Chapter 8, Verse 12
Akshara Brahma Yoga — Sanskrit shloka, transliteration, word meanings, English translation, and commentary.
Original Sanskrit verse
Transliteration
Word meanings
sarva-dvārāṇi—all gates; sanyamya—restraining; manaḥ—the mind; hṛidi—in the heart region; nirudhya—confining; cha—and; mūrdhni—in the head; ādhāya—establish; ātmanaḥ—of the self; prāṇam—the life breath; āsthitaḥ—situated (in); yoga-dhāraṇām—the yogic concentration
English translation
Having closed all the gates, confined the mind in the heart, and fixed the life-breath in the head, engage in the practice of concentration.
— Swami Sivananda
Listen to Shloka 8.12
Commentary
The gates are the senses of knowledge. Closing the gates means control of all senses by the practice of Pratyahara or withdrawal of the consciousness from them. Even if the senses are controlled; the mind will be dwelling on the sensual objects. Therefore the mind is confined or fixed in the lotus of the heart and thery all the thoughts or mental modifications are also controlled. The whole lifreath is now taken up and fixed at the crown of the head (Brahmarandhra or the hole of Brahman).
Commentary by Swami Sivananda
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