FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.14.36-42

हृत्पुण्डरीकमन्त:स्थमूर्ध्वनालमधोमुखम् । ध्यात्वोर्ध्वमुखमुन्निद्रमष्टपत्रं सकर्णिकम् । कर्णिकायां न्यसेत् सूर्यसोमाग्नीनुत्तरोत्तरम् ॥ ३६ ॥ वह्निमध्ये स्मरेद् रूपं ममैतद् ध्यानमङ्गलम् । समं प्रशान्तं सुमुखं दीर्घचारुचतुर्भुजम् ॥ ३७ ॥ सुचारुसुन्दरग्रीवं सुकपोलं शुचिस्मितम् । समानकर्णविन्यस्तस्फुरन्मकरकुण्डलम् ॥ ३८ ॥ हेमाम्बरं घनश्यामं श्रीवत्सश्रीनिकेतनम् । शङ्खचक्रगदापद्मवनमालाविभूषितम् ॥ ३९ ॥ नूपुरैर्विलसत्पादं कौस्तुभप्रभया युतम् । द्युमत्किरीटकटककटिसूत्राङ्गदायुतम् ॥ ४० ॥ सर्वाङ्गसुन्दरं हृद्यं प्रसादसुमुखेक्षणम् । सुकुमारमभिध्यायेत् सर्वाङ्गेषु मनो दधत् ॥ ४१ ॥ इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेभ्यो मनसाकृष्य तन्मन: । बुद्ध्या सारथिना धीर: प्रणयेन्मयि सर्वत: ॥ ४२ ॥
hṛt-puṇḍarīkam antaḥ-stham
[hrit-pundareekam antah-stham]
ūrdhva-nālam adho-mukham
[oordhva-naalam adho-mukham]
dhyātvordhva-mukham unnidram
[dhyaatvordhva-mukham unnidram]
aṣṭa-patraṁ sa-karṇikam
[ashta-patram sa-karnikam]
karṇikāyāṁ nyaset sūrya-
[karnikaayaam nyaset soorya-]
somāgnīn uttarottaram
[somaagneen uttarottaram]
vahni-madhye smared rūpaṁ
[vahni-madhye smared roopam]
mamaitad dhyāna-maṅgalam
[mamaitad dhyaana-mangalam]
samaṁ praśāntaṁ su-mukhaṁ
[samam prashaantam su-mukham]
dīrgha-cāru-catur-bhujam
[deergha-chaaru-chatur-bhujam]
su-cāru-sundara-grīvaṁ
[su-chaaru-sundara-greevam]
su-kapolaṁ śuci-smitam
[su-kapolam shuchi-smitam]
samāna-karṇa-vinyasta-
[samaana-karna-vinyasta-]
sphuran-makara-kuṇḍalam
[sphuran-makara-kundalam]
hemāmbaraṁ ghana-śyāmaṁ
[hemaambaram ghana-shyaamam]
śrīvatsa-śrī-niketanam
[shreevatsa-shree-niketanam]
śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-padma-
[shankha-chakra-gadaa-padma-]
vanamālā-vibhūṣitam
[vanamaalaa-vibhooshitam]
nūpurair vilasat-pādaṁ
[noopurair vilasat-paadam]
kaustubha-prabhayā yutam
[kaustubha-prabhayaa yutam]
dyumat-kirīṭa-kaṭaka-
[dyumat-kireeta-kataka-]
kaṭi-sūtrāṅgadāyutam
[kati-sootraangadaayutam]
sarvāṅga-sundaraṁ hṛdyaṁ
[sarvaanga-sundaram hridyam]
prasāda-sumukhekṣaṇam
[prasaada-sumukhekshanam]
su-kumāram abhidhyāyet
[su-kumaaram abhidhyaayet]
sarvāṅgeṣu mano dadhat
[sarvaangeshu mano dadhat]
indriyāṇīndriyārthebhyo
[indriyaaneendriyaarthebhyo]
manasākṛṣya tan manaḥ
[manasaakrishya tan manah]
buddhyā sārathinā dhīraḥ
[buddhyaa saarathinaa dheerah]
praṇayen mayi sarvataḥ
[pranayen mayi sarvatah]
hṛt — in the heart puṇḍarīkam — lotus flower antaḥ-stham — situated within the body ūrdhva-nālam — having erected the lotus stalk adhaḥ-mukham — with eyes half closed, staring at the tip of the nose dhyātvā — having fixed the mind in meditation ūrdhva-mukham — enlivened unnidram — alert without dozing off aṣṭa-patram — with eight petals sa-karṇikam — with the whorl of the lotus karṇikāyām — within the whorl nyaset — one should place by concentration sūrya — the sun soma — moon agnīn — and fire uttara-uttaram — in order, one after the other vahni-madhye — within the fire smaret — one should meditate rūpam — upon the form mama — My etat — this dhyāna-maṅgalam — the auspicious object of meditation samam — balanced, all the parts of the body proportionate praśāntam — gentle su-mukham — cheerful dīrgha-cāru-catuḥ-bhujam — having four beautiful long arms su-cāru — charming sundara — beautiful grīvam — neck su-kapolam — beautiful forehead śuci-smitam — having a pure smile samāna — alike karṇa — in the two ears vinyasta — situated sphurat — glowing makara — shaped like sharks kuṇḍalam — earrings hema — golden colored ambaram — dress ghana-śyāmam — the color of a dark rain cloud śrī-vatsa — the