sarva-dvārāṇi sanyamya mano hṛidi nirudhya cha
mūrdhnyādhāyātmanaḥ prāṇam āsthito yoga-dhāraṇām
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.
Translation by Swami Sivananda
Hindi meaning
।।8.12।। सब (इन्द्रियों के) द्वारों को संयमित कर मन को हृदय में स्थिर करके और प्राण को मस्तक में स्थापित करके योगधारणा में स्थित हुआ।।
Hindi rendering by Swami Tejomayananda
English meaning
Fix: Closing the gates of the body, drawing the forces of his mind into the heart, and, by the power of meditation, concentrating his vital energy in the brain;
Shri Purohit Swami
Properly controlling all the gates of the body; restraining the mind firmly in the heat; fixing one's own prana in the head; taking refuge in the firmness of Yoga.
Dr. S. Sankaranarayan
Detailed explanation
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
Hindi commentary
।।8.12।। See Commentary under 8.13.
Swami Chinmayananda
।।8.12।। व्याख्या--'सर्वद्वाराणि संयम्य'--(अन्तसमयमें) सम्पूर्ण इन्द्रियोंके द्वारोंका संयम कर ले अर्थात् शब्द, स्पर्श, रूप, रस और गन्ध-- इन पाँचों विषयोंसे श्रोत्र, त्वचा, नेत्र, रसना और नासिका-- इन पाँचों ज्ञानेन्द्रियोंको तथा बोलना, ग्रहण करना, गमन करना, मूत्र-त्याग और मल-त्याग-- इन पाँचों क्रियाओंसे वाणी, हाथ, चरण, उपस्थ और गुदा--इन पाँचों कर्मेन्द्रियोंको सर्वथा हटा ले। इससे इन्द्रियाँ अपने स्थानमें रहेंगी।
Swami Ramsukhdas
Key teachings
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.
Spiritual significance
In Akshara Brahma Yoga (Path of the Eternal God), this verse belongs to the Gita’s teaching on bhakti yoga. Here the text presents that teaching through these words: 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.
Chapter 8, verse 12 is part of Akshara Brahma Yoga. In the English translation used on this page, it says: 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.
What is the spiritual context of this verse?
It appears in Akshara Brahma Yoga, a chapter associated with Bhakti Yoga. The last thought at death.
