Bhagavad-Gita: Chapter 6, Verse 11,12

Rudra Vaisnava Sampradaya:

Visnuswami

Sridhara Swami's Commentary

The rule regarding the sitting place for meditation is being given by Lord Krishna. The word sucau means clean and sanctified and that is the conditions to begin. The reason why a deer skin or tiger skin or other skins are used is because when one sits upon them poisonous creatures such as scorpions and snakes do not like to wander upon such skins and thus will not bite when one is in meditative trance performing yoga or the science of the individual consciousness attaining communion with the ultimate consciousness.

Brahma Vaisnava Sampradaya:

Madhvacarya

Madhvacarya's Commentary

If one has not yet developed equanimity of mind then one should undertake the practice of meditation given previously and gradually achieve such equanimity.

Sri Vaisnava Sampradaya:

Ramanuja

Ramanuja's Commentary

Lord Krishna begins with the words sucau dese means pure or sanctified place. Purity is to be found in nature due to its being unoccupied and unfrequented by unclean and contaminated persons. The word sthiram means firm infers the asana or seat should not be overly soft neither should it be so high that one may fall from it nor too low as in a hole. One should by all means have a mat of kusa grass which is sacred in Vishnu tattva and then should be covered by a deerskin which deters poisonous pests like snakes and scorpions from approaching one while in concentrated meditation. On top should be placed a wool or cotton cloth. Such a seat should be aesthetic to look at and inviting. Sitting upon such a seat one should one should withdraw the senses and freeing the mind from all external distractions one should focus the mind exclusively upon the atma or soul within until upon its realisation one is freed from samsara or the endless cycle of birth and death. By every means realise the atma.

Kumara Vaisnava Sampradaya:

Nimbaditya

Kesava Kasmiri's Commentary

The appropriate place to sit is given here by Lord Krishna beginning with the word sucau dese pratisthapya meaning established in a clean and sanctified place and ending with yogam atma-visuddhaye meaning one should purify their mind in meditation by practicing yoga or the science of the individual consciousness attaining communion with the ultimate consciousness.