Verse-12
Chapter 6 — Atma Sanyam Yoga
Verse 12
🕉 Original Sanskrit Shloka
tatraikāgram manaḥ kṛtvā yatacittendriyakriyaḥ
upaviśyāsane yuñjyād yogamātmaviśuddhaye
🕉 English Translation
Us aasan pe hi baithkar yogi vo,
Kare vash mai chitt aur sabhi angon ko.
Nirmal ho antehkaran isliye,
Abhyas veh yog ka ab kare.
📜 Translation
English
Sitting on that seat and keeping under restraint the workings of the mental consciousness and the senses, with a concentrated mind, one should practise yoga for self-purification.
See the profundity of the inspirations from the Gita. Mere establishing of a seat is not sufficient for meditation. Mere purity of the outer place is also not enough. Sitting on that seat, bring the workings of the senses and the inner-self under control. If the inner state is restless and the senses are not stable then how can one meditate! Neither should there be any body movement nor any mental disturbance! 'Aikagram manah krtva'-the significant fact is that even if the body is stable, is that a state of meditation? Is this what is called meditation? No. Meditation is the inner state. The Mind should be concentrated, the agitation, restlessness and ups and downs of the mind should be put at rest. The mind should withdraw from the thoughts of here, there and everywhere, should abstain from wandering here and there, should stop thinking of resolutions and alternatives, thoughts and deficiencies and should become self-absorbed on its own, and become calm and stable.
While sitting for meditation this fact should be specially kept in mind. For this reason, it is essential to engage in practice time and again. The aim of practising should also be right, lest meditation should be like that of a heron. The heron concentrates on the waterside but with what aim. The vision is fixed on the fish! if Externally, the eyes are closed but internally they are wandering in worldly indulgences; the inner-self will become more and more impure and dirty. Yogamatmavisuddhaye'-the practice of yoga should be with the target of purification of the inner-self.
The pure inner-self would only be able to achieve further goals. Purification-concentration-meditation and then realization-these are the four steps of this practice. Come let us move along with the inspirations from the Gita, keeping the goal, pure and auspicious, knowing the essence and its true nature. Advance towards these steps firmly! Have faith that success is sure!
But here there is still a need for a little more external caution.