Chapter 2: Prayer to Savitri and the practice of yoga

युञ्जानः प्रथमं मनस्तत्त्वाय सविता धियः ।
अग्नेर्ज्योतिर्निचाय्य पृथिव्या अध्याभरत्

yuñjānaḥ prathamaṃ manastattvāya savitā dhiyaḥ |
agnerjyotirnicāyya pṛthivyā adhyābharat

Savitri, the Sun as inspirer, first yoking the mind and the thoughts to seek the truth, saw the light of Agni and brought it out of the earth.

युक्तेन मनसा वयं देवस्य सवितुः सवे ।
सुवर्गेयाय शक्त्या

yuktena manasā vayaṃ devasya savituḥ save |
suvargeyāya śaktyā

With minds held in yoga, by the grace of the divine Savitri, we strive with all our strength to reach heaven.

युक्त्वाय मनसा देवान् सुवर्यतो धिया दिवम् ।
बृहज्ज्योतिः करिष्यतः सविता प्रसुवाति तान्

yuktvāya manasā devān suvaryato dhiyā divam |
bṛhajjyotiḥ kariṣyataḥ savitā prasuvāti tān

Having yoked with the mind the senses that move toward heaven, and with thought the bright light, may Savitri impel them to make that great light shine.

युञ्जते मन उत युञ्जते धियो विप्रा विप्रस्य बृहतो विपश्चितः ।
विहोत्रा दधे वयुनाविदेक इन्मही देवस्य सवितुः परिष्टुतिः

yuñjate mana uta yuñjate dhiyo viprā viprasya bṛhato vipaścitaḥ |
vihotrā dadhe vayunāvideka inmahī devasya savituḥ pariṣṭutiḥ

The seers of the great, all-knowing Seer yoke their minds and yoke their thoughts. He alone, who knows every way, assigns the priestly offices. Great is the praise of the divine Savitri.

युजे वां ब्रह्म पूर्व्यं नमोभिर्विश्लोक एतु पथ्येव सूरेः ।
शृण्वन्तु विश्वे अमृतस्य पुत्रा आ ये धामानि दिव्यानि तस्थुः

yuje vāṃ brahma pūrvyaṃ namobhirviśloka etu pathyeva sūreḥ |
śṛṇvantu viśve amṛtasya putrā ā ye dhāmāni divyāni tasthuḥ

I join myself to you, the ancient Brahman, with salutations. May my praise go forth like the sun on its path. Let all the children of the Immortal hear, those who dwell in the heavenly abodes.

अग्निर्यत्राभिमथ्यते वायुर्यत्राधिरुध्यते ।
सोमो यत्रातिरिच्यते तत्र सञ्जायते मनः

agniryatrābhimathyate vāyuryatrādhirudhyate |
somo yatrātiricyate tatra sañjāyate manaḥ

Where fire is churned, where the wind is held in check, where Soma overflows, there the mind is born.

सवित्रा प्रसवेन जुषेत ब्रह्म पूर्व्यम् ।
यत्र योनिं कृणवसे न हि ते पूर्तमक्षिपत्

savitrā prasavena juṣeta brahma pūrvyam |
yatra yoniṃ kṛṇavase na hi te pūrtamakṣipat

Inspired by Savitri, delight in the ancient Brahman. Make your dwelling there, and your past good works will not bind you.

त्रिरुन्नतं स्थाप्य समं शरीरं हृदीन्द्रियाणि मनसा सन्निवेश्य ।
ब्रह्मोडुपेन प्रतरेत विद्वान्स्रोतांसि सर्वाणि भयानकानि

trirunnataṃ sthāpya samaṃ śarīraṃ hṛdīndriyāṇi manasā sanniveśya |
brahmoḍupena pratareta vidvānsrotāṃsi sarvāṇi bhayānakāni

Holding the body steady, with chest, neck and head upright, drawing the senses with the mind into the heart, the wise one should cross all the fearful streams on the raft of Brahman, Om.

प्राणान्प्रपीड्येह स युक्तचेष्टः क्षीणे प्राणे नासिकयोच्छ्वसीत ।
दुष्टाश्वयुक्तमिव वाहमेनं विद्वान्मनो धारयेताप्रमत्तः

prāṇānprapīḍyeha sa yuktaceṣṭaḥ kṣīṇe prāṇe nāsikayocchvasīta |
duṣṭāśvayuktamiva vāhamenaṃ vidvānmano dhārayetāpramattaḥ

Restraining the breath here, with movements controlled, he should breathe out through the nostrils when the breath is gently spent. Like a charioteer with unruly horses, the wise one should hold his mind with full alertness.

