सर्वद्वाराणि संयम्य मनो हृदि निरुध्य च | मूध्न्यार्धायात्मनः प्राणमास्थितो योगधारणाम् ||८-१२||
sarvadvārāṇi saṃyamya mano hṛdi nirudhya ca . mūdhnyā^^rdhāyātmanaḥ prāṇamāsthito yogadhāraṇām ||8-12||
Chapter 8 · Verse 12
Akshara Brahma Yoga
अक्षरब्रह्मयोग
In plain words
The gates are the senses of knowledge. Closing the gates means control of all senses by the practice of Pratyahara or withdrawal of the consciousness from them. Even if the senses are controlled the mind will be dwelling on the sensual objects.
Translation
8.12 Having controlled all the passages, having confined the mind in the heart, and having fixed his own vital force in the head, (and then) continuing in the firmness in yoga; 8.12 Having closed all the gates, confined the mind in the heart and fixed the life-breath in the head, engaged in the practice of concentration. 8.12 Samyamya, having controlled; sarva-dvarani, all the passages, the doors of perception; niruddhya, having confined; the manah, mind; hrdi, in the heart-not allowing it to spread out; and after that, with the help of the mind controlled therein, rising up through the nerve running upward from the heart, adhaya, having fixed; atmanah, his own; pranam, vital force; murdhni, in the lead; (and then) asthitah, continuing in; yogadharanam, the firmness in yoga-in order to make it steady-. And while fixing it there itself,
Meaning
The gates are the senses of knowledge. Closing the gates means control of all senses by the practice of Pratyahara or withdrawal of the consciousness from them. Even if the senses are controlled the mind will be dwelling on the sensual objects. Therefore the mind is confined or fixed in the lotus of the heart and thery all the thoughts or mental modifications are also controlled. The whole lifreath is now taken up and fixed at the crown of the head (Brahmarandhra or the hole of Brahman).
Word by word
सर्वद्वाराणि all gates संयम्य having controlled मनः mind हृदि in the heart निरुध्य having confined ट and मूर्ध्नि in the head आधाय having placed आत्मनः of the self प्राणम् breath आस्थितः established (in) योगधारणाम् practice of concentration.