Bg. 6.10

In twenty-three verses the Lord now teaches the process of yoga with its aṅgas. The niṣkāma karma yogī should engage his mind (ātmānam) constantly in samādhi (yuṣjita), sitting in a place without people or disturbing sounds (rahasi sthitaḥ). Being alone, without even a second person there, he has body and mind devoid of activities unfavorable to yoga (yata citta ātmā). This is because he is devoid of desires going elsewhere, being firmly fixed in detachment (nirāśiḥ). He is devoid of any desire to accumulate (aparigrahaḥ). Bg 6.11, Bg 6.12, Bg 6.11-12 īucaE deXae Pa[iTaṣaPYa iSQarMaaSaNaMaaTMaNa" ) NaaTYauiC^\Ta& NaaiTaNaqc& cEl/aiJaNaku-XaaetarMa( )) 11 )) Ta}aEk-aGa]& MaNa" k*-Tva YaTaictaeiNd]Yai§-Ya" ) oPaivXYaaSaNae YauHJYaaÛaeGaMaaTMaivīuṬYae )) 12 )) śucau deśe pratiṣṭhāpya sthiram āsanam ātmanaḥ nāty-ucchritaṁ nāti-nīcaṁ cailājina-kuśottaram tatraikāgraṁ manaḥ kṛtvā yata-cittendriya-kriyaḥ upaviśyāsane yuṣjyād yogam ātma-viśuddhaye śucau—in a sanctified; deśe—land; pratiṣṭhāpya—placing; sthiram—firm; āsanam—seat; ātmanaḥ—his own; na—not; ati—too; ucchritam—high; na—nor; ati—too; nīcam—low; caila—ajina—of soft cloth and deerskin; kuśa—and kuśa grass; uttaram—covering; tatra—thereupon; eka—agram—with one attention; manaḥ—mind; kṛtvā—making; yata-citta—controlling the mind; indriya—senses; kriyaḥ—and activities; upaviśya—sitting; āsane—on the seat; yuṣjyāt—should execute; yogam-yoga practice; ātma—the heart; viśuddhaye—for clarifying. Two verses speak of the sitting place. The yogī should establish the āsana in a naturally pure place, such as the pure bank of the Gaṅga or a mountain cave, and in a place cleaned by himself. The āsana should be stable, not moving, and not too high or too low, with kuśa grass over which (uttara) soft cloth (caila) and soft deer skin (ajina) are placed. This āsana is for ones own use only (ātmanaḥ). It is forbidden to use another person’s seat, as that is unfavorable for yoga practice due to uncertainty of another’s consent to use their seat. One should sit rather than stand or lie on that asana which has been established, since the vedānta says āsīnaḥ sambhavāt: one should sit, because then meditation is possible. (Vedānta Sūtra 4.1.7) Having restrained the activities of the mind and senses ((yata cittendriya kriyaḥ), making his mind free of disturbance (ekāgram), he should practice concentration or samādhi (yoga yuṣjan). This is for purification of the antaḥkaraṇa, since by being pure and fine, it is qualified to perceive the ātmā. The śruti says: dṛśyate tv agryayā buddhyā sūkṣmayā sūkṣma-darśibhiḥ The seers of the subtle see the ātmā by concentrated, fine intelligence. Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.3.12 Bg 6.13, Bg 6.14, Bg 6.13-14 SaMa& k-aYaiXaraeGa]qv& DaarYaṁcl&/ iSQar" ) SaMPa[e+Ya NaaiSak-aGa]& Sv& idXaêaNavl/aek-YaNa( )) 13 )) Pa[XaaNTaaTMaa ivGaTa>aqb]Røcairv]Tae iSQaTa" ) MaNa" Sa&YaMYa MaiṀtaae Yau¢- AaSaqTa MaTPar" )) 14 )) samaṁ kāya-śiro-grīvaṁ dhārayann acalaṁ sthiraḥ samprekṣya nāsikāgraṁ svaṁ diśaś cānavalokayan praśāntātmā vigata-bhīr brahmacāri-vrate sthitaḥ manaḥ saṁyamya mac-citto yukta āsīta mat-paraḥ samam—straight; kāya—body; śiraḥ—head; grīvam—and neck; dhārayan—holding; acalam—unmoving; sthiraḥ—still; samprekṣya—looking; nāsikā—of the nose; agram—at the tip; svam—own; diśaḥ—on all sides; ca—also; anavalokayan—not looking; praśānta—unagitated; ātmā—mind; vigata—bhīḥ—devoid of fear; brahmacāri—vrate—in the vow of celibacy; sthitaḥ—situated; manaḥ—mind; saṁyamya—completely subduing; mat—upon Me (Kṛṣṇa); cittaḥ—concentrating the mind; yuktaḥ—the actual yogi; āsīta—should sit; mat—Me; paraḥ—the ultimate goal. These verses describe how to hold the body while sitting on the asana. Kaya refers to the middle portion of the body. The neck, torso and head are mentioned together as a unit, since they are limbs of the living entity. They should all be straight (samam). They should not shake (acalam). With determined effort (sthiraḥ), one should gaze at the tip of the nose, or between the brows, in order to prevent the mind from sleeping or wandering. One should not look here and there. One should be seated (āsīta) in this manner. The verb (āsīta) is in verse 14. The mind should be undisturbed (praśāntātmā). One should be fearless, and should maintain vows of celibacy. This yogī (yukta) should sit, withdrawing his mind from sense objects (manaḥ saṁyamya), thinking of My beautiful form with four arms (mac cittaḥ), having Me alone as the goal (mat paraḥ).