Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.8.77
सर्वतो मन आकृष्य हृदि भूतेन्द्रियाशयम् ।
ध्यायन्भगवतो रूपं नाद्राक्षीत्किञ्चनापरम् ॥ ७७ ॥
sarvato mana ākṛṣya
[sarvato mana aakrishya]
hṛdi bhūtendriyāśayam
[hridi bhootendriyaashayam]
dhyāyan bhagavato rūpaṁ
[dhyaayan bhagavato roopam]
nādrākṣīt kiñcanāparam
[naadraaksheet kinchanaaparam]
Word-for-word
sarvataḥ
—
in all respects
manaḥ
—
mind
ākṛṣya
—
concentrating
hṛdi
—
in the heart
bhūta-indriya-āśayam
—
resting place of the senses and the objects of the senses
dhyāyan
—
meditating
bhagavataḥ
—
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
rūpam
—
form
na adrākṣīt
—
did not see
kiñcana
—
anything
aparam
—
else.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
sarvato mana ākṛṣya
sarvataḥ
in all respects
manaḥ
mind
ākṛṣya
concentrating
hṛdi bhūtendriyāśayam
hṛdi
in the heart
bhūta-indriya-āśayam
resting place of the senses and the objects of the senses
dhyāyan bhagavato rūpaṁ
dhyāyan
meditating
bhagavataḥ
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
rūpam
form
nādrākṣīt kiñcanāparam
na adrākṣīt
did not see
kiñcana
anything
aparam
else.
He completely controlled his senses and their objects, and in this way he fixed his mind, without diversion to anything else, upon the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Purport
The yogic principles of meditation are clearly explained here. One has to fix one’s mind upon the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead without diversion to any other objective. It is not that one can meditate or concentrate on an impersonal objective. To try to do so is simply a waste of time, for it is unnecessarily troublesome, as explained in Bhagavad-gītā.
— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
Controlling the mind completely, meditating on the form of the Lord which is not perceivable by material senses, he did not see anything else.
Bhūtendriyāśayam, referring to the form of the Lord, can mean “that which does not reside (aśayam) with the senses of the living beings.” Or it can mean “that to which the living beings’ senses are completely sleeping (āśayam), that which is beyond their senses.”
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
He completely controlled the senses and their objects, fixing his mind on the Lord's form without diversion. Impersonal focus offers nothing for the mind to hold; the Lord's form gives it a beloved object.
Reflection Questions
- Where has my attempt to 'just focus' failed because I gave my mind no real object to love?
- Which form of the Lord could I commit to as my anchor for an entire week?
My note
Source: vedabase.io