unique curl of hair on the Lord’s chest śrī-niketanam — the abode of the goddess of fortune śaṅkha — with the conchshell cakra — Sudarśana disc gadā — club padma — lotus vana-mālā — and a garland of forest flowers vibhūṣitam — decorated nūpuraiḥ — with ankle bells and bracelets vilasat — shining pādam — the lotus feet kaustubha — of the Kaustubha gem prabhayā — with the effulgence yutam — enriched dyumat — shining kirīṭa — crown or helmet kaṭaka — gold bracelets kaṭi-sūtra — a band for the waist or upper hip aṅgada — bracelets āyutam — equipped with sarva-aṅga — all the parts of the body sundaram — beautiful hṛdyam — charming prasāda — with mercy sumukha — smiling īkṣaṇam — His glance su-kumāram — most delicate abhidhyāyet — one should meditate sarva-aṅgeṣu — in all the parts of the body manaḥ — the mind dadhat — placing indriyāṇi — the material senses indriya-arthebhyaḥ — from the object of the senses manasā — by the mind ākṛṣya — pulling back tat — that manaḥ — mind buddhyā — by intelligence sārathinā — which is like the driver of a chariot dhīraḥ — being grave and self-controlled praṇayet — one should strongly lead mayi — unto Me sarvataḥ — in all limbs of the body.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
hṛt-puṇḍarīkam antaḥ-stham
hṛt
in the heart
puṇḍarīkam
lotus flower
antaḥ-stham
situated within the body
ūrdhva-nālam adho-mukham
ūrdhva-nālam
having erected the lotus stalk
adhaḥ-mukham
with eyes half closed, staring at the tip of the nose
dhyātvordhva-mukham unnidram
dhyātvā
having fixed the mind in meditation
aṣṭa-patraṁ sa-karṇikam
karṇikāyāṁ nyaset sūrya-
ūrdhva-mukham
enlivened
somāgnīn uttarottaram
vahni-madhye smared rūpaṁ
mamaitad dhyāna-maṅgalam
samaṁ praśāntaṁ su-mukhaṁ
dīrgha-cāru-catur-bhujam
su-cāru-sundara-grīvaṁ
unnidram
alert without dozing off
su-kapolaṁ śuci-smitam
samāna-karṇa-vinyasta-
aṣṭa-patram
with eight petals
sphuran-makara-kuṇḍalam
hemāmbaraṁ ghana-śyāmaṁ
śrīvatsa-śrī-niketanam
sa-karṇikam
with the whorl of the lotus
śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-padma-
vanamālā-vibhūṣitam
nūpurair vilasat-pādaṁ
kaustubha-prabhayā yutam
karṇikāyām
within the whorl
nyaset
one should place by concentration
dyumat-kirīṭa-kaṭaka-
kaṭi-sūtrāṅgadāyutam
sūrya
the sun
soma
moon
agnīn
and fire
uttara-uttaram
in order, one after the other
sarvāṅga-sundaraṁ hṛdyaṁ
vahni-madhye
within the fire
smaret
one should meditate
rūpam
upon the form
prasāda-sumukhekṣaṇam
su-kumāram abhidhyāyet
mama
My
etat
this
sarvāṅgeṣu mano dadhat
dhyāna-maṅgalam
the auspicious object of meditation
indriyāṇīndriyārthebhyo
manasākṛṣya tan manaḥ
samam
balanced, all the parts of the body proportionate
buddhyā sārathinā dhīraḥ
praṇayen mayi sarvataḥ
praśāntam
gentle
su-mukham
cheerful
dīrgha-cāru-catuḥ-bhujam
having four beautiful long arms
su-cāru
charming
sundara
beautiful
grīvam
neck
su-kapolam
beautiful forehead
śuci-smitam
having a pure smile
samāna
alike
karṇa
in the two ears
vinyasta
situated
sphurat
glowing
makara
shaped like sharks
kuṇḍalam
earrings
hema
golden colored
ambaram
dress
ghana-śyāmam
the color of a dark rain cloud
śrī-vatsa
the unique curl of hair on the Lord’s chest
śrī-niketanam
the abode of the goddess of fortune
śaṅkha
with the conchshell
cakra
Sudarśana disc
gadā
club
padma
lotus
vana-mālā
and a garland of forest flowers
vibhūṣitam
decorated
nūpuraiḥ
with ankle bells and bracelets
vilasat
shining
pādam
the lotus feet
kaustubha
of the Kaustubha gem
prabhayā
with the effulgence
yutam
enriched
dyumat
shining
kirīṭa
crown or helmet
kaṭaka
gold bracelets
kaṭi-sūtra
