Verses 6.13-14

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verses 6.13-14:

समं काय-शिरो-ग्रीवं धारयन्न् अचलं स्थिरः ।
सम्प्रेक्ष्य नासिकाग्रं स्वं दिशश् चानवलोकयन् ॥ १३ ॥
प्रशान्तात्मा विगत-भीर् ब्रह्मचारि-व्रते स्थितः ।
मनः संयम्य मच्-चित्तो युक्त आसीत मत्-परः ॥ १४ ॥

samaṃ kāya-śiro-grīvaṃ dhārayann acalaṃ sthiraḥ |
samprekṣya nāsikāgraṃ svaṃ diśaś cānavalokayan || 13 ||
praśāntātmā vigata-bhīr brahmacāri-vrate sthitaḥ |
manaḥ saṃyamya mac-citto yukta āsīta mat-paraḥ || 14 ||

samam–straight; kāya–his body; śiraḥ–head; grīvam–and neck; dhārayan–holding; acalam–unmoving; sthiraḥ–steadfast; samprekṣya–gazing;nāsika-agram svam–at the tip of his nose; diśaḥ–in the directions; ca–and; anavalokayan–not glancing; praśānta-ātmā–filled with peace; vigata-bhīḥ–free from fear; brahmacāri-vrate–in a vow of celibacy; sthitaḥ–fixed; manaḥ–the mind; saṃyamya–controlling; mat-cittaḥ–thinking of Me; yuktaḥ–engaged in; āsīta–should sit; mat-paraḥ–engrossed in Me.

Keeping one’s body, neck and head erect and steady, one should fix one’s vision solely on the tip of the nose, not looking elsewhere. Thus, observing strict celibacy, being fearless and peaceful, and controlling the mind, one should practise yoga by meditating on Me, with one-pointed attention, remaining always devoted to Me.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

(By Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura; the innermost intention of the commentary named ‘the shower of essential meanings’)

The middle part of the body is called kāya, the torso. Samam means ‘not crooked’, or in other words, ‘straight’, and acalam means ‘not moving’, or ‘steady’. “Keeping the torso straight and steady and restraining the mind from sense objects, one should become dedicated to My bhakti, while meditating on My beautiful four-handed Viṣṇu form.”

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Prakāśikā-vṛtti

(By Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja; the explanation that illuminates the commentary named Sārārtha-varṣiṇī)

If the sitting posture is firm and comfortable, it helps in one’s spiritual practice. There are sixty-four types of postures such as svastika, mayūra, garuḍa and padma. Patañjali has also said, “sthira-sukham āsanam–the position, or asana, should be firm and comfortable.” In Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad (2.8) the process of āsana has been explained: “Keeping the torso, head and neck in a straight line and controlling all the senses, one should practise yoga by absorbing one’s mind in meditating on the Supreme Spirit situated in the heart. Such learned sādhakas cross over the terrible ocean of lust and anger in the material world by the boat of Absolute Transcendence, brahma.”

One may doubt the need to adopt an āsana (posture) for the gross body while remembering Bhagavān within the mind. In this regard, Vedānta-sūtra (4.1.7) says, “āsīnaḥ sambhavāt–one should remember Śrī Hari while sitting in a firm posture, or āsana.” Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa explains in his commentary on the Vedānta-sūtra named Govinda-bhāṣya, “It is not possible to concentrate the citta (thoughts) without a proper posture, or āsana. One’s thoughts are distracted while walking, moving, standing and sleeping, making it impossible to make the heart one-pointed.”

This is also cited in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from 3.28.8 (śucau deśe pratiṣṭhāpya) to 3.28.36 (hetutvam apy asati), and also 11.14.32 (sama āsana āsīnaḥ). These verses are a great aid in helping one understand this topic in more detail.

Also, in the scriptures that delineate the process of yoga, it is said “antar-lakṣyo’bahir-dṛṣtiḥ sthira-cittaḥ susaṅgataḥ–one’s outer perception should be directed within, and one’s mind should be stable due to auspicious association.”