SB 3.28.5 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

मौनं सदासनजय: स्थैर्यं प्राणजय: शनै: । प्रत्याहारश्चेन्द्रियाणां विषयान्मनसा हृदि ॥ ५ ॥

Verse text

maunaṁ sad-āsana-jayaḥ sthairyaṁ prāṇa-jayaḥ śanaiḥ pratyāhāraś cendriyāṇāṁ viṣayān manasā hṛdi

Synonyms

maunam — silence ; sat — good ; āsana — yogic postures ; jayaḥ — controlling ; sthairyam — steadiness ; prāṇa — jayaḥ — controlling the vital air ; śanaiḥ — gradually ; pratyāhāraḥ — withdrawal ; ca — and ; indriyāṇām — of the senses ; viṣayāt — from the sense objects ; manasā — with the mind ; hṛdi — on the heart .

Translation

One must observe silence, acquire steadiness by practicing different yogic postures, control the breathing of the vital air, withdraw the senses from sense objects and thus concentrate the mind on the heart.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

One should observe silence. One should attain steadiness by mastering correct āsanas, and control the breath (prāṇāyama). Gradually one should withdraw the senses from material objects to the heart using the mind (pratyāhāra). Three verses explain the other aṅgas of yoga. One should attain steadiness by mastering correct āsanas.

Purport

The yogic practices in general and haṭha-yoga in particular are not ends in themselves; they are means to the end of attaining steadiness. First one must be able to sit properly, and then the mind and attention will become steady enough for practicing yoga. Gradually, one must control the circulation of vital air, and with such control he will be able to withdraw the senses from sense objects. In the previous verse it is stated that one must observe celibacy. The most important aspect of sense control is controlling sex life. That is called brahmacarya. By practicing the different sitting postures and controlling the vital air, one can control and restrain the senses from unrestricted sense enjoyment.