THE HOLY GITA, CHAPTER NUMBER 06, DHYANA YOGA OR THE YOGA OF MEDITATION, VERSE NUMBER 11

THE HOLY GITA

CHAPTER NUMBER 06

DHYANA YOGA OR THE YOGA OF MEDITATION:

VERSE NUMBER 11

Text in Transliteration:

sucau dese pratishthaapya shiram aasanam aatmanah

Naa ‘tyucchritam naa ‘ tintcam chailaajinakusottaram

Text in English:

Having firmly fixed in a clean place, his seat, neither too high nor too low, and having spread over it the kusa-grass, a deer skin and a cloth, one over the other;

COMMENTARY BY SWAMI SIDBHAVANANDA:

There is a close relationship between the environment and the cast of the mine of the person placed therein. Living in a dirty hovel naturally leads the sweller to baseness and depression of mind. Living in a clean place of natural beaty invigorates and elevates the mind.

Seats like a lounge, a swing or a hammock are no good for meditation. a heap of grass or pebbles a pile of logs—things such as these are also to be avoided. A rock or a platform constructed about two feet above the grounds is quite suitable for for this purpose. One would feel dizzy if the pedestal be too high. A seat on the ground would provide no protection against creeping insects. The provision on the platform of a sacred kusa grass mat, a deer skin and a cloth, one over the other would make an ideal seat for meditation.

COMMENTARY BY SWAMI SIVANANDA:

IN THIS VERSE THE Lord prescribed the external seat for practising meditaion. Details of the pose are given verse 13.

Spread the kusa-grass on the ground first. Over this spread a tiger-skin or deer-skin; over this spread a white cloth.

Sit on a naturally clean spot, such as the bank of a river. Or make the place clean, wherever you want to practise meditation.