आसीनः सम्भवात् ।
āsīnaḥ sambhavāt |
(Vedānta-sūtra: 4.1.7)
“Being seated [one should meditate on Śrī Hari], because of possibility [i.e., because it is only possible to meditate while seated].”
Commentary
“trir unnataṁ sthāpya samaṁ śarīraṁ hṛdīndriyāṇi manasā sanniveśya | brahmoḍupena pratareta vidvān stotrāṁsi sarvāṇi bhayāvahāni |” iti śvetāśvataraiḥ paṭhyate | tatredam āsana-vidhānam āvaśyakaṁ na veti saṁśaye mānasa-vyāpāraṁ smaraṇaṁ prati deha-sthita-viśeṣasyānupayogāt nāvaśyakam iti prāpte—“āsīnaḥ sambhavāt |” āsīnaḥ kṛtāsana eva śrī-hariṁ smaret | kutaḥ? tasyaiva tat-sambhavāt | śayanotthāna-gamaneṣu citta-vikṣepasya durvāratvāt tad-asambhavaḥ |
(Govinda-bhāṣya on Vedānta-sūtra: 4.1.7)
“This is stated by the Śvetāśvatara [Upaniṣad (2.8)]: ‘Keeping the body straight with the three [i.e., the chest, neck, and head] erect, and fixing the senses along with the mind in the heart, a wise person should cross over all fearsome currents [in the ocean of saṁsāra, i.e., lust, anger, greed, etc.] with the boat of Brahman.’ In this regard, when the doubt is [raised] ‘Is this practice of sitting compulsory or not [i.e., it is necessary to meditate in the erect seated posture described in this verse or not]?’ and this [pūrvapakṣa] is encountered, ‘It is not compulsory because a particular posture of the body is inapplicable to meditation (smaraṇa), which is a function of the mind,’ then [the Vedānta-sūtra states]: ‘Being seated [one should meditate on Śrī Hari], because of possibility [i.e., because it is only possible to meditate while seated].’ ‘Being seated’ (āsīnaḥ), that is, only after having sat, one should meditate on Śrī Hari. Why? Because of the possibility of that [i.e., meditation] only therewith [i.e., only in a seated posture]. There is no possibility of that [i.e., meditation] while lying down, standing, or moving because of the irrepressibility of distraction of the mind [in those states].”