"Bhakti and Yogic Discipline": Satsang with Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati

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."

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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."