The Prescribed Procedure for the Ascetic’s Praṇava (यतिप्रणवकल्पः)
समिच्चर्वाज्यकान्हुत्वा सम्यक्पुरुषसूक्ततः। सर्वेषामभयं दत्त्वा विरक्तः प्रव्रजेद्धरिम् ॥१॥
Having duly offered kindling, sacrificial porridge, and ghee in accordance with the Puruṣasūkta, and having granted all beings freedom from fear, he should, free from attachment, set forth toward Hari. (1)
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श्रुत्वा भागवतं शुद्धमाचार्यं शरणं व्रजेत्। अधीहि भगवो ब्रह्मेत्यस्मै ब्रूयाद्गुरुः परम् ॥२॥
After hearing the pure Bhāgavata, one should take refuge in a teacher and say, “Venerable sir, teach me Brahman.” The guru should then reveal the Supreme to him. (2)
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उच्चारयेत्त्रिशस्तारं दक्षिणे श्रवणे तथा। ऋषिच्छन्दोदैवतानि ब्रूयात्तस्य क्रमात्सुधीः ॥३॥
The wise teacher should then recite the Tāra three times into the disciple’s right ear and identify, in order, its seer, meter, and deity. (3)
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अन्तर्यामीति गायत्री परमात्मेत्यनुक्रमात्। विश्वश्च तैजसः प्राज्ञस्तुर्यश्चाक्षरदेवताः ॥४॥
Antaryāmin is its seer, Gāyatrī its meter, and Paramātman its deity. Viśva, Taijasa, Prājña, and Turya are the deities of its syllables. (4)
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कृष्णो रामो नृसिंहश्च वराहो विष्णुरेव च। परञ्ज्योतिः परम्ब्रह्म वासुदेव इति क्रमात् ॥५॥
अकारादेस्तथा शान्तातिशान्तान्तस्य देवताः। एवमुक्त्वा तु तद्ध्यानं ब्रूयाच्छिष्याय सद्गुरुः ॥६॥
Kṛṣṇa, Rāma, Nṛsiṃha, Varāha, Viṣṇu himself, the Supreme Light, the Supreme Brahman, and Vāsudeva are, respectively, the corresponding deities of the series beginning with akāra and ending with śānta and atiśānta. After explaining this, the true teacher should teach the disciple the meditation on it. (5–6)
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अष्टपत्रे तु हृत्पद्मे मध्ये सूर्येन्दुवह्निगम्। पीठं तत्पद्ममध्यस्थं नारायणमनामयम् ॥७॥
At the center of the eight-petaled lotus of the heart is a seat formed by the sun, moon, and fire. In the center of that lotus is Nārāyaṇa, free from affliction. (7)
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उद्यदादित्यसङ्काशं तेजसानुपमं सदा। सहस्रेणापि सूर्याणां सञ्ज्ञानानन्दरूपिणम् ॥८॥
He resembles the rising sun and always possesses incomparable splendor, surpassing even a thousand suns; his nature is cognition and bliss. (8)
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अतिरक्ततलं भास्वन्नखव्रातविभूषितम्। वृत्तजङ्घं वृत्तजानुं हस्तिहस्तोरुमीश्वरम् ॥९॥
The Lord has deep-red soles and is adorned with a host of radiant nails. His shanks and knees are rounded, and his thighs resemble elephants’ trunks. (9)
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महाकटितटाबद्धकाञ्चीपीताम्बरोज्ज्वलम्। सुनिम्ननाभिं त्रिवलिं सुवृत्तोदरबन्धनम् ॥१०॥
A girdle fastened around his broad waist and a yellow garment make him resplendent. He has a deeply recessed navel, three abdominal folds, and a well-rounded abdomen. (10)
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विशालवक्षसं भ्राजत्कौस्तुभामुक्तकन्धरम्। वनमालाधरं हारवैजयन्त्यादिभिर्युतम् ॥११॥
He is broad-chested, and his neck is adorned with the radiant Kaustubha. He wears a forest garland, a necklace, the Vaijayantī, and other ornaments. (11)
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पृथुदीर्घचतुर्बाहुं शङ्खचक्रगदाम्बुजैः। युक्तमुन्निद्रपद्माक्षं स्फुरन्मकरकुण्डलम् ॥१२॥
His four arms are broad and long, and he bears a conch, discus, mace, and lotus. His eyes resemble fully opened lotuses, and his makara-shaped earrings gleam. (12)
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पूर्णचन्द्रायुतोद्रिक्तकान्तिमन्मुखपङ्कजम्। सुभ्रुवं सुललाटान्तं किरीटाबद्धमूर्धजम् ॥१३॥
His lotus-like face shines more brightly than ten thousand full moons. He has beautiful brows and temples, and his hair is held in place by a crown. (13)
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निःशेषदुःखदमनं नित्यानन्दशुचिस्मितम्। विश्वादींश्चैव कृष्णादीनेवं भूतान्सनातनान् ॥१४॥
अभिन्नानेव सततं तस्माद्विष्णोः परात्मनः। वराभयोद्यतकरान्नित्यानन्दैकरूपिणः ॥१५॥
