Passage 1
श्रीराम उवाच— अथ योगं प्रवक्ष्यामि शृणु ह्येकमना मुने। येन विज्ञातमात्रेण नरैः कैवल्यमश्नुते॥१॥
Śrī Rāma said: I shall now explain yoga. Listen with a single-pointed mind, sage. By knowing it alone, a human being attains absolute liberation.
Passage 2
कर्मिणां कर्मयोगः स्याज्ज्ञानिनां ज्ञानमेव सः। भक्तिमान् भक्तियोगेन निरुध्याच्चित्तमात्मनः॥२॥
For people devoted to action, it is karma-yoga; for those devoted to knowledge, it is knowledge itself. A devotee should restrain the mind through bhakti-yoga.
Passage 3
मूलाधारस्थितं ज्योतिः कुण्डल्यामाविर्भावयेत्। प्रणवाख्येन दण्डेन नादरूपेण चालयेत्॥३॥
One should awaken the light abiding in kuṇḍalinī at the mūlādhāra and set it in motion with the rod called Praṇava, whose form is sacred sound.
Passage 4
नादोद्भूतः प्राणवायुरपाने बलवत्तरः। पराधारं नुदेदरिन् तच्छिद्रा कुण्डलीं स्पृशेत्॥४॥
The current of prāṇa born from that sound becomes stronger than apāna. It strikes the lower support and, through its opening, touches Kuṇḍalī. Source note: The second line is tightly printed as पराधारं नुदेदरिन् तच्छिद्रा कुण्डलीं स्पृशेत्. The visible wording is retained; the English follows the clear yogic action without conjecturally replacing the compact middle forms.
Passage 5
तया प्रचोदितं तीव्रं कुण्डल्याख्यं परं महः। व्याप्य सूक्ष्माणि मार्गाणि हृद्देशं गच्छति द्रुतम्॥५॥
Thus impelled, the intense supreme radiance called Kuṇḍalī pervades the subtle pathways and swiftly reaches the region of the heart.
Passage 6
तत्र जीवात्मना सार्धं विद्युत्तेजःप्रभासुरम्। भ्रूपुटे सद्य आगत्य परं चैतन्यमाप्नुयात्॥६॥
There, together with the individual self and blazing with the brilliance of lightning, it immediately reaches the brow center and attains supreme consciousness.
Passage 7
तदूर्ध्वं रोधिनीं भित्त्वा सहस्रदलमश्नुते। ब्रह्मानन्दसमुद्रस्य वेला सा रोधिनी भवेत्॥७॥
Ascending farther, it pierces Rodhinī and reaches the thousand-petaled lotus. Rodhinī is the boundary shore of the ocean of Brahman's bliss.
Passage 8
अन्यथा वृद्ध एवासौ सर्वतः प्लावयेज्जगत्। सर्वेऽपि च विमुक्ताः स्युः पशुपक्ष्यन्त्यजा अपि॥८॥
Without that boundary, the expanding ocean would flood the entire world, and everyone—even animals, birds, and those regarded as outcastes—would become liberated.
Passage 9
तान् रुणद्धि ततो विद्या त्रिगुणा रोधिनी हि सा। तदूर्ध्वं ब्रह्मलोकोऽस्ति मत्प्रभात्माक्षरात्मकः॥९॥
The three-guṇa power called Rodhinī therefore holds beings back. Above it lies Brahmaloka, the imperishable realm whose nature is my radiant Self.
Passage 10
तं प्राप्य मुक्तिसाम्राज्यं सद्यः प्राप्नोति मानवः। न तत्र कालकलना न मायाकृतविस्मृतिः॥१०॥
Reaching it, a human being immediately gains the sovereign domain of liberation. There is no reckoning of time and no forgetfulness created by māyā.
Passage 11
न जरा नापि दुःखाद्यास्त्रिगुणप्रसृतिस्तथा। योगी तस्य प्रविश्यान्तस्तुरीयामश्नुते कलाम्॥११॥
There is no old age, no sorrow or other suffering, and no expansion of the three guṇas. Entering within it, the yogin experiences the dimension of the fourth state.
