मन एकत्र संयुञ्ज्याज्जितश्वासो जितासन: ।
वैराग्याभ्यासयोगेन ध्रियमाणमतन्द्रित: ॥
यस्मिन्मनो लब्धपदं यदेत-
च्छनै: शनैर्मुञ्चति कर्मरेणून् ।
सत्त्वेन वृद्धेन रजस्तमश्च
विधूय निर्वाणमुपैत्यनिन्धनम् ॥
तदैवमात्मन्यवरुद्धचित्तो
न वेद किञ्चिद् बहिरन्तरं वा ।
यथेषुकारो नृपतिं व्रजन्त-
मिषौ गतात्मा न विवेद पार्श्वे ॥
mana ekatra saṁyuñjyāj jita-śvāso jitāsanaḥ |
vairāgyābhyāsa-yogena dhriyamāṇam atandritaḥ ||
yasmin mano labdha-padaṁ yad etac
chanaiḥ śanair muñcati karma-reṇūn |
sattvena vṛddhena rajas tamaś ca
vidhūya nirvāṇam upaity anindhanam ||
tadaivam ātmany avaruddha-citto
na veda kiñcid bahir antaraṁ vā |
yatheṣu-kāro nṛpatiṁ vrajantam
iṣau gatātmā na viveda pārśve ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.9.11–13)
“Mastering one’s posture and [then] mastering one’s breath, fix the steadied mind in one place alertly through non-attachment and regulated practice. The mind in which a position is attained [i.e., a mind which has become fixed on its object] gradually gives up the dust of karma [i.e., the vāsanās produced by karma], by an increase of sattva shakes off rajas and tamas, and attains perfect repose (nirvāṇa) free from any kindling [i.e., any effects of the guṇas]. Then, in this way, the mind shut in upon the ātmā does not perceive anything external [e.g., sights] or internal [e.g., memories], just as an arrow-maker, his mind absorbed in [crafting] arrows, did not notice in the least a king passing beside him [with a large entourage playing kettle-drums].”