Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 54
योगस्वरूप-धारणा-समाधि-वर्णनम् (केशिध्वजोपदेशः)
मूर्त्तं भगवतो रूपं सर्वापाश्रयनिस्पृहः । एषा वै धारणा ज्ञेया यच्चित्तं तत्र धार्यते ॥ ५४ ॥
mūrttaṃ bhagavato rūpaṃ sarvāpāśrayanispṛhaḥ | eṣā vai dhāraṇā jñeyā yaccittaṃ tatra dhāryate || 54 ||
Hãy biết đây là dhāraṇā chân thật (sự an trụ tập trung): khi không còn khát ái đối với bất cứ chỗ nương hay điểm tựa nào khác, và giữ tâm vững trên hình tướng hiển lộ của Bhagavān.
Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Moksha-Dharma dialogue)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti (devotion)
Secondary Rasa: shanta (peace)
FAQs
It defines dhāraṇā as unwavering mental fixation on Bhagavān’s manifest form, supported by inner renunciation—freedom from seeking any other refuge—making concentration a direct means toward mokṣa.
Bhakti here is expressed as exclusive reliance on the Lord: when the devotee abandons competing supports and holds the mind on Bhagavān’s form, devotion becomes steady, focused remembrance (smaraṇa) that matures into meditation.
Rather than a Vedāṅga technique like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa, the verse highlights a yoga-practice definition: the practical method of dhāraṇā—training attention to remain fixed on a chosen sacred form without distraction.