Yogasara Gitam
IAST English
Mahadev - The Master of Yoga
Yogasara Gītam – Introduction
Yogasāra Gītam is a profound and luminous hymn composed by Kavyakantha Vasistha Sri Ganapati Muni, presenting the very essence of Yoga in a compact and powerful poetic form. In this sacred song, Muni beautifully sings of the inner path by which the seeker turns the sharp intellect inward, purifies the heart, and enters the subtle spiritual space within.
This gītam glorifies various modes of Brahma-vidyā and yogic practice. It points to self-enquiry through the remembrance of “I,” meditation in the heart, the withdrawal from sense-objects, breath-linked remembrance, the awakening of the inner fire, the ascent of spiritual power, and the contemplation of the Supreme Śakti. Muni also indicates the divine power working through the faculties of action, movement, hearing, and thought, showing that Yoga is not merely a practice confined to meditation, but a sacred transformation of the whole being.
The hymn reveals the power and glory of Yoga as a path of purification, concentration, inner awakening, and direct experience of the Supreme Reality. It shows that when the mind becomes steady and inward-turned, all achievements naturally come into the hands of the disciplined seeker. True Yoga, according to this gītam, is the unbroken remembrance of one’s own pure consciousness.
For spiritual aspirants, the recitation of Yogasāra Gītam can serve as a constant reminder of their highest purpose. It keeps the seeker aligned with life’s true mission — the realization of the Supreme Reality — and inspires them to walk the path of tapas, inner discipline, and direct spiritual experience.
॥ kāvyakaṇṭha vāsiṣṭha śrīgaṇapatimuniviracitam yogasāragītam ॥
niśitayā dhiyā hṛdi nibhālanam ।
bhuvanabhūpaterbhavanaśodhanam ॥ 1॥
daharamajjanaṃ vidadhataṃ janam ।
bahulasammadaṃ nayati dhīḥ padam ॥ 2॥
ahamiti smṛtevraja janisthalam ।
bhavakathānakaṃ galati te’khilam ॥ 3॥
nijavilokitaṃ yadi nibhālyate ।
viṣayasaṅgitā kvanu vibhāvyate ॥ 4॥
nayanadṛśyayorgaganamantaram ।
samavalokayan bhaja vibhuṃ param ॥ 5॥
viṣayavarjanādviṣayiṇi sthire ।
sakalasiddhayo yatadhiyaḥ kare ॥ 6॥
rasananīrage manasi santatam ।
karagataṃ sukhaṃ bhavati niścitam ॥ 7॥
gamaya mastakātkulagṛhānalam ।
avataranniva smṛtimidaṃ tvalam ॥ 8॥
smaraṇasarpiṣā kulagṛhe śikhī ।
jvalati yasya sa kṣititale makhī ॥ 9॥
yadi śaśī dravetkulaśikhitviṣā ।
amṛtataḥ śamaṃ vrajati nastṛṣā ॥ 10॥
calatamaṃ manaḥ praśamameti naḥ ।
smaraṇayuktayā śvasitayātrayā ॥ 11॥
nijacitismṛtiryadi na vicyutā ।
bhavati yogitā sulabhasādhitā ॥ 12॥
daśaśatacchadasthitamanāḥ sadā ।
anubhavenmahomahadado mudā ॥ 13॥
bhavati niṣṭhito yadi catuṣpathe ।
mahasi līyate dhṛtajagatkathe ॥ 14॥
ayi vicintaya svavapuruttaram ।
vaśamitaṃ bhavettava mahattaram ॥ 15॥
paramaśaktaye svavapurarp yatām ।
ayi kimadbhutaṃ bhavati dṛśyatām ॥ 16॥
karaṇaśaktivitkṛtiṣu rājate ।
gamanaśaktividgatiṣu śobhate ॥ 17॥
śravaṇaśaktivicchrutiṣu na skhalet ।
mananaśaktivinmatiṣu no patet ॥ 18॥
atulasiddhidāniha pṛthagvidhān ।
munivaro’bhyadhāditi tapaḥ pathān ॥ 19॥
bahulayogivāṅmathanato’mṛtam ।
anubhavakṣamaṃ tadidamāhṛtam ॥ 20॥
॥ iti śrībhagavanmaharṣiramaṇāntevāsino vāsiṣṭhasya narasiṁhasūnorgaṇapateḥ kṛtiḥ yogasāragītam samāptam ॥