Gita : Ch-6. Slo-11 & 12.

Srimad Bhagavad-Gita :


Chapter : 6. ( Dyana-yogam )


Slokam-s : 11 & 12.





Slokam-11. ( Place, seat etc for the meditation practice  is explained in detail here. )




sucau   dese    pratishthapya   sthiramasanamatmanah,



natyucchritam    natinicam    cailajinakusottaram.



sucau    dese   =   in    clean    place;

na    atyucchritam   =   not   too   high;

na   atinicam   =   and   not    too    low;

cailajinakusottaram   =   below    kusa grass   and   on   that   soft   cloth , laying   this seat,    ( and    deerskin-not essential );

atmanah   =   for   Self;

sthiram    asanam    pratishthapya   =   sitting    on   this   firm   seat;




Slokam-12. ( Thus   arranged,  and   occupied    the   seat   what    you   do   next ?)

   


tatraikagram    manah    krtva    yatacittendriyakriyah,



upavisyasane     yunjyad    yogamatmavisuddhaye.



tatra    asane    upavisyah   =    sitting   on   that   seat;

yatacittendriyakriyah   =   controlling   all   senses   and   their   transactions;

manah    ekagram    krtva   =   keeping    the   mind    well    concentrated;

atmavisuddhaye   =   for   the   purification   of    Self  /  Atma;

yogam     yunjyad   =   practice  yogam    the   meditation.



Lord Krishna begins with the words sucau dese means pure or sanctified place. Purity is to be found in nature due to its being unoccupied and unfrequented by unclean and contaminated persons. The word sthiram means firm infers the asana or seat should not be overly soft neither should it be so high that one may fall from it nor too low as in a hole. One should by all means have a mat of kusa grass which is sacred in Vishnu tattva and then should be covered by a deerskin which deters poisonous pests like snakes and scorpions from approaching one while in concentrated meditation. On top should be placed a wool or cotton cloth. Such a seat should be aesthetic to look at and inviting. Sitting upon such a seat one should one should withdraw the senses and freeing the mind from all external distractions one should focus the mind exclusively upon the atma or soul within until upon its realisation one is freed from samsara or the endless cycle of birth and death. By every means realise the atma.



The rule regarding the sitting place for meditation is being given by Lord Krishna. The word sucau means clean and sanctified and that is the conditions to begin. The reason why a deer skin or tiger skin or other skins are used is because when one sits upon them poisonous creatures such as scorpions and snakes do not like to wander upon such skins and thus will not bite when one is in meditative trance performing yoga or the science of the individual consciousness attaining communion with the ultimate consciousness.



The appropriate place to sit is given here by Lord Krishna beginning with the word sucau dese pratisthapya meaning established in a clean and sanctified place and ending with yogam atma-visuddhaye meaning one should purify their mind in meditation by practicing yoga or the science of the individual consciousness attaining communion with the ultimate consciousness.



If one has not yet developed equanimity of mind then one should undertake the practice of meditation given previously and gradually achieve such equanimity.


To be continued  ....,