Passage 12
निमेषोन्मेषरहितां साक्षाद्ब्रह्मस्वरूपिणीम्। तस्य हेतुबोधमयी दीक्षा सद्गुरुगोपिता॥१२॥
That state is beyond the closing and opening of the eyes and is directly of the nature of Brahman. The initiation that awakens its cause is guarded by the true guru.
Passage 13
शक्तिसञ्चारतो लभ्या सद्य एव प्रजायते। परमेश्वरसन्तोषाच्चिरमेव प्रजायते॥१३॥
It is received through the transmission of power and can arise immediately; when gained by pleasing the Supreme Lord, it arises only after prolonged practice.
Passage 14
तदर्थं भूरिकर्माणि योगाङ्गानि प्रसाधयेत्। पूर्वजन्माभ्यासवशाद् वैराग्ये स्थिरतां गते॥१४॥
For that attainment one should perfect the many disciplines and limbs of yoga. When dispassion becomes steady through practice carried over from previous births—
Passage 15
अथ ज्ञानकलोदेति सापि योगो निगद्यते। द्विविधोऽपि च योगोऽयं स्वाश्रया मुक्तिरुच्यते॥१५॥
—the ray of knowledge then rises, and that too is called yoga. This yoga is of two kinds; the first is called liberation dependent upon oneself.
Passage 16
पराश्रया भवेन्मुक्तिर्भक्तियोगेन चात्रिज। परो नाम सदानन्दो राम एवाहमच्युतः॥१६॥
Liberation dependent upon the Supreme comes through bhakti-yoga, descendant of Atri. That Supreme is eternal bliss—the imperishable Rāma, who is none other than I.
Passage 17
क्षराक्षरावतिक्रम्य भासमाने निजे पदे। तदाश्रया तु या मुक्तिर्दुर्लभा मत्कृपां विना॥१७॥
It transcends both the perishable and the imperishable and shines in its own abode. Liberation that rests upon it is difficult to obtain without my grace.
Passage 18
ऐक्यसायुज्यभेदेन सा द्विधा परिकीर्तिता। पूर्वतोऽप्यधिकानन्दा द्वितीया सातिदुर्लभा॥१८॥
That liberation is described as twofold: identity and intimate union. The second contains still greater bliss than the first and is exceedingly rare.
Passage 19
मल्लोकनित्यलीलाख्यमद्भोगानन्दरूपिणी। सांख्येऽप्ययं समुद्दिष्टो योगो मद्योगकारकः॥१९॥
It takes the form of the bliss of enjoying me in the eternal līlā of my own world. Even Sāṅkhya points toward this yoga, which brings about union with me.
Passage 20
सर्वेषामपि योगानां भक्तियोगो विशिष्यते। अल्पायासो बहुफलो मत्स्वरूपप्रदस्तथा॥२०॥
Among all forms of yoga, bhakti-yoga is preeminent. It requires little exertion, yields abundant fruit, and bestows my own form.
Passage 21
योगो योग इति ग्रन्थेष्वसन्देहान्निरूपितः। केचिदेव मुनिश्रेष्ठास्तं जानन्ति मदात्मकम्। नास्माद्व्युत्तिष्ठते योगी मद्भक्तो मयि सङ्गतः॥२१॥
The scriptures repeatedly explain this as yoga beyond doubt, yet only a few among the best sages know that its essence is me. A yogin who is my devotee and joined to me never falls away from it.
Passage 22
तस्मादेनं द्विजश्रेष्ठ नित्यमभ्यस्य चेतसा। चित्तेऽपि खण्डशो जातमखण्डं कुरु यत्नतः॥२२॥ Therefore, best of the twice-born, practice it constantly within the mind. Whenever awareness becomes fragmented, strive to make it unbroken again. **इति श्रीमदादिरामायणे ब्रह्मभुशुण्डसंवादे उत्तरखण्डे श्रीरामात्रेयसंवादे आत्रेयबोधितश्रीरामगीतायामष्टादशोऽध्यायः॥१८॥
** Thus ends Chapter Eighteen of the Śrī Rāma Gītā taught in response to Ātreya, within the dialogue of Śrī Rāma and the sage of Atri's line in the Uttara-khaṇḍa of the glorious Ādi Rāmāyaṇa, in the dialogue of Brahmā and Bhuśuṇḍa.