Bhagavad-gītā 6.13-14
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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samam
—
straight
From √sam, 'level, even.' The same root as sama in 'equality' — the outer evenness of the spine maps onto the inner evenness of mind. The verse is shaping the body to teach the mind.
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acalam
—
unmoving
A-calam, 'not flickering.' The same word will reappear at 6.34 ascribed to the mind's opposite condition (calam, flickering). The body's stillness here is the discipline that opposes that flickering.
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brahmacāri-vrate
—
in the vow of celibacy
Locative — 'situated in the vow.' Brahma-cārī, 'one who moves in Brahman.' Celibacy here is not negation but redirection: the energy that would have flowed outward is gathered inward toward Brahman.
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mat-cittaḥ
—
concentrating the mind upon Me
Bahuvrīhi — 'one whose citta is on Me.' The verse's decisive word — the object of meditation is not abstract emptiness, not even light, but Kṛṣṇa Himself. The aṣṭāṅga-yoga of the Gītā is theistic at its core.
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mat-paraḥ
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with Me as the ultimate goal
Mat — 'Me'; paraḥ — 'highest, ultimate.' The yogī takes Kṛṣṇa not only as object but as final destination. Means and end collapse into one Person.
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yuktaḥ
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the actual yogī
From √yuj. Throughout this chapter yuktaḥ marks the genuine article — the one truly yoked. Distinguished from the merely sitting practitioner.
The goal of life is to know Kṛṣṇa, who is situated within the heart of every living being as Paramātmā, the four-handed Viṣṇu form. The yoga process is practiced in order to discover and see this localized form of Viṣṇu, and not for any other purpose. The localized viṣṇu-mūrti is the plenary representation of Kṛṣṇa dwelling within one’s heart. One who has no program to realize this viṣṇu-mūrti is uselessly engaged in mock yoga practice and is certainly wasting his time. Kṛṣṇa is the ultimate goal of life, and the viṣṇu-mūrti situated in one’s heart is the object of yoga practice. To realize this viṣṇu-mūrti within the heart, one has to observe complete abstinence from sex life; therefore one has to leave home and live alone in a secluded place, remaining seated as mentioned above. One cannot enjoy sex life daily at home or elsewhere and attend a so-called yoga class and thus become a yogī. One has to practice controlling the mind and avoiding all kinds of sense gratification, of which sex life is the chief. In the rules of celibacy written by the great sage Yājñavalkya it is said: karmaṇā manasā vācā sarvāvasthāsu sarvadā sarvatra maithuna-tyāgo brahmacaryaṁ pracakṣate “The vow of brahmacarya is meant to help one completely abstain from sex indulgence in work, words and mind – at all times, under all circumstances and in all places.” No one can perform correct yoga practice through sex indulgence. Brahmacarya is taught, therefore, from childhood, when one has no knowledge of sex life. Children at the age of five are sent to the guru-kula, or the place of the spiritual master, and the master trains the young boys in the strict discipline of becoming brahmacārīs. Without such practice, no one can make advancement in any yoga, whether it be dhyāna, jñāna or bhakti. One who, however, follows the rules and regulations of married life, having a sexual relationship only with his wife (and that also under regulation), is also called a brahmacārī. Such a restrained householder brahmacārī may be accepted in the bhakti school, but the jñāna and dhyāna schools do not even admit householder brahmacārīs. They require complete abstinence without compromise. In the bhakti school, a householder brahmacārī is allowed controlled sex life because the cult of bhakti-yoga is so powerful that one automatically loses sexual attraction, being engaged in the superior service of the Lord. In the Bhagavad-gītā (2.59) it is said: viṣayā vinivartante nirāhārasya dehinaḥ rasa-varjaṁ raso ’py asya paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate Whereas others are forced to restrain themselves from sense gratification, a devotee of the Lord automatically refrains because of superior taste. Other than the devotee, no one has any information of that superior taste. Vigata-bhīḥ. One cannot be fearless unless one is fully in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. A conditioned soul is fearful due to his perverted memory, his forgetfulness of his eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa. The Bhāgavatam (11.2.37) says, bhayaṁ dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ syād īśād apetasya viparyayo ’smṛtiḥ. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the only basis for fearlessness. Therefore, perfect practice is possible for a person who is Kṛṣṇa conscious. And since the ultimate goal of yoga practice is to see the Lord within, a Kṛṣṇa conscious person is already the best of all yogīs. The principles of the yoga system mentioned herein are different from those of the popular so-called yoga societies.
Sitting erect, fix, not rocking (acalam), looking at the tip of the nose, completely fearless, completely brahmacarya, mind completely withdrawn from sense gratification and sense objects ‑ this is yoga practice (astanga‑yoga). And what is the result?
