FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.1.23

श्रीशुक उवाच जितासनो जितश्वासो जितसङ्गो जितेन्द्रिय: । स्थूले भगवतो रूपे मन: सन्धारयेद्धिया ॥ २३ ॥
śrī-śuka uvāca
[shree-shuka uvaacha]
jitāsano jita-śvāso
[jitaasano jita-shvaaso]
jita-saṅgo jitendriyaḥ
[jita-sango jitendriyah]
sthūle bhagavato rūpe
[sthoole bhagavato roope]
manaḥ sandhārayed dhiyā
[manah sandhaarayed dhiyaa]
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śukadeva Gosvāmī said jita-āsanaḥ — controlled sitting posture jita-śvāsaḥ — controlled breathing process jita-saṅgaḥ — controlled association jita-indriyaḥ — controlled senses sthūle — in the gross matter bhagavataḥ — unto the Personality of Godhead rūpe — in the feature of manaḥ — the mind sandhārayet — must apply dhiyā — by intelligence.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
śrī-śuka uvāca
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said
jitāsano jita-śvāso
jita-āsanaḥ
controlled sitting posture
jita-śvāsaḥ
controlled breathing process
jita-saṅgo jitendriyaḥ
jita-saṅgaḥ
controlled association
jita-indriyaḥ
controlled senses
sthūle bhagavato rūpe
sthūle
in the gross matter
bhagavataḥ
unto the Personality of Godhead
rūpe
in the feature of
manaḥ sandhārayed dhiyā
manaḥ
the mind
sandhārayet
must apply
dhiyā
by intelligence.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī answered: One should control the sitting posture, regulate the breathing process by the yogic prāṇāyāma and thus control the mind and senses and with intelligence apply the mind to the gross potencies of the Lord [called the virāṭ-rūpa].

The materially absorbed mind of the conditioned soul does not allow him to transcend the limit of the bodily conception of self, and thus the yoga system for meditation (controlling the sitting posture and breathing process and fixing the mind upon the Supreme) is prescribed in order to mold the character of the gross materialist. Unless such materialists are able to cleanse the materially absorbed mind, it is impossible for them to concentrate upon thoughts of transcendence. And to do so one may fix one’s mind on the gross material or external feature of the Lord. The different parts of the gigantic form of the Lord are described in the following verses. The materialistic men are very anxious to have some mystic powers as a result of such a controlling process, but the real purpose of yogic regulations is to eradicate the accumulated dirty things like lust, anger, avarice and all such material contaminations. If the mystic yogī is diverted by the accompanying feats of mystic control, then his mission of yogic success is a failure, because the ultimate aim is God realization. He is therefore recommended to fix his gross materialistic mind by a different conception and thus realize the potency of the Lord. As soon as the potencies are understood to be instrumental manifestations of the transcendence, one automatically advances to the next step, and gradually the stage of full realization becomes possible for him.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Śukadeva said: Having perfected āsanas and breathing, having given up bad association and conquered the senses, one should concentrate the mind on the gross form of the Lord with the intelligence
Commentary

This verse answers the first question. For those yogīs who cannot concentrate on the spiritual form of the Paramātmā mentioned in verse 21, concentration on the universal form for removing the continuation of attraction and repulsion is described.

For minds still gripped by matter, fix attention on the Lord's universal form — see the world itself as His body. It is a starting place, not a final view, but it pulls awareness from petty self to something vast.
Reflection Questions
  • When I look at the world today, do I see it as mine to exploit, or as His to be served?
  • Which feature of nature could I begin treating as a limb of the Supreme this week?
📝 My note

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