Griva means

Expressions researched:
"griva means"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Grīva means this neck.

Lecture on BG 6.11-21 -- New York, September 7, 1966:

Sometimes it is recommended that yoga system is meditation in the void. But we do not find in the Vedic literature that yoga system meditation on void. No. It is meditation on Viṣṇu. That will be explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. Now, after sitting in a secluded place, in a sanctified place, and according to the sitting arrangement, with tigerskin or deerskin and straw, as it is recommended, then one should sit down there. He should not change his āsana, sitting place. Then after sitting, what he has to do? He says, samaṁ kāya-śiro-grīvaṁ dhārayann acalaṁ sthiraḥ (Bg. 6.13-14). Now, one has to sit down straight. One has to sit down straight so that his skull, this head, and the body, and everything should be straight like that. Samaṁ kāya-grīvam. Grīva means this neck. The neck and the skull and the body should be in one straight line. Samaṁ kāya-śiro-grīvaṁ dhārayann acalam. And should not move. Sit down like this. Samprekṣya nāsikāgram. And one has to see the top portion of the nose. Not that one has to close his eyes completely. No. Then you cannot see. Samprekṣya nāsikā agram. You have to see the upper portion of the nose. That means if you... I have seen in some of the yogic societies, they close the eyes completely, and some of them, about fifty percent of them are snoozing, or sleeping, regularly. Because as soon as you close your eyes, and if you have no subject matter to think, and you have been posted to meditate, you do not know to what to meditate, then the next result is sleeping and nothing more. That is practical. So one has to sleep very hard. Somebody was inquiring here... (chuckles) Of course, some of the students, they were sleeping so he was sarcastically (asking) that "Are they sleeping or meditating?" So I (said), "Yes, they are meditating by lying down." Yes. So sometimes meditation goes on in sleeping. No. That is not the process. You cannot close your eyes completely. Then you will invite the queen. Sleep and she will capture you. Whole process will be like that.

General Lectures

Grīva means the neck.

Lecture Engagement and Prasada Distribution -- Boston, April 26, 1969:

Aparigrahaḥ means one should not expect something from others for learning or manifesting or exhibiting yoga system. Then not only he has to remain alone in a secluded place, but śucau deśe. Śucau deśe means a very sacred place. Pratiṣṭhāpya sthiram āsanam ātmānaḥ. One should have his own sitting place. Not that... That means he cannot change his sitting place. The same sitting place he should continue yoga system. Nāty-ucchritaṁ nāti-nīcaṁ cailājina-kuśottaram. There are skin, deerskins, and then straw mat, and then some soft clothing. In this way there is system of making your āsana, seat.

Then,

tatraikāgraṁ manaḥ kṛtvā

yata-cittendriya-kriyaḥ

upaviśyāsane yuñjyād

yogam ātma-viśuddhaye

"In that seat you have to concentrate your mind in order to purify your senses." That is the process. Real yoga process means to purify the senses and purify the mind. Then how one has to execute that yoga system? It is said, samaṁ kāya-śiro-grīvam. Kāya means this trunk, body, and śira means head, and grīva means the neck. So it should be in a straight line. Samaṁ kāya-śiro-grīvaṁ dhārayann acalam. You should sit in such a posture that it will not move. It will not move. Straight, straight line. Then samprekṣya nāsikāgraṁ svam: "You have to see the tip of your nose, sitting straight line, without any movement, and you have to see the tip of your nose." Samprekṣya nāsikāgraṁ svaṁ diśaś cānavalokayan: "And you cannot see any other side. You have to simply see..." These are the process of concentrating the mind. Then praśāntātmā, by practicing, when you will be completely peaceful. Praśāntātmā vigata-bhīr. Vigata-bhīr means without any fear. And brahmacāri-vrate sthitaḥ, without any sex life. A yogi cannot indulge in sex life. That is the first principle. Brahmacāri-vrata sthitaḥ manaḥ saṁyamya mac-citto: "Concentrate the mind," mac-citto, "focusing the mind upon Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Yukta āsīta mat-paraḥ. This is the yoga practice. But unfortunately, who is practicing yoga in this process? Nobody can find out a secluded place; nobody can concentrate his mind in that way; nobody can fix up in one seat; nobody can constantly look on the tip of the nose.