Verse 31
The way upward· Verses 22–31
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22But king, if he means to go to the state of Brahma, or to the pleasure-grounds of those who move in the sky, or to the eightfold lordship in the field where the strands gather, let him go together with mind and senses. 23They call this the going of the lords of yoga, within the three worlds and outside them, whose inner self is the wind; and that going, which belongs to those possessed of knowledge and austerity and yoga and samadhi, is not reached by rites. 24Going by the sky through the susumna, the shining path of Brahman, he reaches Vaisvanara; and there, his dross shaken off, he goes on upward, king, to Hari's Sisumara wheel.
25Passing beyond that navel of the universe, which is Visnu's, alone, with a self grown subtle and free of dust, he reaches the world the knowers of Brahman honour, where the gods, whose life lasts a kalpa, take their delight. 26Then, seeing the universe burning up in the fire from the mouth of the Endless, he passes out to that seat which the lords of the perfected frequent, the abode of Brahma, which lasts two parardhas. 27Where there is no grief, no old age, no death, no pain and no agitation, save one that comes from elsewhere: the agitation born of compassion, from seeing the unending source of sorrow in those who do not know this.
28Then, reaching the subtle element and free of fear, with that self he goes unhurrying into water, taking the form of fire; and made of light he comes to air; and in time, with air for his self, to space, the vast mark of the Self. 29By smell the yogin reaches scent, by taste flavour, by sight form, by touch the wind, by hearing the quality of space, and by the breath he reaches intention. 30Having attained by that going the changeable thing made of mind and of the gods, which is where the subtle elements and the senses meet, he goes with it to the principle of understanding, where the strands are shut down. 31By that self he reaches the Self, which is peace and bliss, himself made of bliss, at the end. Dear one, whoever has gone by this way that belongs to the Lord is never caught here again.