BhG 8.12-13

syntax

sarva-dvārāṇi (all gates) saṁyamya (after restraining),
hṛdi ca (and in the heart) manaḥ (the mind) nirudhya (after confining),
mūrdhni (on the head) ātmanaḥ (own) prāṇam (breath) ādhāya (after placing),
yoga-dhāraṇām (yogic concentration) āsthitaḥ (resorted to),
om iti (OM) ekākṣaram (one-syllable) brahma (brahman) vyaharan (pronouncing)
mām (me) anusmaran (remembering)
deham (body) tyajan ([while] abandoning) yaḥ (he who) prayāti (departs),
sa (he) paramām gatim (to the supreme goal) yāti (he goes).

grammar

sarva-dvārāṇi	–	sarva-dvāra 2n.3 n.; sarvāṇi [indriyāṇāṁ] dvārāṇīti – all gates [of the senses] (from: sarva – all, whole; √dvṛ – to obstruct, to cover, dvāra – gate, entrance, passage);
saṁyamya	–	sam-√yam (to restrain) absol. – after restraining;
manaḥ	–	manas 2n.1 n. – the mind (from: √man – to think);
hṛdi	–	hṛt 7n.1 n. – in the heart, in the mind, in the self;
nirudhya	–	ni-√rudh (to obstruct, to stop) absol. – after confining;
ca	–	av. – and;
mūrdhni	–	mūrdhan 7n.1 m. – on the head, on the forehead;
ādhāya	–	ā-√dhā (to put, to place) absol. – after placing;
ātmanaḥ	–	ātman 6n.1 m. – of the self;
prāṇam	–	prāṇa 2n.1 m. – breath, life (from: pra-√an – to breath upwards → √prāṇ – to breath, to live);
āsthitaḥ	–	āsthita (ā-√sthā – to resort, to go towards) PP 1n.1 m. – one who resorted to, who attained;
yoga-dhāraṇām	–	yoga-dhāraṇā 2n.1 f.; TP: yogasya dhāraṇām iti – yogic steadiness (from: √yuj – to yoke, to join, to engage, yoga – yoga, yoking, application, a means, one of the schools of Hindu philosophy; √dhṛ – to hold, dhāraṇā – holding, concentration, steadiness);

*****

om	–	av. – OM, praṇava;
iti	–	av. – thus (used to close the quotation);
ekākṣaram	–	eka-akṣara 2n.1 n. – the one syllable (from: eka – one; √kṣar – to flow, to perish, a-kṣara – imperishable, a syllable);
brahma	–	brahman 2n.1 n. – spirit, the Vedas (from: √bṛh – to increase);
vyāharan	–	vy-ā-harant (vi-ā-√hṛ – to pronounce) PPr 1n.1 m. – [while] pronouncing, uttering the sound;
mām	–	asmat sn. 2n.1 – me;
anusmaran	–	anusmarant (anu-√smṛ – to remember, to remind) PPr 1n.1 m. – [while] remembering;
yaḥ	–	yat sn. 1n.1 m. – he who;
prayāti	–	pra-√yā (to go, to depart) Praes. P 1v.1 – he departs, he dies;
tyajan	–	tyajant (√tyaj – to abandon, to give up) PPr 1n.1 – [while] abandoning;
deham	–	deha 2n.1 m. – body (from: √dih – to anoint, to smear, deha – a form, shape, body);
saḥ	–	tat sn. 1n.1 m. – he;
yāti	–	√yā (to go, to attain) Praes. P 1v.1 – he goes, he attains;
paramām	–	paramā 2n.1 f. – supreme, the highest (superlative of: para – beyond, ancient, final, the best, the supreme);
gatim	–	gati 2n.1 f. – moving, passage, means, refuge, goal (from: √gam – to go);

textual variants

mūrdhny ādhāyātmanaḥ → mūrdhny ādāyātmanaḥ / mūrdhny ādhāya manaḥ / mūrdhny ādhyāyātmanaḥ (on the forehead one’s own [breath] after giving / on the forehead after placing the mind / on the forehead thinking of one’s own [breath]);
prāṇam → prāṇān (breaths);
yoga-dhāraṇām → yoga-dhāraṇam / yoga-dhāraṇāt (yogic holding / from yogic holding);
tyajan dehaṃ sa yāti paramāṃ gatim → sa mad-bhāvaṃ yāṃti nāsty atra saṃśayaḥ (he attains my nature, there is no doubt about it);

