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Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 11

Avadhūta’s Further Teachers: Detachment, Solitude, One-Pointed Meditation, and the Lord as Āśraya

मन एकत्र संयुञ्ज्याज्जितश्वासो जितासन: । वैराग्याभ्यासयोगेन ध्रियमाणमतन्द्रित: ॥ ११ ॥

mana ekatra saṁyuñjyāj jita-śvāso jitāsanaḥ vairāgyābhyāsa-yogena dhriyamāṇam atandritaḥ

Khi đã thuần thục tư thế ngồi và chế ngự hơi thở, hành giả nên gom tâm vào một điểm. Nhờ thực hành yoga có kỷ luật cùng với ly tham (vô chấp), không lơ là, tâm sẽ được an trụ vững vàng.

manaḥthe mind
manaḥ:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootmanas (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; accusative singular (object)
ekatrain one place
ekatra:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootekatra (अव्यय)
Formदेशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place) ‘in one place’
saṁyuñjyātshould concentrate
saṁyuñjyāt:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootsam-√yuj (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘should yoke/compose (it)’
jita-śvāsaḥhaving controlled the breath
jita-śvāsaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootjita (कृदन्त, √ji) + śvāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष ‘whose breath is conquered’; past passive participle used adjectivally
jita-āsanaḥhaving mastered the posture
jita-āsanaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootjita (कृदन्त, √ji) + āsana (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘having mastered posture/seat’
vairāgya-abhyāsa-yogenaby the discipline of detachment and practice
vairāgya-abhyāsa-yogena:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootvairāgya (प्रातिपदिक) + abhyāsa (प्रातिपदिक) + yoga (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; instrumental singular ‘by the yoga of dispassion and practice’
dhriyamāṇambeing steadily held
dhriyamāṇam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootdhriyamāṇa (कृदन्त, √dhṛ)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि शानच्/मान (present passive participle) ‘being held/maintained’ (qualifies manaḥ)
atandritaḥunwearied, vigilant
atandritaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Roota-tandrita (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘not lazy/untiring’

One should develop vairāgya, or detachment, by observing that all material things are doomed. Thus one should take to the regulated practice of yoga, which in this age means the process of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. According to Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, the avadhūta brāhmaṇa is recommending bhakti-miśra aṣṭāṅga-yoga, or the eightfold mystic yoga process performed as an offering to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

U
Uddhava
K
Kṛṣṇa
A
Avadhūta (Dattātreya)

FAQs

This verse teaches to fix the mind on one point and steady it through two supports—abhyāsa (consistent practice) and vairāgya (detachment)—along with disciplined breath and posture.

In the Uddhava-gītā, Kṛṣṇa prepares Uddhava for spiritual steadiness and renunciation; He presents the Avadhūta’s method to show how inner discipline leads to freedom from material distraction.

Practice daily focused sādhana (japa, reading, meditation) at a fixed time, and cultivate detachment by reducing avoidable distractions and cravings—so the mind learns to remain steady and purposeful.