One-pointedness purifies the self.
Krishna speaks to Arjuna
तत्रैकाग्रं मनः कृत्वा यतचित्तेन्द्रियक्रियः |उपविश्यासने युञ्ज्याद्योगमात्मविशुद्धये ||६-१२||
tatraikāgraṃ manaḥ kṛtvā yatacittendriyakriyaḥ . upaviśyāsane yuñjyādyogamātmaviśuddhaye ||6-12||
Use this verse before focused meditation.
Meaning
Sitting there on the seat, making the mind one-pointed and controlling mind and senses, one should practice yoga for self-purification.
Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).
In plain words
Meditation purifies when mind and senses are gathered.
Word-by-word meaning
Tap a word to see its meaning.
Explanation
Krishna clarifies that meditation is for self-purification, not performance. The practice gathers scattered attention and cleans inner restlessness.
Read the traditional commentary
With the seat prepared, Krishna turns to the inner posture. The mind is to be made ekagra — one-pointed, gathered from its scattered wandering into a single focus. The restless activities of chitta (the thinking mind) and the indriyas (the senses) are reined in, no longer leaking attention outward toward a hundred objects.
The purpose given is precise and clarifying: atma-vishuddhaye — for the purification of the self. Meditation here is not pursued for powers, visions, or even bliss as a prize, but to cleanse the mind of its accumulated impurities — the cravings, agitations, and false identifications that cloud the inner light.
A one-pointed mind acts like a polishing of the inner mirror. As the dust of distraction settles, the Self begins to shine through of its own accord. The aim is purity, and from purity, clear seeing follows.
In daily life
Sit daily with one clear focus.
A person may repeat one mantra or observe breath for five minutes.
Try this today
Meditate for five minutes on breath or mantra.
My mind gathers and my heart purifies.Reflect
What focus can gather my mind today?
Private — only you can see this
Quick check
What does ‘एकाग्रम् मनः कृत्वा’ mean in this verse?
Krishna on concentration, in other chapters
- Verse 5.27Withdraw the senses, steady your gaze, and balance the breath — these simple disciplines quiet the mind for inner realization.
- Verse 8.12Gather your scattered attention inward by quieting the senses and settling the mind in the heart, the daily heart of meditation.
- Verse 12.9If the mind will not settle on God, train it through patient, repeated practice.
- Verse 4.30Every sincere act of self-offering, in whatever form, purifies the heart — the path matters less than the spirit of sacrifice.
Swipe left for 6.13 · Stable posture supports stable awareness.
Questions about Bhagavad Gita 6.12
Who says Bhagavad Gita 6.12, and to whom?
Krishna speaks to Arjuna in verse 6.12, in Chapter 6, Dhyana Yoga (Dhyana Yoga).
What does Bhagavad Gita 6.12 mean?
Sitting there on the seat, making the mind one-pointed and controlling mind and senses, one should practice yoga for self-purification. (Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).)
What is the lesson of Bhagavad Gita 6.12 for daily life?
Sit daily with one clear focus. A person may repeat one mantra or observe breath for five minutes.
What do the Sanskrit words in Bhagavad Gita 6.12 mean?
तत्र — there (on that seat); एकाग्रम् मनः कृत्वा — having made the mind one-pointed; यतचित्तेन्द्रियक्रियः — with the activities of mind and senses controlled; उपविश्य आसने — seated on the seat; युञ्ज्यात् योगम् — let him practise yoga.
Where does verse 6.12 come in the Bhagavad Gita?
It is verse 12 of 47 in Chapter 6, Dhyana Yoga. The next verse is 6.13.