Shloka 20
Kapila Describes Bhakti-Saturated Aṣṭāṅga-Yoga and Meditation on the Lord’s Form
तस्मिँल्लब्धपदं चित्तं सर्वावयवसंस्थितम् । विलक्ष्यैकत्र संयुज्यादङ्गे भगवतो मुनि: ॥ २० ॥
tasmiḻ labdha-padaṁ cittaṁ sarvāvayava-saṁsthitam vilakṣyaikatra saṁyujyād aṅge bhagavato muniḥ
তখন যোগীকে ভগবানের চিরন্তন রূপে স্থিত চিত্তকে তাঁর সকল অঙ্গ একত্রে না দেখে, প্রতিটি অঙ্গে পৃথকভাবে লক্ষ করে একাগ্র করতে হবে।
The word muni is very significant. Muni means one who is very expert in mental speculation or in thinking, feeling and willing. He is not mentioned here as a devotee or yogī. Those who try to meditate on the form of the Lord are called munis, or less intelligent, whereas those who render actual service to the Lord are called bhakti-yogīs. The thought process described below is for the education of the muni. In order to convince the yogī that the Absolute Truth, or Supreme Personality of Godhead, is never impersonal at any time, the following verses prescribe observing the Lord in His personal form, limb after limb. To think of the Lord as a whole may sometimes be impersonal; therefore, it is recommended here that one first think of His lotus feet, then His ankles, then the thighs, then the waist, then the chest, then the neck, then the face and so on. One should begin from the lotus feet and gradually rise to the upper limbs of the transcendental body of the Lord.
FAQs
This verse teaches a devotional method: place the mind on the Lord’s limbs in sequence, then withdraw it from many points and concentrate it one-pointedly on a single limb, deepening absorption in Bhagavan.
Because scattered attention, even on sacred objects, can remain divided; one-pointed focus stabilizes the heart in bhakti and leads to deeper remembrance and realization of the Lord.
Choose a quiet time, visualize the Lord’s form step-by-step (feet to face), then gently bring attention to one chosen feature (like the lotus feet) while chanting—training the mind to become steady and devotional.