He completely subdues all suffering and has a pure smile of eternal bliss. Viśva and those beginning with him, as well as Kṛṣṇa and those beginning with him, are likewise of this nature and are eternal, always non-different from that Viṣṇu, the Supreme Self. Their hands are raised to grant boons and freedom from fear, and their sole nature is eternal bliss. (14–15)
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एवमुक्त्वा गुरुर्ध्यानं शपथं कारयेत्ततः। न विष्णुं वैष्णवांश्चैव विसृजेयमिति त्रिशः ॥१६॥
After saying this, the teacher should have the disciple meditate and then take the following oath three times: “May I never abandon Viṣṇu or the Vaiṣṇavas.” (16)
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न चान्यदेवतासाम्यं तदैक्यमथवा हरेः। चिन्तयेयं मृतो वापि न चाप्येकत्ववादिभिः ॥१७॥
समत्ववादिभिर्वाहं सङ्गच्छेयं कदाचन। तन्निन्दकैश्च तद्भक्तनिन्दकैर्वा महामुने ॥१८॥
“Even in death, may I never regard Hari as equal to or identical with other deities. May I never associate with proponents of oneness or equality, with those who revile him, or with those who revile his devotees, O great sage.” (17–18)
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एवं कृते तु शपथे मस्तके हस्तपङ्कजम्। निधायोत्तीर्य संसारात्सुखी भव हरेः प्रियः ॥१९॥
Once the oath has been taken, the teacher should place his lotus-like hand on the disciple’s head and say, “Cross beyond saṃsāra, and be happy and dear to Hari.” (19)
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सर्वदुःखादिभिर्मुक्तो नित्यानन्दैकरूपिणः। सम्प्राप्य विष्णुसामीप्यं तत्रापि हरिभक्तिमान् ॥२०॥
भक्तिमांश्चान्यदेवेषु तारतम्यं च संस्मरन्। सर्वोत्कर्षं स्मरन्विष्णोर्भूयाश्चैव सदा सुखी ॥२१॥
Freed from all suffering and the like, may you attain proximity to Viṣṇu, whose sole nature is eternal bliss. Even there, may you remain devoted to Hari and also to the other deities, while keeping the hierarchy in mind and remembering Viṣṇu’s supremacy over all. May you always be happy. (20–21)
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न मुक्तौ विष्णुनैक्यं वा मुक्तानां साम्यमेव वा। स्मरेथा इति चोक्त्वाथ समयाननुशिक्षयेत् ॥२२॥
“In liberation, you should conceive neither identity with Viṣṇu nor equality among the liberated.” Having said this, he should then teach the prescribed observances. (22)
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नित्यशश्च हरेः पूजा जपध्यानसमर्पणम्। कर्तव्यं तु त्वया वत्स जपश्च त्रिसहस्रकः ॥२३॥
Dear child, you must continually worship Hari, recite, meditate, and make offerings; your recitation should number three thousand repetitions. (23)
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मध्यमः प्रणवस्योक्तो योऽवरः स सहस्रकः। त्रिसहस्रात्परो यस्तु स उत्तमजपः स्मृतः ॥२४॥
Three thousand repetitions of the praṇava are said to constitute the intermediate japa; one thousand is the lower practice, while more than three thousand is considered the highest. (24)
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आत्मानं प्रतिबिम्बत्वे ध्यायन् बिम्बं जनार्दनम्। ध्यायस्व सततं वत्स सपर्यां नित्यशः कुरु ॥२५॥
मानसैर्वाथ पुष्पैर्वा प्रणवेन समाहितः। अन्यांश्च वैष्णवान्मन्त्राञ्जपेथा भक्तिपूर्वकम् ॥२६॥
Contemplate yourself as a reflection and Janārdana as the original; meditate on him constantly, dear child, and worship him every day, either with flowers imagined in the mind or with actual flowers. With your mind focused through the praṇava, you should also recite other Vaiṣṇava mantras with devotion. (25–26)
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शृणुष्व वैष्णवं शास्त्रं सदा वेदार्थतत्परः। वेदान्मन्त्रानुपनिषत्सहितान्सर्वदा शृणु॥२७॥
इतिहासपुराणं च पञ्चरात्रं तथैव च। तदर्थान् ब्रह्मसूत्रैश्च सम्यङ्निर्णीय तत्त्वतः। विष्णोः सर्वोत्तमत्वं च सर्वदा प्रतिपादय ॥२८॥
Always listen to Vaiṣṇava scripture, intent on the meaning of the Vedas. Listen at all times to the Vedas and mantras together with the Upaniṣads, as well as the Itihāsa, Purāṇa, and Pañcarātra. Having correctly ascertained their true meaning by means of the Brahma-sūtras, always expound Viṣṇu’s supremacy over all. (27–28)
इति श्रीमदानन्दतीर्थभगवत्पादाचार्यविरचितः यतिप्रणवकल्पः समाप्तः॥
Thus the Yatipraṇavakalpa, composed by the venerable Ānandatīrtha Bhagavatpādācārya, is concluded.
