Bhagavad Gita Chapter 6, Verse 11

Chapter 6 – Dhyana Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

शुचौ देशे प्रतिष्ठाप्य स्थिरमासनमात्मनः ।
नात्युच्छ्रितं नातिनीचं चैलाजिनकुशोत्तरम् ॥

Transliteration

śucau deśe pratiṣṭhāpya sthiramāsanamātmanaḥ .
nātyucchritaṃ nātinīcaṃ cailājinakuśottaram ॥

Meaning

Having established in a clean place a firm seat for himself, neither too high nor too low, covered with kusha grass, a deerskin and a cloth, one over the other —

Word meanings

शुचौ – in a clean, pure
देशे – place
प्रतिष्ठाप्य – having established
स्थिरम् – firm, steady
आसनम् – seat
आत्मनः – his own
न – not
अति उच्छ्रितम् – too high
अति नीचम् – too low
च – and
चैलाजिनकुशोत्तरम् – covered with kusha grass, deerskin and cloth in layers

Anvaya (word order)

शुचौ देशे न अति उच्छ्रितं न अति नीचं चैलाजिनकुशोत्तरम् आत्मनः स्थिरम् आसनं प्रतिष्ठाप्य —

Explanation

Having given the conditions of solitude and inner readiness, Krishna now speaks of the place and the seat. This verse forms one sentence with the next: 'having established such a seat... sitting on it, let him practise yoga.'

First, the place should be clean — shuchau deshe. Outer cleanliness deeply affects the mind. A dirty, cluttered or foul-smelling place makes the mind uneasy, while a clean, quiet and sacred atmosphere draws it naturally inward. The commentators include in shuchi both natural sanctity, such as a riverbank or temple, and purity created by careful cleaning.

Second, the seat should be firm — sthiram. A wobbling seat unsettles the body, and an unsettled body unsettles the mind. Third, it should be neither too high nor too low. A seat that is too high brings discomfort and the fear of falling; one that is too low exposes the meditator to the damp, cold and insects of the ground.

Fourth, it is to be layered with kusha grass, then a deerskin, then a cloth on top. In ancient times kusha was considered pure and kept out the moisture of the earth, the skin gave warmth, and the cloth softness. Today the spirit of this instruction may be taken to mean that the seat should be clean, comfortable, insulated, and dedicated to meditation alone. The purpose of all this comfort is simply that the body should not become an obstacle to meditation.

Context

Verse 6.10 gave the conditions of solitude and inner preparation. This verse describes the place and seat, and flows into the next (6.12), which speaks of sitting on that seat and concentrating the mind.

Life lesson

Set aside a small, clean corner of your home for meditation or prayer, and use it only for that. A steady, comfortable seat and a tidy atmosphere help the mind settle by itself.

Key terms

Shuchi desha: a clean, pure place
Asana: the seat for meditation
Kusha: a sacred grass
Ajina: deerskin
Chaila: cloth