Śāṃkara

sa yo ha vai tad bhagavan manuṣyeṣu prāyaṇāntam oṃkāram abhidhyāyīta | katamaṃ vāva sa tena lokaṃ jayatīti | tasmai sa hovāca—etad vai satya-kāma paraṃ cāparaṃ ca brahma yad oṃkāraḥ [pūrvraśnauttaṃ 5.1-2] ity upakramya, yaḥ punar etaṃ trimātreṇa om ity etenaivākṣareṇa paraṃ puruṣam abhidhyāyīta sa sāmabhir unnīyate brahma-lokaṃ [pūrvraśnauttaṃ 5.5] ity ādinā vacanena, anyatra dharmād anyatrādharmād [kṛtaṭhuttaṃ 1.2.14] iti copakramya

sarve vedā yat padam āmananti
tapāṃsi sarvāṇi ca yad vadanti |
yad icchanto brahmacaryaṃ caranti
tat te padaṃ saṃgraheṇa bravīmy om ity etad [kṛtaṭhuttaṃ 1.2.15]

ity ādibhiś ca vacanaiḥ parasya brahmaṇo vācaka-rūpeṇa, pratimāvat pratīka-rūpeṇa vā, para-brahma-pratipatti-sādhanatvena manda-madhyama-buddhīnāṃ vivakṣitasya oṃkārasyopāsanaṃ kālāntare mukti-phalam uktaṃ yat, tad evehāpi kaviṃ purāṇam anuśāsitāraṃ [gītā 8.9] yad akṣaraṃ veda-vido vadanti [gītā 8.11] iti copanyastasya parasya brahmaṇaḥ pūrvokta-rūpeṇa pratipatty-upāya-bhūtasya oṃkārasya kālāntara-mukti-phalam upāsanaṃ yogadhāraṇā-sahitaṃ vaktavyam | prasaktānuprasaktaṃ ca yat kiṃcid ity evam artha uttare grantha ārabhyate—

sarva-dvārāṇi sarvāṇi ca tāni dvārāṇi ca sarva-dvārāṇy upalabdhau, tāni sarvāṇi saṃyasya saṃyamanaṃ kṛtvā mano hṛdi hṛdaya-puṇḍārīke nirūdhya nirodhaṃ kṛtvā niṣpracāram āpādya, tatra vaśīkṛtena manasā hṛdayād ūrdhva-gāminyā nāḍyordhvam ārūhya mūrdhny ādhāya ātmanaḥ prāṇam āsthitaḥ pṛvṛtto yoga-dhāraṇāṃ dhārayitum

tatraiva ca dhārayan—

om iti ekākṣaraṃ brahma brahmaṇo’bhidhāna-bhūtam oṃkāraṃ vyāharan ucārayan, tad-artha-bhūtaṃ mām īśvaram anusmaran anucintayan yaḥ prayāti mriyate, sa tyajan parityajan dehaṃ śarīraṃ—tyajan deham iti prayāṇa-viśeṣaṇārthaṃ deha-tyāgena prayāṇam ātmanaḥ, na svarūpa-nāśenety arthaḥ—sa evaṃ yāti gacchati paramāṃ prakṛṣṭāṃ gatim

Rāmānuja

sarvāṇi śrotrādīnīndriyāṇi jñānadvārabhūtāni saṃyamya svavyāpārebhyo vinivartya, hṛdayakamalaniviṣṭe mayy akṣare mano nirudhya, yogākhyāṃ dhāraṇām āsthitaḥ mayy eva niścalāṃ sthitim āsthitaḥ, om ity ekākṣaraṃ brahma madvācakaṃ vyāharan, vācyaṃ mām anusmaran, ātmanaḥ prāṇaṃ mūrdhny ādhāya dehaṃ tyajan yaḥ prayāti sa yāti paramāṃ gatiṃ prakṛtiviyuktaṃ matsamānākāram apunarāvṛttim ātmānaṃ prāpnotītyarthaḥ / „yaḥ sa sarveṣu bhūteṣu naśyatsu na vinaśyati // avyakto ‚kṣara ity uktas tam āhuḥ paramāṃ gatim // BhGR_1.” ity anantaram eva vakṣyate

Śrīdhara

pratijñātam upāyaṃ sāṅgam āha dvābhyāṃ sarveti | sarvāṇi indriya-dvārāṇi saṃyamya pratyāhṛtya | cakṣur-ādibhiḥ bāhya-viṣaya-grahaṇaṃ akurvan ity arthaḥ | manaś ca hṛdi nirudhya | bāhya-viṣaya-smaraṇam akurvan ity arthaḥ | mūrdhni bhruvor madhye prāṇam ādhāya yogasya dhāraṇāṃ sthairyam āsthitaḥ āśritavān san |

om iti | om ity ekaṃ yad akṣaraṃ tad eva brahma-vācakatvād vā pratimādivad brahma-pratīkatvād vā brahma | tad-vyāharan uccārayaṃs tad-vācyaṃ ca mām anusmarann eva dehaṃ tyajan yaḥ prakarṣeṇa yāti arcirādi-mārgeṇa sa paramāṃ śreṣṭhāṃ gatiṃ mad-gatiṃ yāti prāpnoti

