Tasmin sati svasaprasvasayor-gativicchedah pranayamah—“Regulation of breath or the control of Prana is the stoppage of inhalation and exhalation, which follows after securing that steadiness of posture or seat.”
This is the definition of Pranayama in the Yoga-sutras of Patanjali.
‘Svasa’ means inspiratory breath. ‘Prasvasa’ means expiratory breath. You can take up the practice of Pranayama after you have gained steadiness in your Asana (seat). If you can sit for 3 hour in one Asana, continuously at one stretch, you have gained mastery over the Asana. If you are able to sit from half to one hour even, you can take up the practice of Pranayama. You can hardly make any spiritual progress without the practice of Pranayama.
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Prana is Vyashti, when the individual is concerned. The sum total of the cosmic energy or cosmic Prana is Hiranyagarbha who is known as the floating ‘Golden-Egg’. Hiranyagarbha is Samashti Prana. One match stick is Vyashti (single). The whole match box is Samashti. A single mango-tree is Vyashti. The whole mango grove is Samashti. The energy in the body is Prana. By controlling the motion of the lungs or respiratory organs, we can control the Prana that is vibrating inside. By control of Prana, the mind can be easily controlled, because the mind is fastened to the Prana, like the bird to the string. Just as the bird that is tied to a post by a string, after flying here and there, finds its resting place in the post, so also this mind-bird after running hither and thither, in various sensual objects, finds its resting place during deep sleep in the Prana.
Pranayama (According to the Gita)
Apane juhvati pranam pranepanam tathapare; Pranapanagatee ruddhva pranayamaparayanah (Gita, Ch. IV-29.). Others offer Prana (outgoing breath) in Apana (incoming breath) and Apana in Prana, restraining the passage of Prana and Apana, absorbed in Pranayama. Pranayama is a precious yajna (sacrifice). Some practise the kind of Pranayama called Puraka (filling in). Some practise the kind of Pranayama called Rechaka (emptying). Some are engaged in the practice of Pranayama called Kumbhaka, by impeding the outward passage of air, through the nostrils and the mouth, and by impeding the inward passage of the air, in the opposite direction.
Pranayama (According To Sri Sankaracharya)
“Pranayama is the control of all life-forces by realising naught but Brahman in all things as the mind, etc.
“The negation of the Universe is the outgoing breath. The thought: ‘I am Brahman’ itself is called the incoming breath.
The permanence of that thought thereafter is the restrained breath. This is the Pranayama of the wise, while the pressing of the nose is only for the unknowing.” (Aparokshanubhuti, 118-120). Pranayama (According to Yogi Bhusunda)
Bhusunda says to Sri Vasishtha: “In the cool lotus of the heart within this visible tenement of flesh composed of the five elements, there are two Vayus, viz., Prana and Apana, commingled in it. For those who tread smoothly and without any or the slightest efforts, the path of these two Vayus, will become the sun and the moon themselves in the heart—Akasa, and will rove in the Akasa and yet be animating and carrying their fleshy-tabernacle. These Vayus will go up and down to higher and lower states. They are of the same nature in the waking, dreaming and dreamless sleeping state, and permeate all throughout. I am moving in the direction of those two Vayus and have rendered nil all my Vasanas in the waking state lit unto those of the dreamless sleeping state. Divide a filament of the lotus-stalk into a thousand times and you will find these Vayus more subtle than that. Hence it is difficult for me to treat about the nature of these Vayus and their vibrations. Of these, Prana does ceaselessly vibrate in this body, with an upward motion, both externally and internally, while Apana having the same fluctuating tendency, vibrates both external and internal to the body having a downward motion. It will be beneficial if the Prana exhaled to the extent of 16 digits, is inhaled to the same extent. Only 12 digits are inhaled ordinarily. Those who have brought to experience—viz., the equalisation of Prana in exhalation and inhalation will enjoy infinite bliss. “Now hear about the characteristics of Prana. The inhalation to the length of 12 digits of the Prana which has been exhaled, is called (the internal) Puraka (inhalation). This also is called the internal (Puraka), when Apana Vayu re-enters the body from outside without any effort. When Apana Vayu ceases to manifest itself and Prana gets absorbed in the heart, then the time occupied in such a state is (internal) Kumbha. Yogins are able to experience all these. When the Prana in the Akasa of the heart manifests itself externally (to the heart within) in diverse aspects without any affliction to the mind then it is called (the external) Rechaka (exhalation). When the externally fluctuating Prana enters the nose and stops there at its tip, then it is called the external Puraka. But when it is passing from the tip of the nose it goes down 12 digits. Then also it is called the external Puraka. When Prana goes arrested without and Apana within, then it is called the external Kumbhaka. When the shining Apana Vayu takes an upward bent within, then it is styled the external Rechaka. All these practices lead to moksha. Therefore they should ever be meditated upon. Those who have understood and practised well all the external and internal Kumbhakas and others, will never be reborn.
