Bhagavad Gita Chapter 6, Verse 13

Chapter 6 – Dhyana Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

समं कायशिरोग्रीवं धारयन्नचलं स्थिरः ।
सम्प्रेक्ष्य नासिकाग्रं स्वं दिशश्चानवलोकयन् ॥

Transliteration

samaṃ kāyaśirogrīvaṃ dhārayannacalaṃ sthiraḥ .
samprekṣya nāsikāgraṃ svaṃ diśaścānavalokayan ॥

Meaning

Holding the body, head and neck erect, aligned and still, remaining steady, gazing as it were at the tip of his own nose, and not looking around in any direction —

Word meanings

समम् – erect, in one line
कायशिरोग्रीवम् – body, head and neck
धारयन् – holding
अचलम् – motionless
स्थिरः – steady
सम्प्रेक्ष्य – gazing, fixing the sight
नासिकाग्रम् – the tip of the nose
स्वम् – one's own
दिशः – the directions
च – and
अनवलोकयन् – not looking at

Anvaya (word order)

कायशिरोग्रीवं समम् अचलं धारयन् स्थिरः (सन्) स्वं नासिकाग्रं सम्प्रेक्ष्य दिशः च अनवलोकयन् —

Explanation

Krishna now gives precise instructions for the physical posture of meditation. The first is that the trunk, head and neck be held in a single straight line. A slumped back restricts the breath and invites sluggishness and sleep; an over-stiff back causes strain. An upright yet relaxed spine is the basis of alertness. In the yoga tradition it is held that an erect spine allows the vital energy to flow freely and keeps the mind awake.

The second instruction is achalam sthirah — the body should be still. Constant shifting, scratching and changing of legs makes the mind restless too. This seems hard at first, but with practice the body learns to remain quiet like a statue for a while, and then the mind too begins to grow quiet.

The third instruction concerns the gaze — samprekshya nasikagram svam. Shankara clarifies that this does not mean staring at the tip of the nose; the sense of 'as if' must be understood. The eyes are half-closed and the gaze rests downward, as though upon the tip of the nose. This keeps the eyes from wandering while avoiding the drowsiness that fully closed eyes may bring. The point is the inward turning of attention, not the nose itself.

The fourth instruction — dishash chanavalokayan — is not to look about in various directions. The restlessness of the eyes mirrors the restlessness of the mind; when the eyes are steady, the mind begins to settle. In this way right posture prepares the ground for the right state of mind.

Context

Verse 6.12 spoke of sitting and concentrating the mind; this verse describes posture and gaze. The next verse (6.14) completes the same sentence by describing the inner state — serenity, fearlessness, celibacy, and the mind fixed on the Lord.

Life lesson

When you sit for meditation or prayer, keep the spine upright, the body still and the eyes calm. Steadying the body is the first step to steadying the mind. Even in daily work, good posture sustains alertness and energy.

Key terms

Kaya-shiro-griva: trunk, head and neck
Nasikagra: tip of the nose; here a hint of the half-closed, lowered gaze
Anavalokayan: not looking around