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Bhagavad Gita 8.12

Chapter 8, Verse 12

Part of 8: Akṣhar Brahma Yogअक्षरब्रह्मयोग

सर्वद्वाराणि संयम्य मनो हृदि निरुध्य च। मूर्ध्न्याधायात्मनः प्राणमास्थितो योगधारणाम्॥

Transliteration

sarva-dvārāṇi sanyamya mano hṛidi nirudhya cha mūrdhnyādhāyātmanaḥ prāṇam āsthito yoga-dhāraṇām

Meaning

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.

Word-by-word meaning
sarva-dvārāṇiall gatessanyamyarestrainingmanaḥthe mindhṛidiin the heart regionnirudhyaconfiningchaandmūrdhniin the headādhāyaestablishātmanaḥof the selfprāṇamthe life breathāsthitaḥsituated (in)yoga-dhāraṇāmthe yogic concentration
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).

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the meaning of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 8, Verse 12?
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.
Which chapter and verse of the Bhagavad Gita is this?
This is verse 12 of Chapter 8 (Akṣhar Brahma Yog — Path of the Eternal God) of the Bhagavad Gita, a scripture of 18 chapters and 700 verses spoken by Lord Krishna to Arjuna.