Tṛtīya-prakaraṇam (Āsana) · Verse 10
हस्तौ च जान्वोः संस्थाप्य स्वाङ्गुलीश्च प्रसार्य च । व्यात्तवक्त्रो निरीक्षेत नासाग्रं सुसमाहितः ॥
hastau ca jānvoḥ saṃsthāpya svāṅgulīśca prasārya ca | vyāttavaktro nirīkṣeta nāsāgraṃ susamāhitaḥ ||
Within the framework of siṃhāsana, the verse details a specific drishti, or point of focus, essential for cultivating samādhi. The instruction to extend the fingers, opening the mouth and fixing the gaze at the tip of the nose, creates a concentrated beam of awareness directed inward. This act of looking at the nasāgra – the bridge of the nose – is not a passive observation but an active engagement of the senses, drawing prāṇa towards the central nervous system. The open mouth, coupled with the extended fingers, suggests a deliberate expansion of the chest cavity, facilitating deeper prāṇāyāma and allowing the practitioner to more fully experience the subtle sensations of prāṇa movement. The complete concentration, susamāhita, signifies a mental state of profound stillness and focus, a crucial prerequisite for any meditative practice.