समे शुचौ शर्करावह्निवालुकाविवर्जिते शब्दजलाश्रयादिभिः ।
मनोनुकूले न तु चक्षुपीडने गुहानिवाताश्रयणे प्रयोजयेत्

same śucau śarkarāvahnivālukāvivarjite śabdajalāśrayādibhiḥ |
manonukūle na tu cakṣupīḍane guhānivātāśrayaṇe prayojayet

Let him practise yoga in a clean, level place, free of pebbles, fire and sand, pleasing to the mind for its sounds and water and shelter, not harsh to the eye, in a cave or a spot sheltered from wind.

नीहारधूमार्कानिलानलानां खद्योतविद्युत्स्फटिकशशीनाम् ।
एतानि रूपाणि पुरःसराणि ब्रह्मण्यभिव्यक्तिकराणि योगे

nīhāradhūmārkānilānalānāṃ khadyotavidyutsphaṭikaśaśīnām |
etāni rūpāṇi puraḥsarāṇi brahmaṇyabhivyaktikarāṇi yoge

Mist, smoke, sun, wind, fire, fireflies, lightning, crystal and moon: these forms appear first in yoga, heralding the manifestation of Brahman.

पृथिव्यप्तेजोऽनिलखे समुत्थिते पञ्चात्मके योगगुणे प्रवृत्ते ।
न तस्य रोगो न जरा न मृत्युः प्राप्तस्य योगाग्निमयं शरीरम्

pṛthivyaptejo'nilakhe samutthite pañcātmake yogaguṇe pravṛtte |
na tasya rogo na jarā na mṛtyuḥ prāptasya yogāgnimayaṃ śarīram

When the fivefold quality of yoga arises, from earth, water, fire, air and space, the yogi gains a body made of the fire of yoga. For him there is no sickness, no old age, no death.

लघुत्वमारोग्यमलोलुपत्वं वर्णप्रसादं स्वरसौष्ठवं च ।
गन्धः शुभो मूत्रपुरीषमल्पं योगप्रवृत्तिं प्रथमां वदन्ति

laghutvamārogyamalolupatvaṃ varṇaprasādaṃ svarasauṣṭhavaṃ ca |
gandhaḥ śubho mūtrapurīṣamalpaṃ yogapravṛttiṃ prathamāṃ vadanti

Lightness, health, freedom from craving, a clear complexion, a pleasing voice, a sweet smell and little excretion: these, they say, are the first signs of progress in yoga.

यथैव बिम्बं मृदयोपलिप्तं तेजोमयं भ्राजते तत्सुधान्तम् ।
तद्वाऽऽत्मतत्त्वं प्रसमीक्ष्य देही एकः कृतार्थो भवते वीतशोकः

yathaiva bimbaṃ mṛdayopaliptaṃ tejomayaṃ bhrājate tatsudhāntam |
tadvā''tmatattvaṃ prasamīkṣya dehī ekaḥ kṛtārtho bhavate vītaśokaḥ

As a mirror stained with dust shines bright once it is cleaned, so the embodied one, seeing the truth of the Self, becomes one, his purpose fulfilled, free from sorrow.

यदात्मतत्त्वेन तु ब्रह्मतत्त्वं दीपोपमेनेह युक्तः प्रपश्येत् ।
अजं ध्रुवं सर्वतत्त्वैर्विशुद्धं ज्ञात्वा देवं मुच्यते सर्वपापैः

yadātmatattvena tu brahmatattvaṃ dīpopameneha yuktaḥ prapaśyet |
ajaṃ dhruvaṃ sarvatattvairviśuddhaṃ jñātvā devaṃ mucyate sarvapāpaiḥ

When the yogi, by the truth of the Self shining like a lamp, beholds the truth of Brahman, unborn, unchanging, pure of every element, he knows the Deity and is freed from all sins.

एषो ह देवः प्रदिशोऽनु सर्वाः पूर्वो ह जातः स उ गर्भे अन्तः ।
स एव जातः स जनिष्यमाणः प्रत्यङ्जनास्तिष्ठति सर्वतोमुखः

eṣo ha devaḥ pradiśo'nu sarvāḥ pūrvo ha jātaḥ sa u garbhe antaḥ |
sa eva jātaḥ sa janiṣyamāṇaḥ pratyaṅjanāstiṣṭhati sarvatomukhaḥ

This God fills all the quarters. He was born first, and He dwells within the womb. He is what has been born and what will be born. He stands facing every creature, His face turned everywhere.

यो देवोऽग्नौ योऽप्सु यो विश्वं भुवनमाविवेश ।
य ओषधीषु यो वनस्पतिषु तस्मै देवाय नमो नमः

yo devo'gnau yo'psu yo viśvaṃ bhuvanamāviveśa |
ya oṣadhīṣu yo vanaspatiṣu tasmai devāya namo namaḥ

To the God who is in fire, who is in the waters, who has entered the whole world, who is in the plants and in the great trees, to that God, salutations again and again.