[ 4 . The results of meditation: Thus, by ceasing material existence, he will attain the kingdom of God. (15) ]
COMMON THEME: One must sit down on a proper seat and fix the mind on one point (Study translations for
the basic practices of astanga-yoga)
(a) Texts 6.11 – 6.12 refutes so called yoga societies in big cities
(b) Celibacy
(a) 3 degrees of realization of Krishna or Absolute Truth: Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan
(b) Impersonalists and meditators are also partially, imperfectly and indirectly Krishna conscious
because:
(c) “Instruction for all 3 transcendentalists” – To constantly engage in their pursuits to come to the
perfection sooner or later (Yunjita satatam)
(d) First business of a transcendentalist – To keep mind always on Krishna – Concentration of mind
on Supreme is called samadhi
(e) ‘Sucau dese’ (sacred places) refers to places of pilgrimage
LINK BETWEEN TEXTS 6.14 & 6.15:
The result attained after long practice is next described.
6.13 समम् erect? कायशिरोग्रीवम् body? head and neck? धारयन् holding? अचलम् still? स्थिरः steady? संप्रेक्ष्य,gazing at? नासिकाग्रम् tip of the nose? स्वम् ones own? दिशः directions? च and? अनवलोकयन् not looking.Commentary The Lord describes here the pose or Asana and the Drishti (gaze) in this verse.You cannot practise meditation without a firm seat. If the body is unsteady? the mind will also become unsteady. There is an intimate connection between the body and the mind.You should not shake the body even a bit. You should attain mastery over the Asana (AsanaJaya) by daily practice. You should be as firm as a statue or a rock. If you keep the body? head and neck erect? the spinal cord also will be erect and the Kundalini will rise up steadily through the subtle nervechannel (Nadi) called the Sushumna. Sit in the lotus pose or the adept pose. This will help you in maintaining the nervous eilibrium and mental poise. You should steadily direct your gaze towards the tip of your nose. This is known as the Nasikagra Drishti. The other gaze is the Bhrumadhya Drishti or gazing between the two eyrows where the psychic centre known as the Ajna Chakra is situated. This is described in chapter V? verse 27. In Bhrumadhya Drishti direct the gaze towards the Ajna Chakra with closed eyes. If you practise this with open eyes? it may produce headache. Foreign particles or dust may fall into the eyes. There may be distraction of the mind also. Do not strain the eyes. Practise gently. When you practise concentration at the tip of the nose you will experience DivyaGandha (various aromas). When you concentrate your gaze at the Ajna Chakra you will experience DivyaJyotis (perception of supraphenomenal lights). This is an experience to give you encouragement? push you up in the spiritual path and convince you of the existence of transcendental or supraphysical things. Do not stop your Sadhana. Yogins and those Bhaktas who meditate on Lord Siva concentrate on the Ajna Chakra with the Bhrumadhya Drishti. You can select whichever Drishti suits you best.Though the gaze is directed towards the tip of the nose when the eyes are halfclosed and the eyalls are steady the mind should be fixed only on the self. Therefore you will have to gaze? as it were? at the tip of the nose. In chapter VI? verse 25? the Lord says Having made the mind abide in the Self? let him not think of anything. Gazing at the tip of the nose will soon bring about concentration of the mind.Whichever be the point selected? visualise your own tutelary deity there and feel His Living Presence.
- BG 06 13-14 - Nalinikanta - ISKCON Vrindavan 2012-08-06
- BG 06 13-14 - Prema Siddhi Ananda Pr - ISKCON Radhadesh 2012-05-10
- BG 06 13-14 - Sridhar Swami - New York 2000-12-15
- BG 06 13-15 - A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada - Los Angeles 1969-02-16
- Priya Valabha Mataji BG 06-13-14 Hindi
- Hari Lila Pr BG 06-13-14 Tamil
- Kartikeya Pr BG 06-13-14
- Rasika Govinda Pr BG 06-13-14 - Incarnation of Matsya - 2017-05-13
- Rasika Govinda Pr BG 06-13-14 Tamil - Incarnation of Matsya - 2017-05-13
- RSP BG 06-13-14 - 2016-09-05 ISKCON Vrindavan
- SNP BG 06-13 Hindi
- SDAP BG 06-13-14 Spanish Translation - 2017-01-05 Santiago Chile
- Haladhar Sw BG 06-13-14 Oriya - Kali juga lokankara Prakruti - 2024-10-02
- PrahladAnS BG 06-13-14 Slovenian Translation - Brahmacarya - 2020-04-28 ISKCON Slovenia
- PrahladAnS BG 06-13-14 - Brahmacharya - 2020-04-28 ISKCON Slovenia
- Sridhar Sw BG 06-13-17 - New York 2000-12-15
- SP BG 06-13-15 Los Angeles 1969-02-16 Yoga System--We Want Something--etc
- SP Tamil Translation - BG 06-13 - Yoga System-We Want Something - 1969-02-16 LA
- If undertaking formal aṣṭāṅga-yoga, do so under qualified guidance.
- Apply the spirit even outside formal posture: erect bearing, focused gaze, calm vow.
- Make Kṛṣṇa the explicit object of meditation, not abstract emptiness.
- What posture and bearing do I bring to my sādhana?
- What is the explicit object of my meditation?
A flute held crooked plays no song. The yogī's body is that flute: head, neck, and spine in one line — and then the breath of remembrance can move through it. The straight column is not vanity of posture; it is the instrument tuning itself before the music of meditation on Kṛṣṇa can pass through.
My note
Source: vedabase.io