Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 6: The Path of Meditation

Bhagavad Gita 6.12

tatraikāgraṃ manaḥ kṛtvā yatacittendriyakriyaḥ | upaviśyāsane yuñjyādyogamātmaviśuddhaye ||

sitting there on that seat, with the mind brought to a single point and the activity of thought and senses under control, one should practise yoga to purify the self.

Modern context

Once seated, bring the mind to a single point. The phrase is ekagra, literally 'one-tipped', like an arrowhead. A scattered mind is like light spread thin; a gathered mind is like light focused through a lens. The stated purpose is modest and practical: self-purification, a clearing out of the mental clutter we carry. It does not promise visions. It promises that the mind will gradually become clearer and lighter.