Madhusūdana

tatra pravakṣya iti pratijñātam arthaṃ sopakaraṇam āhaa dvābhyām sarva-dvārāṇīti | sarvāṇīndriya-dvārāṇi saṃyamya sva-sva-viṣayebhyaḥ pratyāhṛtya viṣaya-doṣa-darśanābhyāsāt tad-vimukhatām āpāditaiḥ śrotrādibhiḥ śabdādi-viṣaya-grahaṇam akurvan | bāheyndriya-nirodhe ‚pi manasaḥ pracāraḥ syād ity ata āha mano hṛdi nirudhya ca, abhyāsa-vairāgyābhyāṃ ṣaṣṭhe vyākhyātābhyāṃ hṛdaya-deśe mano nirudhya nirvṛttikatām āpādya ca, antar api viṣaya-cintām akurvann ity arthaḥ | evaṃ bahir antar upalabdhi-dvārāṇi sarvāṇi saṃnirudhya kriyā-dvāraṃ prāṇam api sarvato nigṛhya bhūmi-jaya-krameṇa mūrdhny ādhāya bhruvor madhye tad-upari ca gurūpadiṣṭa-mārgeṇāveśyātmano yoga-dhāraṇām ātma-viṣaya-samādhi-rūpāṃ dhāraṇām āsthitaḥ | ātmana iti devatā-divya-vṛtty-artham |

om ity ekam akṣaraṃ brahma-vācakatvāt pratimā-baddha-brahma-pratīkatvād vā brahma vyāharann uccaran | om iti vyāharann ity etāvataiva nirvāha ekākṣaram ity anāyāsa-kathanena stuty-artham | om iti vyāharann ekākṣaram ekam advitīyam akṣaram avināśi sarva-vyāpakaṃ brahma mām om ity asyārthaṃ smarann iti vā | tena praṇavaṃ japaṃs tad-abhidheya-bhūtaṃ ca māṃ cintayan mūrdhanyayā nāḍyā dehaṃ tyajanyaḥ prayāti sa yāti deva-yāna-mārgeṇa brahma-lokaṃ gatvā tad-bhogānte paramāṃ prakṛṣṭāṃ gatiṃ mad-rūpām |

atra patañjalinā tīvra-saṃvegānām āsannaḥ (Ys 1.21) samādhi-lābhaḥ ity uktvā īśvara-praṇidhānād vā (1.23) ity uktam | praṇidhānaṃ ca vyākhyātaṃ tasya vācakaḥ praṇavaḥ (1.27), taj-japas tad-artha-bhāvanam (1.28) iti | samādhi-siddhir īśvara-praṇidhānāt (2.45) iti ca | iha tu sākṣād eva tataḥ parama-gati-lābha ity uktam | tasmād avirodhayom ity ekākṣaraṃ brahma vyāharan mām anusmarann ātmano yoga-dhāraṇām āsthita iti vyākhyeyam | vicitra-phalatvopapatter vā na nirodhyaḥ

Viśvanātha

uktam arthaṃ vadan yoge prakāram āha sarvāṇi cakṣur-ādīndriya-dvārāṇi saṃyamya bāhya-viṣayebhyaḥ pratyāhṛtya manaś ca hṛdy eva nirudhya viṣayāntareṣv asaṅkalpya mūrdhni bhruvor madhye eva prāṇam ādhāya yoga-dhāraṇām ānakha-śikha-man-mūrti-bhāvanām āśritaḥ san om ity ekākṣaraṃ brahma-svarūpaṃ vyāharan uccārayan tad-vācyaṃ mām anusmarann anudhyāyan paramāṃ gatiṃ mat-sālokyam

Baladeva

yoga-prakāram āha sarveti | sarvāṇi bahir jñāna-dvārāṇi śrotrādīni saṃyamya śabdādibhyo viṣayebhyaḥ pratyāhṛtya doṣa-darśanābhyāsena tad-vimukhais tais tān gṛhṇan śrotrādi-saṃyame ‚pi manaḥ pracared ity ata āha hṛdi sthite mayi antar-jñāna-dvāraṃ mano nirudhya niveśya manasāpi tān smaran | atha kriyā-dvāraṃ prāṇaṃ ca mūrdhnādhāyādau hṛt-padme vaśīkṛtya tasmād ūrdhva-gatayā suṣumṇayā gurūpadiṣṭa-vartmanā bhūmi-jaya-krameṇa bhruvor madhye tad-upari brahma-randhre ca saṃsthāpya ātmano mama yoga-dhāraṇām āāda-śikhaṃ mad-bhāvanam āsthitaḥ kurvan |

om iti vācakaṃ brahma tatra vyāharan antar uccārayan tat stauti ekākṣaram iti ekaṃ pradhānaṃ ca tad-akṣaram avināśi ceti tathā tad vācyaṃ māṃ parmātmānam anusmaran dhyāyan yo dehaṃ tyajan prayāti sa paramāṃ gatiṃ mat-sālokyatāṃ yāti