Gita : Ch-8. Slo-12 & 13.


 Brindavanam Sri Krishna Temple Mathura


The Prana-Upasana - Kramam ( steps ) is  continued  in  slokam-s 12 & 13.


Srimad Bhagavad-Gita :



Chapter-8. ( Akshara-brahma-yogam )



Slokam- 12. (  The yogic situation is that of detachment from all sensual engagements. Closing all the doors of the senses and fixing the mind on the heart and the life air at the top of the head, one establishes himself in yoga. )



sarvadvaranni   samyamya   mano   hrdi   nirudhya  ca


murdhanyadhayatmanah   pranam   asthito   yogadharannam.





sarvadvaranni   samyamya    =   controlling   all   doors   of   sense-organs;

manah   hrdi   nirudhya   =   keeping   the   mind   in  the  heart;

atmanah   pranam   =   the   pranan  (  life-principle / jiva )  of   one's own   self;

murdhani   adhaya   =   fixing   it   on  the  head;

yogadharannam    asthitah   =   keeping   close  all   the   activities   of   cittam   within  (  in   anthratma   );




Lord Krishna describes the method in brief with details with the word samyamya meaning restrained. Having restrained all the senses by withdrawing them from their respective objects, all the doors of the body such as the eyes, ears, etc., along with the cessation of all worldly considerations, fixing the mind in the heart and directing the life breath to the ajna cakra between the eyebrows one so becomes established in yoga or the science of the individual consciousness attaining communion with the ultimate consciousness.



Lord Krishna uses the words sarva-dvarani samyamya means controlling the passages which enter into the body. This denotes withdrawing the senses from external cognition or restricting the senses from their normal outgoing tendencies. The words hrdi-nirudhya means locking the mind in the heart. It denotes directing devotional feelings from the mind to the atma or soul in the heart and offering them to the aksaram or imperishable Supreme Lord enthroned there. The words yoga-dharanam or performing the science of the individual consciousness attaining communion with the ultimate consciousness in unwavering meditation. This denotes concerted concentration in perfectly meditating upon the Supreme Lord with complete attention.


The proposed means together with its accessories is being stated by in this verse and the next. Lord Krishna uses the word samyamya which means controlling. Withdrawing all the inlets of the organs being eyes, ears, tongue, etc. by non-cognition of external objects and focusing the mind in the heart, dismissing all external conceptions while fixing the life force in the ajna cakra between the eyebrows one should establish themselves and become absorbed in yoga or the science of the individual consciousness attaining communion with the ultimate consciousness.



slokam-13. (  After being situated in this yoga practice and vibrating the sacred syllable om, the supreme combination of letters, if one thinks of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and quits his body, he will certainly reach the spiritual planets.)


13.

omityekaksharam    brahma   vyaharan   mamanusmaran


yah   prayati   tyajan   deham   sa   yati   paramam   gatim




brahma   om   iti   ekaksharam   =   OMkaram   (  pranavaksharam  )   the  word   of   brahmam;

vyaharan   =   proceed   on  chanting;

mam   anusmaran   ca   =   meditate  upon   Me;

yah  deham   tyajan   prayati   =   whose  self / jiva/ atma   leaves   the   body;

sah   paramam   gatim   yati   =   he   attains   the  Supreme   goal/ paramapadham/paramalakshyam.
 


Systematically vibrating the singular syllable OM vibrated as A-U-M. It is the personal sign, symbol and sound of the aksaram or imperishable. OM is the indicator and Lord Krishna is the indicated Who is to be to be profoundly and humbly meditated upon. Whomsoever departs from this life at the moment of death fixing the prana or life force in the crown of their head in the manner so indicated goes to the exalted, eternal spiritual worlds. The words paramam gatim mean the supreme destination from where there is no return granting moksa or liberation and includes atma tattva or realisation of the soul which is in essence comparable to the Supreme Lord and contra distinguished from matter and everything material. More evidence of this will be given later in this chapter in verses 20 and 21. So the method of meditation for those who are atharthi or seekers of fortune and for those who are jijnansur or those aspiring realisation of the soul has been duly given being similar. Next the method of divine meditation suited for the jnani or the aspirant for the Supreme Lord and the nature of their goal will be revealed.


Except through the Brahmanadi which is one of the 100 nerve centers in the crown of the head; if the life force of a jiva or living entity exits the body by any of the other 99 nerve centers it gets diverted and recycled back into samsara the perpetual cycle of birth and death without attaining moksa or liberation. Both the Vedic scriptures Vyasa Yoga and Moksa Dharma are specify that when jivas exits through the eyes they go to the sun, when they exit through the ears or any of the 99 centers they go to the place that corresponds with it but they all remain in the physical manifestation and do not lead to the spiritual plane as does the Brahmanadi.The word hrdi- nirudhya means confined to the heart and denotes meditating on the atma or soul and the Supreme Lord Krishna. The Padma Purana states: Because He attracts He is in the hearts of all jivas and attracts them towards Himself, He is known as Hrdi the heart. When the life force is stationed in the head it is not possible to abide in the heart. The Vyas Yoga states: Wherever the life force abides that is where the jiva and the mind also abide. Thus only the one who has prepared themselves throughout their lives in proper mediation is able.


One who chants the sacred syllable OM which is the personal sound vibration of the Supreme Lord Krishna and which expresses the brahman or the spiritual substratum pervading all existence, constantly meditating on Lord Krishna who is the full absolute aspect of the brahman and who while vacating their physical body at the moment of death departs through the sushanna channel situated in the crown of the head reaches according to qualification and gradation of one's lifetime practice, attains the eternal spiritual plane described in the Vedic scriptures known as the Upanisads.


This slokam-s reveals that one should repeatedly vibrate the sacred syllable OM the personalised sound vibration of the Supreme Lord which is non- different from the brahman or spiritual substratum pervading all existence; both being different aspects of the Supreme, and think of Lord Krishna who is manifest by expressing the vibration of OM. One who departs their life in this way at the moment death attains the eternal, ultimate destination and attains the Supreme Lord who is one without a second.


As the Supreme Lord Krishna is symbolised by the one word OM His personalised transcendental sound vibration, the brahman or spiritual substratum pervading all existence is also known by the one word OM.

To be continued  ...



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