Bhagavad Gita BG 6.13
Chapter 6, Verse 13 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
समं कायशिरोग्रीवं धारयन्नचलं स्थिरः । सम्प्रेक्ष्य नासिकाग्रं स्वं दिशश्चानवलोकयन् ॥
samam kaya-shiro-grivam dhArayan acalam sthirah sampreksya nasikagram svam dishas ca anavalokayan
Meaning
Holding the body, head, and neck erect and still — gazing at the tip of one's own nose, not looking in any direction.
Understanding
The meditation posture: samam kaya-shira-griva (body, head, and neck held sama — erect, aligned, in one straight line). Acalam sthirah (still and steady — no fidgeting). The gaze: sampreksya nasikagram svam (directing gaze to one's own nasal tip). This is not a literal stare at the nose but a direction of the gaze slightly downward and inward, closing off peripheral distraction. Dishas ca anavalokayan — not looking in any direction (not distracted by the environment).
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| समम् | samam | erect, straight, equal, aligned |
| ग्रीवम् | grivam | neck |
| अचलम् | acalam | still, without movement |
| नासिकाग्रम् | nasikagram | tip of the nose |
| अनवलोकयन् | anavalokayan | not looking around, not gazing about |
| कायशिरो | kāya-śiro | body and head (held erect) |
| धारयन् | dhārayan | holding / keeping (erect and still) |
| स्थिरः | sthiraḥ | steady / firm / motionless |
| सम्प्रेक्ष्य | samprekṣya | gazing / fixing the gaze |
| स्वम् | svam | own / one's own (nose-tip) |
| दिशः | diśaḥ | directions / around (not looking around) |
| च | ca | and (not looking in other directions) |