Bhagavad Gita — Dhyana Yoga, Shloka 13
Atma Samyama Yoga
समं कायशिरोग्रीवं धारयन्नचलं स्थिरः । सम्प्रेक्ष्य नासिकाग्रं स्वं दिशश्चानवलोकयन् ॥ ६.१३ ॥
samaṃ kāya-śiro-grīvaṃ dhārayann acalaṃ sthiraḥ | samprekṣya nāsikāgraṃ svaṃ diśaś cānavalokayan || 6.13 ||
Holding the body, head, and neck erect and steady, unmoving; gazing at the tip of his own nose, not looking around in any direction.
शरीर, सिर और ग्रीवा को समान और अचल धारण करके स्थिर होकर, अपनी नासिका के अग्रभाग को देखकर और दिशाओं को न देखते हुए।
Holding the body, head, and neck aligned and motionless, steady; gazing at the tip of one’s nose and not looking around in directions.
Traditional yoga exegesis sometimes treats ‘nose-tip gaze’ as a specific technique (dṛṣṭi). Academic readings note it as a practical aid to prevent distraction; it need not imply a universal physiological claim.
FAQs
Postural stability and a fixed gaze reduce orienting reflexes and scanning behaviors, which can otherwise reinforce restlessness and distractibility.
The body is treated as an instrument: when steadied, it ceases to pull awareness outward, enabling inward attention conducive to self-knowledge.
The verse continues the chapter’s step-by-step meditation instructions, moving from environment and intention to precise bodily and attentional cues.
Maintain an upright, relaxed posture; choose a soft gaze or closed eyes if safer/more comfortable, keeping the underlying principle—reduced distraction—intact.