8.12-13 sarvadhvArANi samyamya

SrI:  SrImathE SatakOpAya nama:  SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama:  SrImath varavaramunayE nama:

Chapter 8

<< Chapter 8 verses 11

SlOkam – Original

sarvadhvArANi samyamya manO hrudhi nirudhya cha |
mUrdhnyAdhAyAthmana: prANam AsthithO yogadhAraNAm ||

Om ithyEkAksharam brahma vyAharan mAm anusmaran |
ya: prayAthi thyajan dhEham sa yAthi paramAm gathim ||

word-by-word meaning

sarva dhvArANi – all sense organs which are entrances (to emit knowledge)
samyamya – restraining them (to stop engaging in their activities)
mana: – mind
hrudhi – in me who is the akshara purusha in the heart
nirudhya – engaging
yOga dhAraNAm – the state of fixed concentration
Asthitha: – having attained
brahma – the word which indicates me, the brahmam
Om ithi EkAksharam – praNavam, the main syllable
vyAharan – reciting
mAm – me (who is the meaning of that syllable)
anusmaran – meditating upon
Athmana: – his
prANam – vital air
mUrdhni – in (his) head
AdhAya – making it enter (through the sushumnA nerve)
dhEham – body
thyajan ya: – one who gives up
sa: – he
paramAm – return-less (no need to return to samsAram (material realm))
gathim – destination of self-realisation which is free from worldly matter
yAthi – attains

Simple Translation

Restraining all sense organs which are entrances (to emit knowledge), engaging the mind in me who is the akshara purusha in the heart, having attained the state of fixed concentration, reciting praNavam, the main syllable which indicates me, the brahmam, meditating upon me (who is the meaning of that syllable), making his vital air enter (through the sushumnA nerve) in his head, if one gives up his body, he attains return-less (no need to return to samsAram (material realm)) destination of self-realisation which is free from worldly matter.

Rendering based on ALkoNdavilli gOvindhAchArya swAmy’s English translation of gIthA bhAshyam

‘Stopping up all passages, locking the mind in the heart, forcing the prāṇa into the head, and thus establishing oneself in collected concentration (yoga-dhāraṇa), and methodically repeating the one-syllabled OM, —the Brahm—, whoso, thus, casts away his body, intent on Me, goes to the Supreme State.’

Stopping up passages, means: the repressing the sense-functions through the channels of the ear etc., in other words, abstracting the senses from their normal outgoing tendencies.

Locking the mind in the heart, means: directing the thoughts (loving thoughts) towards Me, the Akshara, enthroned in the lotus-heart.

Established in yoga-dhāraṇa, or collected concentration, means: perfect concentration of all attention on Me.

Methodically repeating the one-syllabled OM. OM or AUM is the sign, symbol or appellation of the Indestructible —(Akshara). OM being the sign, the indicator, I am the Indicated, Who is to be profoundly meditated upon.

Whoso, holding up the prāṇa (life-breath) in the head, departs from the body, in the manner indicated, goes to the Exalted State.

Paramām gatim (the Exalted State) is the ātma itself, as in essence contra-distinguished from matter, and comparable with My state, from which there is no return.

It is this state (of self-realization) that is discoursed on in verses:—

‘He, who, when all beings perish, does not perish’ (Bh: Gī: VIII-20).

‘It was described as Avyakta, Akshara; this, they say, is the Exalted State’ (Bh: Gī: VIII-21)

The modes of Divine Meditation suited to those who are fortune-seekers (aiśvary-ārthinaḥ), and to those who aspire after their self or soul (kaivaly-ārthinaḥ) have thus been declared. The mode of Divine Meditation suited to the jñāni or the God-aspirer, and the nature of his Goal are now declared:—

>> Chapter 8 verse 14

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