Stable posture supports stable awareness.
Krishna speaks to Arjuna
समं कायशिरोग्रीवं धारयन्नचलं स्थिरः |सम्प्रेक्ष्य नासिकाग्रं स्वं दिशश्चानवलोकयन् ||६-१३||
samaṃ kāyaśirogrīvaṃ dhārayannacalaṃ sthiraḥ . samprekṣya nāsikāgraṃ svaṃ diśaścānavalokayan ||6-13||
Use this verse for meditation posture guidance.
Meaning
Holding body, head, and neck straight and steady, gazing toward the tip of the nose, not looking around.
Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).
In plain words
Posture and gaze support mental steadiness.
Word-by-word meaning
Tap a word to see its meaning.
Explanation
Krishna gives body instructions because the body influences the mind. Stability outside helps stability inside.
Read the traditional commentary
Krishna details the physical posture of meditation with the care of a true teacher. The body, head, and neck are held sama — erect and aligned in a single vertical line — and kept achala and sthira, motionless and steady. An upright, settled spine allows energy to flow freely and keeps the mind alert without strain; a slumped or fidgeting body invites a slumped, fidgeting mind.
The gaze is softly fixed toward the tip of the nose, the eyes neither wide open to the world's distractions nor fully shut into drowsiness. 'Not looking about in any direction' withdraws the seeker from the pull of surroundings. This is the wisdom of yoga: stillness of body invites stillness of mind.
By steadying the outer instrument first, the meditator quiets the restless reflex of attention and creates the calm container in which deeper concentration can unfold.
In daily life
Sit upright and reduce visual distraction during practice.
Turning away from screens before meditation helps the gaze settle.
Try this today
Sit upright for three minutes and observe the effect.
My body becomes steady and my mind follows.Reflect
Is my body posture supporting my mind?
Private — only you can see this
Quick check
What does ‘समम् कायशिरोग्रीवम्’ mean in this verse?
Krishna on concentration, in other chapters
- Verse 5.27Withdraw the senses, steady your gaze, and balance the breath — these simple disciplines quiet the mind for inner realization.
- Verse 8.12Gather your scattered attention inward by quieting the senses and settling the mind in the heart, the daily heart of meditation.
- Verse 12.9If the mind will not settle on God, train it through patient, repeated practice.
- Verse 4.29Even the breath can become a sacred offering; by mastering its rhythm, we steady the mind and turn life itself into worship.
Swipe left for 6.14 · Devotion anchors meditation.
Questions about Bhagavad Gita 6.13
Who says Bhagavad Gita 6.13, and to whom?
Krishna speaks to Arjuna in verse 6.13, in Chapter 6, Dhyana Yoga (Dhyana Yoga).
What does Bhagavad Gita 6.13 mean?
Holding body, head, and neck straight and steady, gazing toward the tip of the nose, not looking around. (Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).)
What is the lesson of Bhagavad Gita 6.13 for daily life?
Sit upright and reduce visual distraction during practice. Turning away from screens before meditation helps the gaze settle.
What do the Sanskrit words in Bhagavad Gita 6.13 mean?
समम् कायशिरोग्रीवम् — body, head, and neck erect and in line; धारयन् — holding; अचलम् स्थिरः — motionless and steady; सम्प्रेक्ष्य — gazing; नासिकाग्रम् स्वम् — at the tip of one's own nose.
Where does verse 6.13 come in the Bhagavad Gita?
It is verse 13 of 47 in Chapter 6, Dhyana Yoga. The next verse is 6.14.