“All the eight courses, I have given out before, are capable of yielding Moksha. They should be practised both day and night. Those who are associated with these practices smoothly and control their minds by not letting them run in other directions, will in course of time attain Nirvana. Such practitioners will never thirst after material pleasures. They will ever be in their uniform practice, whether walking, standing, waking, dreaming or sleeping.
“Prana, having flown out, will again be absorbed in the heart having run back 12 digits. Similarly will Apana be absorbed in the heart, having issued out of the heart and running back 12 digits to it. Apana being the moon, will cool the whole body in its passage. But Prana being the sun, will generate heat in the system and cook or digest everything in it. Will pains arise in one who has reached that supreme state, where the Kalas (rays) of Apana the moon, are drowned by Prana the sun? Will rebirth arise in one who has reached that powerful seat, when the Kalas of Prana, the sun, are devoured by Apana the moon? These will arrest at once the seven births of those who reach that neutral state where they find Apana Vayu consumed by Prana and vice versa. I eulogise that Chidatma, who is in that intermediate state, where Prana and Apana are absorbed in one another. I meditate ceaselessly upon that Chidatma, who is in the Akasa, directly in front, at the end of my nose, where Prana and Apana both become extinct. Thus it is through this path of Prana’s control, that I attained the supreme and immaculate Tattva, devoid of pains.”
Control of Breath
The first important step is to master the Asana of posture or to control the body. The next exercise is Pranayama. Correct posture is indispensably requisite for the successful practice of Pranayama. An easy comfortable posture is Asana. That pose is the best which continues to be comfortable for the greatest length of time. Chest, neck, and head must be in one vertical line. You should not bend the body either forwards or laterally, i.e., either on the right or left side. You should not sit crooked. You should not allow the body to collapse. You must not bend the body either forwards or backwards. By regular practice the mastery over the pose will come by itself. Fatty people will find it difficult to practise the Padma Asana or the Lotus Pose. They can sit on the Sukha Asana (comfortable pose) or Siddha Asana (perfected pose). You need not wait for practising Pranayama till you get full mastery over the Asana. Practise Asana and side by side you can practise Pranayama also. In course of time, you will acquire perfection in both. Pranayama can also be practised by sitting in the chair erect.
In Bhagavad-Gita, the Immortal Song of Lord Krishna, you will find a beautiful description of seat and pose: “In a pure secret place by himself established in a fixed seat of his own, neither too high nor too low, with cloth, black antelope-skin and Kusa grass one over the other, there, making the mind one-pointed, with thought and the functions of the senses controlled, steady on his seat, he should practise Yoga for the purification of the Self, holding the body, head and neck erect, firm, gazing steadily at the tip of the nose without looking around” (Ch. VI—10,11, & 12).
Pranayama is the control of the Prana and the vital forces of the body. It is regulation of the breath. This is the most important step. The aim of Pranayama is the control of Prana. Pranayama begins with the regulation of the breath for having control over the life-currents or inner vital force. In other words, Pranayama is the perfect control of the life-currents through control of breath. Breath is external manifestation of the gross Prana. A correct habit of breathing must be established by the regular practice of Pranayama. In ordinary worldly persons the breathing is irregular. If you can control the Prana you can completely control all the forces of the Universe, mental and physical. The Yogi can also control the Omnipresent manifesting power out of which all energies take their origin, whether concerning magnetism, electricity, gravitation, cohesion, nerve-currents, vital forces or thought-vibrations, in fact the total forces of the Universe, physical and mental.
If one controls the breath or Prana, the mind also is controlled. He who has controlled his mind has also controlled his breath. If one is suspended, the other is also suspended. If the mind and Prana are both controlled one gets liberation from the round of births and deaths and attains immortality. There is intimate connection between the mind, Prana and semen. If one controls the seminal energy, the mind and Prana are also controlled. He who has controlled his seminal energy has also controlled his Prana and mind.
He who practises Pranayama will have good appetite, cheerfulness, handsome figure, good strength, courage, enthusiasm, a high standard of health, vigour and vitality and good concentration of mind. Pranayama is quite suitable for the Westerners also. A Yogi measures the span of his life not by the number of years but by the number of his breaths. You can take in a certain amount of energy or Prana from the atmospheric air along with each breath. Vital capacity is the capacity shown by the largest quantity of air a man can inhale after the deepest possible exhalation. A man takes fifteen breaths in a minute. The total number of breaths comes to 21,600 times per day.
