यज्जाग्रतो दूरमुदैति दैव तदु सुप्तस्य तथैवैति। दूरङ्गमं ज्योतिषां ज्योतिरेकं तन्मे मनः शिवसङ्कल्पमस्तु॥
yaj jāgrato dūram udaiti daivaṁ tadu suptasya tathaivaiti | dūraṅgamaṁ jyotiṣāṁ jyotir ekaṁ tan me manaḥ śiva-saṅkalpam astu ||
Mastering the Inner Instrument: The Yoga of the Mind
Act 1
Act I: The Omnipresent Light of Consciousness
Verses 1, 2
येन कर्माण्यपसो मनीषिणो यज्ञे कृण्वन्ति विदथेषु धीराः। यदपूर्व यक्षमन्तः प्रजानां तन्मे मनः शिवसङ्कल्पमस्तु॥
yena karmāṇy apaso manīṣino yajñe kṛṇvanti vidatheṣu dhīrāḥ | yad apūrvaṁ yakṣam antaḥ prajānāṁ tan me manaḥ śiva-saṅkalpam astu ||
📖 Immersive narrative, word breakdowns, and spiritual context
The opening verses of this sacred section introduce the mind (Manas) not merely as a biological faculty of thought, but as the supreme cosmic light within. It transcends physical boundaries, traveling instantaneously across waking and sleeping realms. Because it is the prime mover behind all sacrificial acts and spiritual insights, its alignment with divine will (Shiva-sankalpa) is essential for human flourishing.
💭 Flowing Translation
Verse 1: May my wandering, luminous mind be blessed with auspicious and divine intentions.
📝 Scholar's Reading Note
Sāyaṇa interprets 'Manas' as the internal organ of volition and thought, while spiritual commentators like Sri Aurobindo view 'Manas' here as the sensory mind bridging mortal awareness with divine truth.
📚 Word-by-Word Breakdown
Verse 1
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| जाग्रतः | jāgrataḥ | of the waking person |
| दूरङ्गमम् | dūraṅgamam | traveling far |
| शिवसङ्कल्पम् | śiva-saṅkalpam | having auspicious resolves |
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Memory Hook
Remember YV.2.34.1 as the foundational prayer where the mind is hailed as 'jyotir ekam'—the single light guiding all experiences.