soma, wealth in thousands and heroic strength, and keep renown secure for us! -6. The ancient living ones have come unto a newer resting-place. They made the Sun that he might shine. 7. Soma, flow on exceeding bright with loud roar to the reservoirs, resting in wooden vats, thy 8. O Soma, thou, art strong and bright, potent, O God, with potent sway: thou, mighty one, ordainest laws. 9. For food, flow onward with thy stream, cleansed and made bright by sapient men: Indu. with sheen approach the milk! 10. Soma, flow on with pleasant stream, strong and devoted to the Gods, our friend, unto the woollen sieve. 11. By this solemnity, Soma, thou, though great, hast been increased: in joy thou, verily actest like a bull! 12. Most active and benevolent, this Pavamana sent to us for lofty friendship meditates. 13. Indu, to us for this great rite, bearing as 'twere thy wave to Gods, unwearied, thou art flowing 14. Chasing our foemen, driving off the godless, Soma floweth on, going to Indra's settled place.