a band for the waist or upper hip
aṅgada
bracelets
āyutam
equipped with
sarva-aṅga
all the parts of the body
sundaram
beautiful
hṛdyam
charming
prasāda
with mercy
sumukha
smiling
īkṣaṇam
His glance
su-kumāram
most delicate
abhidhyāyet
one should meditate
sarva-aṅgeṣu
in all the parts of the body
manaḥ
the mind
dadhat
placing
indriyāṇi
the material senses
indriya-arthebhyaḥ
from the object of the senses
manasā
by the mind
ākṛṣya
pulling back
tat
that
manaḥ
mind
buddhyā
by intelligence
sārathinā
which is like the driver of a chariot
dhīraḥ
being grave and self-controlled
praṇayet
one should strongly lead
mayi
unto Me
sarvataḥ
in all limbs of the body.
Keeping the eyes half closed and fixed on the tip of one’s nose, being enlivened and alert, one should meditate on the lotus flower situated within the heart. This lotus has eight petals and is situated on an erect lotus stalk. One should meditate on the sun, moon and fire, placing them one after the other within the whorl of that lotus flower. Placing My transcendental form within the fire, one should meditate upon it as the auspicious goal of all meditation. That form is perfectly proportioned, gentle and cheerful. It possesses four beautiful long arms, a charming, beautiful neck, a handsome forehead, a pure smile and glowing, shark-shaped earrings suspended from two identical ears. That spiritual form is the color of a dark rain cloud and is garbed in golden-yellowish silk. The chest of that form is the abode of Śrīvatsa and the goddess of fortune, and that form is also decorated with a conchshell, disc, club, lotus flower and garland of forest flowers. The two brilliant lotus feet are decorated with ankle bells and bracelets, and that form exhibits the Kaustubha gem along with an effulgent crown. The upper hips are beautified by a golden belt, and the arms are decorated with valuable bracelets. All of the limbs of that beautiful form capture the heart, and the face is beautified by merciful glancing. Pulling the senses back from the sense objects, one should be grave and self-controlled and should use the intelligence to strongly fix the mind upon all of the limbs of My transcendental body. Thus one should meditate upon that most delicate transcendental form of Mine.

Lord Kṛṣṇa here answers Uddhava’s question concerning the correct procedure, nature and object of meditation for those desiring liberation.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
One should meditate in the heart on a fully blooming lotus flower situated in the body, with eight petals pointing downwards and with stalk above. One should meditate on the sun, moon and fire, placing them one after the other within the whorl of that lotus flower. One should meditate on the lotus in the heart, which is the mind. This is situated within the body. This means that the senses should not wander externally. The stalk is upwards and the blossom is pointing down, like a banana flower. This means one should meditate on this image by inverting it, so that the stalk is at the bottom and the petals are above. Nyāset means “one should meditate.”
Eyes half-closed on the nose, meditate on the lotus in the heart with eight petals on an erect stalk, place sun, moon, and fire upon it, and visualize the Lord's form in elaborate, loving detail. The Lord describes a rich, embodied meditation.
Reflection Questions
  • How vivid is my mental image of the Lord in meditation?
  • What single detail could I add this week to make it more alive?
📝 My note

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