शुचौ देशे प्रतिष्ठाप्य स्थिरमासनमात्मन: |
नात्युच्छ्रितं नातिनीचं चैलाजिनकुशोत्तरम् || 11||
तत्रैकाग्रं मन: कृत्वा यतचित्तेन्द्रियक्रिय: |
उपविश्यासने युञ्ज्याद्योगमात्मविशुद्धये || 12||
śhuchau deśhe pratiṣhṭhāpya sthiram āsanam ātmanaḥ
nātyuchchhritaṁ nāti-nīchaṁ chailājina-kuśhottaram
tatraikāgraṁ manaḥ kṛitvā yata-chittendriya-kriyaḥ
upaviśhyāsane yuñjyād yogam ātma-viśhuddhaye
śhuchau—in a clean; deśhe—place; pratiṣhṭhāpya—having established; sthiram—steadfast; āsanam—seat; ātmanaḥ—his own; na—not; ati—too; uchchhritam—high; na—not; ati—too; nīcham—low; chaila—cloth; ajina—a deerskin; kuśha—kuśh grass; uttaram—one over the other; tatra—there; eka-agram—one-pointed; manaḥ—mind; kṛitvā—having made; yata-chitta—controlling the mind; indriya—senses; kriyaḥ—activities; upaviśhya—being seated; āsane—on the seat; yuñjyāt yogam—should strive to practice yog; ātma viśhuddhaye—for purification of the mind;
Translation:
In a clean spot, a firm seat should be made, neither too high nor too low, and it should be covered by cloth, skin, and holy grass one over the other.
There, being seated, having made the mind one-pointed, controlling the actions of the mind and the senses, let him practice Dhyana Yoga for self-purification.
Commentary:
The Gita gives complete instruction in all matters great and small. Here the Lord gives minute details of the place and the seat where Dhyana should be practised.
The place selected should be a clean spot. Keep the home clean and that shall become a fit place for meditation. Even in solitude, there may be unclean spots full of worms, germs and foul smell. Such a place is not fit for meditation. Let us understand how the Lord emphasises cleanliness. Some people think that the mind is more important than the place, and it does not matter whether the place is clean or not. It is wrong to think so. In an unclean place, unclean thoughts arise in the mind. In a home which is kept in perfect order, the mind functions in an orderly manner. Of course, when the man becomes a yogarudha, all places are the same. He can be absorbed in the Self at all places. But till that state is reached one must see that he selects only a clean spot. We do not come across any great soul living an unclean life either in body or mind, or speech.
The seat should not be too high or too low. If it is too high, there is the danger of falling down if at anytime the man becomes unconscious in the course of meditation. If it is too low, worms and other reptiles may sting the body, causing distraction. So, to sit on a wooden plank slightly raised from the ground is best. It should be covered with cloth, skin and Kusha grass one above the other. On the whole, the seat should be clean, firm, and levelled. It is only when the track is firm and levelled the engine runs safely and smoothly. No particular ‘asana’ is mentioned here. Each one may adopt his own asana – like Padmasana or Siddhasana – in which he can sit for a long time without feeling any discomfort. Only it should be firm (sthiram). Patanjali also says that the posture should be firm and comfortable (Sthira sukha masanam).
Being thus seated in any comfortable posture, the yogi should draw back the mind from the senses and the external world, and turn it inside to look into the Self. Mind acquires great power by such concentration on the Supreme Self and all forms of ignorance are burnt thereby.
This practice is intended to purify the inner organ, namely the mind.
Question: What are the conditions prescribed for Dhyana Yoga?
Answer:
- One should select a clean spot. The place should be perfectly clean.
- The seat should not be too high or too low.
- The seat should be covered by holy grass, skin and cloth one over the other.
- The seat should be firm, smooth and levelled.
- He can adopt a comfortable posture which he can maintain for a sufficiently long time.
- He should control the functions of the senses and the mind.
- He should concentrate on the Self.
Question: What is the effect of the practice?
Answer: The mind is purified. It is in a pure mind that the Self is reflected.