Suta said:
1. Henceforth, I shall explain how the evil portents, injuries, calamities and defects appear to a person who has realized the Truth.
2. The Yogin who is afflicted by evil may be enamoured of women, season (?) and long for human enjoyments and the fruits of learning.
3. Such an afflicted person desires to perform Mayic (deceptive) activities such as maintenance of sacrificial fire (Agnihotra), oblations in fire, performance of sacrifice, wealth and heaven.
4. If a Yogin is engaged in such religious rites, he falls a victim to Nescience (Avidya). One should know that one is affected and should deliberately avoid it. If he becomes per manently devoted to Brahman, he is released from the evil effects.
5. But even though one has mastered breath-control and evils (obstructing Yoga), other evils arising from (and of the nature of) Sattva, Rajas and Tamas appear.
6. Perspicuous intellect, hearing (spiritual) voices, vision of gods and circular motion of whirling flame-these are called the signs of (attainment of) Siddhi.
7. All learning, literature, arts and other lores communicable orally as well as the essence of all learning attend upon him (for service). It is the index of his superhuman power.1
1. Verses 7-15 describe the disturbances in the path of Yogic progress. 16-25 describe the powers attained by different Dharanas. But these Siddhis are a trap (v. 26). The gist of the remaining chapter is that a Yogi should not be attached to any exalted position even of god Brahma himself. Then only he will be absorbed in Brahman.
8. He hears words worth hearing even from the distance of a hundred Yojanas. The omniscient Yogin, even though knowing the procedure of Yoga, may become like a lunatic.
9. If the great Yogi sees Yakshas, Rakshasas, Gandharvas and divine beings and knows them, it is the sign of disturbance. (in spiritual progress).
10. One should recognize him specifically as insane if he sees Devas, Danavas, Sages and Pitris all round.
11. The Yogi, being urged by his inner soul, flounders through delusion. All his knowledge is lost when his intellect is confounded.
12. Professional activities can destroy his mental balance. If his mind is overcome (due to shock of financial loss) and urged by his inner soul, his knowledge is lost.
13. Covering himself with a white cloth or a blanket he should quickly meditate upon the great Brahman.
14. If the inelligent Yogi desires to attain his spiritual power, he should give up (overcome) his defects caused by the (spiritual) disturbances.
15. Devas, Gandharvas, Sages, Yakshas, Serpents and Asuras, that are involved in creating obstruction, come again and again.
16. A practising Yogin should always take light food and subdue the sense-organs. Similarly, he should lie and repose in the subtle body and perform Dharana in the head.
17. Then, if he conquers sleep after practising Yoga, Upasargas in the form of vital breaths are produced in the end.
18. He should then perform Dharanas of the earth, waters, fire, ether and the mind.
19. Then the striving (aspiring) recluse should perform Dharana upon his intellect. He should discard instantly whenever he sees the indications of (coming) Siddhis.
20. While he performs the Dharana of the earth, the earth becomes subtle. While he performs the Dharana of waters, the waters become subtle. Cool juices, subtle and nectar-like, begin to function.
21. While he performs the Dharana of fire, the subtle fire begins to function. He feels himself like fire and sees its subtle nature.
22-23. He considers himself to be wind and the universal sphere as made of that*. While he performs the Dharana of the ether, the subtle ether begins to function. He sees its subtle sphere and its sound begins to function.
*The same line is repeated as 23b.
24. While he performs the Dharana of the mind, the subtle mind begins to function. Through his mind he penetrates the minds of living beings; when he unites his intellect with the cosmic intellect, he understands everything perfectly.
25. The Yogin who, after knowing the seven subtle elements abandons them, attains the highest point of intellect.
26. If he identifies with any of these elements characterised by Aishvarya (prosperity or mastery), he becomes entangled and thereby perishes.
27. Hence he who knows the subtle elements attached to one another and abandons them deliberately, attains the supreme lord.
28. Indeed, even the noble-souled sages of divine vision are found entangled in the subtle elements. Those are regarded as defects in them.
29. Hence no attachment should be had in regard to the subtle elements. Due to Aishvarya (prosperity and glory) attach ment is generated, while Brahman is called non-attached.
30. After knowing the seven subtle (elements etc.) and the excellent great god of six characteristics, he attains to the supreme Brahman.
31. Those who know the procedure, declare the (following) six characteristics of the supreme Lord. These are: omniscience, contentment, beginning-less (external knowledge), independence, never-failing power and infinite power.
32. The practising Yogin with Brahman as his permanent asset, becomes liberated from the Upasargas. To a Yogin who has conquered the vital breath, the Upasargas and passion, there remains only one Dharana inclusive of all desires in the external body.
33. When the twice-born fixes his mind anywhere he enters it. He enters the elements and can even shake (move) the three worlds.
34. Be means of this Dharana, he can abandon his body and enter another. He should determine that the Sun is the mental door of the Yoga.
35. He is called Aditya as he is the recipient of the activities (like taking). The Yogin who, by this procedure, becomes detached and free from the affections of the subtle elements goes beyond the sphere of Prakruti to Rudraloka.
36. The Yogin who has attained the status of Ishvara and Gunas becomes Brahman himself. He withdraws himself from the positions of Devas.
37-38. He should eschew from the positions of Pisachas Rakshasas, Gandharvas, Kubera, Indra, Soma and Prajapati by the processes specific to these.
39. He should give up the position of Brahma by the special Brahma procedure. He should take leave of the Lord. But if he is attached thereto (to Brahma’s position), he becomes (as if). intoxicated and everything (his fall) proceeds from that.
40. Being permanently absorbed in Brahman, he should give up the aforesaid positions. Thus, being non-attached to these positions, he shall acquire the power of going anywhere (omnipresence).