Very nice…i’m interesting to learn more about this
This article was very useful for me as i was not aware of the Pranayam before. Now also i even have a chance to share this message to my friends
Pranayama has been quite comprehensively defined in this article.I w’d consider it great kindness if i could get to know about the techniques of practicing Pranayama.I tried to search on the web but that only served to add confusions as Pranayama has been described differently by different peple some say its inhaling,exhaling exercise according to others its Kapalbhaati.I want to know plainly how can it be defined for sadhaka(follower)who aspires for purity of mind.Also what is that technique of Pranayama that can help in growth of mind.
An excellent article on Pranayama and must be read and practised by all =- Ramanathan
The article is very nice to explain the importance of pranayama. For practice we have to take guidance of Guru. Only Guru can explain the benefits & correct methods of various pranayamas as explained in our Yoga texts.
I am very intrigued by the statement: “….the stoppage of inhalation and exhalation, which follows after securing that steadiness of posture or seat.”, because in the opening chapter of Shri Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, it is stated: ….. Now here begins instruction in bringing to cessation the modifications of the mind stuff …. By my own experience, I did not use pranayam to bring the mind to cease the thinking activity. Indeed, not only did the thinking activity cease, bu also the breath and the heartbeat as well. This took place when I was initiated into Transcendental Medition of Shri Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. I was initiated by a young American teacher of TM. So, I would certainly like to learn about using pranayama to bring the thinking activity to cessation. Best regards, JD
This article on PRANAYAMA is very interesting , can you please explain the steps of doing the same, with some illustrations. Which will help even the first time doers.
Amaskaram
An excellent article on Pranayama. Can it be explained as to what Digit means here. Is it a second. In some articles on pranayama,it is said that Kumbhaka should be longer than Pooraka and Rechaka should be for the longest duration
IT IS A NICE ARTICLE. IN THE PRESENT DAYS, PRANAYAMA IS COMMERCIALIZED AND IS MARKETED BY MANY INSTITUTIONS, IT IS A PITY THAT NO ONE CALLS THE GENERIC NAME, PRANAYAMA AND INSTEAD GIVES DIFFERENT BRANDS AS PER CONVENIENCE TO ATTRACT CROWDS.
An Excellent Article on ‘Pranaayaama’!
nice article. as someone else has put it before i will like to know more about techniques which help in mind control rather than pranayam as an exercise.
Yoga is science in its own right. But inadequacies on the part of those championing it is indeed perplexing.
Be that Yoga or Ayurveda, its experts continue to live in the past, using terminologies that are unsynchronised with those of the modern science.
Modern science accepts everything that is objective. It uses terminologies which are demonstrable.
In Ayurveda we have concept of cough, pitta and vayu, the imbalances whereof bring diseases curable by re-establishing its balance.
In yoga, the whole edifice is sustained on twin principles bearing varied names which materially and substantially imply prana and chetna, energy and consciousness.
Even prana has five broad divisions, prana, apana, samana , vayana and udana. Its imbalance is said to fetch equivalant consequence as in case of the above said triplet imbalance recognised by ayurveda.
Now coming to the point, is it not incumbent upon the experts dealing with or dwelling on the above ancient science of ayurveda and yoga to speak out what exactly these terms mean in terms of the terminologies that the modern science may recognise or interpret.
To be specific, i do kapalbhati pranayama or anulom vilom/ nadi shodhan, or mool bandh or udyan bandh or agnisar. It yields great experience, but that is what may be bracketted as subjective experience.
Objective approach requires us to state exactly that which occurs in the body system. It is not enough to speak out in terms of prana or chetna or five pranic components. What is required is to state as to what happens when i breathe in, or retain the breath inside or outside, so on and so forth, but in terms of oxygen absorption, energy generation or transmission, metabolism, etc.
Likewise, the use of the ancient terminologies, in other areas is worthless,without indicating its equivalent terminologies interpretable in terms of modern science.
Your help in the above exploration is solicited.
Very interesting article. Every minute details is mentioned. We practice Pranayama without knowing the science behind it. Very informative article.
The article on Pranayam is exhaustive but not complete. Prerequisite for pranayam is mastery over steady comfortable aasan or classical posture. Muni Patanjali has prescribed simple easy solutions to gain mastery over posture. When the beginner sits in a posture, there are always natural stresses and strains known as prayatna in the lower part of the body. To overcome these uncomforts the practitioner has to mentally gradually slacken the prayatn by directing your inhalation (pran) to the internal parts of the body under strain. Second solution is to merge with universe by comparing your weight and size of your body with universe . Imagine that you are a minute invisible particle floating in the universe.
It took me 10 years of constant and continuous sincere practice to gain mastery over posture. The immediate benefits are 1) no assault of pairs of opposites like hot-cold , sadness-happyness 2 You become buoyant in the air and feel weightless with no stresses and strains. 3 effortless shvas-prashvaas gati (movement) control automatically to start pranayam.
Pranayama should be learned from a person who has mastery over their breath. It cannot be learned from a book. But Yoga without Pranayma is just acrobatics.