Srimad Bhagavad Gita -Ramanujacharya 263

Srimad Bhagavad Gita -Ramanujacharya

Chapter-8 Tāraka Brahma Yogaḥ

sarva-dvārāṇi saṃyamya mano hṛdi nirudhya ca | mūrdhny-ādhāyātmanaḥ prāṇam-āsthito yoga-dhāraṇam || 12 || 12. Having restrained all the gates [of the senses], focusing the mind within the heart, fixing the vital force within the head, engaged in the practice of steady concentration; om-ity-ekākṣaraṃ brahma vyāharan mām-anusmaran | yaḥ prayāti tyajan-dehaṃ sa yāti paramāṃ gatim || 13 || 13. uttering the sacred syllable ‘Om’ which denotes the Absolute (Brahman), thinking of Me constantly — one who abandons the body and departs thus, reaches the supreme goal. Commentary One should subdue all the senses which constitute the doorways for sense impressions, in other words, withdrawing them from their natural functions and focusing the mind on Krishna, the imperishable One seated within the lotus of the heart; practising steady concentration of mind (Dhārana). Uttering the sacred syllable AUM and fixing the vital force (prāṇa) within the [crown of the] head (sahasrāra cakra) — whosoever abandons the body and departs in this way reaches the highest state. One attains the pure state of the Self liberated from Material Nature, which is of a similar state to Krishna’s own (sārūpya). From that state there is no return — such is the meaning. Later on Sri Krishna will clarify this point:— “They describe that as the highest goal of the ātman, which is not destroyed when all things are destroyed, which is unmanifest and imperishable.” . Thus, the method of contemplation on the Lord by the aspirants after sovereignty (aiśvarya) and Self-realisation (kaivalya) have been taught according to their respective goals. Now, Sri Krishna teaches the way of meditation by the Jñanin.