Bhagavad Gita BG 6.12
Chapter 6, Verse 12 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
तत्रैकाग्रं मनः कृत्वा यतचित्तेन्द्रियक्रियः । उपविश्यासने युञ्ज्याद् योगमात्मविशुद्धये ॥
tatrai kagram manah krtva yata-cittendriya-kriyah upavishyasane yunjyad yogam atma-visuddhaye
Meaning
There, seated on that seat, having made the mind one-pointed, with the activities of mind and senses controlled — let one practice yoga for the purification of the self.
Understanding
The instruction: upavishya asane (having sat on the seat), krtva ekagram manah (having made the mind ekagra — single-pointed, one-pointed, not scattered). Yata-citta-indriya-kriyah (with the activities of mind AND senses controlled — both need to be reined). The purpose stated explicitly: atma-visuddhaye — for the purification of the self. Yoga is not just relaxation or concentration — it is the purification of the inner instrument so it can reflect the Self.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| एकाग्रम् | ekagram | one-pointed, single-focused (eka = one, agra = tip/point) |
| यतचित्तेन्द्रियक्रियः | yata-cittendriya-kriyah | with activities of mind and senses controlled |
| उपविश्य | upavishya | having sat, having seated oneself |
| आत्मविशुद्धये | atma-visuddhaye | for the purification of the self |
| तत्र | tatra | there / on that seat |
| मनः | manaḥ | the mind |
| कृत्वा | kṛtvā | having made / making (the mind one-pointed) |
| आसने | āsane | on the seat / seated |
| युञ्ज्यात् | yuñjyāt | should practice / should engage in |
| योगम् | yogam | yoga / meditation |