Internal attention with external gaze, without blinking: this is the śāmbhavī mudrā, hidden in the Vedas and śāstras.

This verse defines śāmbhavī mudrā with technical precision:

Antar-lakṣya — internal goal.Attention (lakṣya) is directed inward, towards consciousness itself or towards an inner point such as the eyebrow.

Bahir-dṛṣṭi — external view.The physical eyes remain open, apparently looking outward.

Nimeṣonmeṣa-varjitā — without flickering.The eyelids do not close or open;the gaze is fixed and stable.

This combination creates a perceptual paradox: the body seems attentive to the outside while consciousness is completely internalized.It is a state of controlled dissociation between sensory perception and conscious attention.

Veda-śāstreṣu gopitā — hidden in the Vedas and śāstras.Although mentioned in exoteric texts, its real meaning remains veiled.Only direct instruction from the guru reveals correct practice.

The Bihar School notes that śāmbhavī mudrā is one of the most powerful practices for inducing meditative states.The fixity of the gaze stabilizes the prāṇa;the internalization of attention leads to pratyāhāra and dhāraṇā simultaneously.

Technically, the gaze is usually directed between the eyebrows (bhrūmadhya) or the space in front of the nose.