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Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 2: Chapter 1: Verses 15-29
The process of meditation and the cosmic form of the Lord described
Full of self-control, he should quit the house, bathe in the holy waters of some sacred stream or lake and, squatting on a seat, made according to the scriptural ordinance, in a clean and secluded spot, should repeat with his mind the holy Pranava, consisting of three parts (A,U and M). Nay, controlling his breath, he should also subdue his mind, taking care not to forget the Pranava (the seed of the Vedas). Having reason for his- helpmate, he should withdraw his senses from their objects with his mind and by dint of his reason fix his mind, distracted as it is by tendencies to action, on the blessed form of the Lord. With a concentrated mind he should meditate on anyone limb of His body. When the mind is withdrawn from all external objects (by thus fixing it on one limb at a time), it should be so completely absorbed in the thought on the Lord that he should cease to think of anything else. Such a state is the-supreme reality of Lord Visnu, by attaining which the mind is flooded with the ecstasy of divine love. if (in the course of such meditation) one's mind is distracted by force of Rajas (passion) or obscured by force of Tamas (darkness or opacity), a wise man should curb it through concentration, which destroys the impurity occasioned by Rajas and Tamas. When through the practice of such concentration the practising Yogi is able to behold his blissful object (the Lord), he forthwith attains Yoga (union with God) which is characterized by Bhakti (loving Devotion). The king asked : How is concentration practised, 0 holy sage, and on what object has it been approved of (by the scriptures)? And what kind of concentration speedily removes the impurity of one's mind ? Sri Suka replied : Having acquired steadiness of seat and control of one's breath, and having conquered attachment and subdued one's senses, one should fix one's mind on the material form of the Lord by force of one's reason. That is His cosmic or universal Form, the grossest of the gross, wherein is seen this phenomenal universe in its past, present and future form. The Lord who tenants this cosmic body with its seven sheaths (consisting of water, fire, air, ether, the ego, the Mahat-tattva or the principle of cosmic intelligence and Prakrti of Primordial Matter) as the Great Being (Viral Purusa)-He alone is the object of concentration. The knowers of Truth describe Him thus :--Patala (the nethermost sphere comprising the heart of the terrestrial globe ) constitutes the soles of His feet and Rasatala (the sphere immediately enclosing Patala) the hinder and the front part of His feet. Mahatala (the sphere immediately enclosing Rasatala) corresponds to the ankles of the Creator of the universe and Talatala (the sphere immediately enclosing Mahatala), the shanks of the Virat Purusa. Sutala (the sphere immediately enclosing Talatala) represents the knees of the Cosmic Being; while Vitala (the sphere immediately enclosing Sutala) and Atala (the sphere immediately enclosing Vitala and enclosed in its turn by the crust of the earth) form His thighs. The earth's surface corresponds to His loins, O king; while they speak of Bhuvarloka (the sphere immediately enclosing the earth) as His navel. Indra's heaven (the sphere immediately enclosing Bhuvarloka), forms His breast; Maharloka (the sphere immediately enclosing Indra's heaven), His neck and Janaloka (the sphere immediately enclosing Maharloka), His face (below the brow). Tapoloka (the sphere immediately enclosing Janaloka) is recognized as the brow of the Primal Person and Satyaloka (the highest or seventh heaven, immediately enclosing Tapoloka) as the heads of the thousand-headed Lord. It is said that the gods from Indra downwards represent His arms; the cardinal points, His ears and sound, His auditory sense. Nasatya and Dasra (the twin Aswinikumaras, the physicians of gods) are the nostrils of the Supreme; odour, His olfactory sense and flaming fire, His mouth.
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