Bhagavad Gita · Dhyana Yoga (Atma-samyama Yoga)Chapter 6, Shloka 11 (6.11)
Original Sanskrit · श्रीभगवान्
शुचौ देशे प्रतिष्ठाप्य स्थिरमासनमात्मनः
नात्युच्छ्रितं नातिनीचं चैलाजिनकुशोत्तरम्
॥ 6.11 ॥
śucau deśe pratiṣṭhāpya sthiramāsanamātmanaḥ
nātyucchritaṃ nātinīcaṃ cailājinakuśottaram
Translation
"In a clean place, let one set up a steady seat — neither too high nor too low — spread (in order) with kusha grass, a deerskin and a cloth."
Interpretation
Shankaracharya. Śucau śuddhe vivikte svabhāvataḥ saṃskārato vā — a place clean by nature or by cleaning, and secluded; sthiram acalam; nātyucchritaṃ nātīva-ucchritaṃ na api atinīcam. A comment on the order: pāṭha-kramād viparītaḥ atra kramaḥ cailādīnām — the order of spreading is the reverse of the order of the words: kusha at the bottom, the skin on it, the cloth on top.
Acharya Ramanuja. Śucau deśe aśucibhiḥ puruṣaiḥ anadhiṣṭhite aparigṛhīte ca aśucibhiḥ vastubhiḥ aspṛṣṭe ca pavitrībhūte deśe — a place not occupied or used by impure people and untouched by impure things; dārv-ādi-nirmitam — a seat made of wood or the like; and a practical point: tasmin manaḥ-prasāda-kare sāpāśraye upaviśya — sitting on a seat that gladdens the mind and has a support (back-rest).
Corpus note: Ramanuja's commentary on 6.11 and 6.12 is identical in the corpus (a combined commentary).
AI-assisted draft translation — under review.