Shloka 53
Īśvara-Gītā (continued): Twofold Yoga, Aṣṭāṅga Discipline, Pāśupata Meditation, and the Unity of Nārāyaṇa–Maheśvara
आसनं स्वस्तिकं बद्ध्वा पद्ममर्धमथापि वा / नासिकाग्रे समां दृष्टिमीषदुन्मीलितेक्षणः
āsanaṃ svastikaṃ baddhvā padmamardhamathāpi vā / nāsikāgre samāṃ dṛṣṭimīṣadunmīlitekṣaṇaḥ
Assumindo a postura Svastika—ou, alternativamente, o Meio-Lótus—mantenha-se o olhar uniforme e firme na ponta do nariz, com os olhos ligeiramente entreabertos.
Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing King Indradyumna in the Ishvara Gita
Primary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
By prescribing bodily steadiness (āsana) and a controlled gaze (dṛṣṭi), the verse points to inner collectedness as the practical doorway to Self-recognition—where awareness becomes steady enough to discern the Atman beyond sensory fluctuation.
It teaches a concrete dhyāna-vidhi: sit in Svastika or Half-lotus, maintain a balanced nose-tip gaze (nā́sikāgra-dṛṣṭi), and keep the eyes slightly open—classic concentration aids used to stabilize attention and reduce distraction in Pashupata-oriented practice.
Although spoken by Lord Kurma (Vishnu), the instruction belongs to the Ishvara Gita’s shared Shaiva-Vaishnava yogic framework: devotion and discipline converge in a single Ishvara-centered meditation, reflecting the Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis.