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Yogashikha Upanishad (critical study)

by Sujatarani Giri | 2015 | 72,044 words

This page relates ‘Nine classifications of Pranayama� of the English study on the Yogashikha Upanishad—a key text from the Krishna Yajurveda, focusing on the pinnacle of Yogic meditation. This essay presents Yoga as a crucial component of ancient Indian philosophy and spirituality and underscores its historical roots in Vedic literature—particularly the Upanishads and Vedant. The chapters of this study are devoted to the faculties of the mind and internal body mechanisms such as Chakras as well as the awakening of Kundalini.

Go directly to: Footnotes.

Part 3.1b - The Nine classifications of Prāṇāyāma

The ۴Dzṇḍī 貹Ծṣa mentions four types of ṇ峾. These are�ūⲹī; ī; Śٲī; 󲹲ٰ;[1].

The ۴DzśDZ貹Ծṣa[2] also mentions only four types as ۴Dzṇḍī, 貹Ծṣa. The Śṇḍⲹ 貹Ծṣa, however mentions another called�īٰ.[3]

In addition to the these five, the ᲹṻDz徱辱[4] and ҳṇḍ ṃh,[5] mention four more such as峾ī, ܰ, 屹Ծ and 𱹲ī.

So in all there are the following nine namely:-

  1. ūⲹī,
  2. ī,
  3. Śٲī,
  4. īٰī,
  5. 󲹲ٰ,
  6. ,
  7. ū,
  8. ʱ屹ī and
  9. 𱹲ī.

It may also be noted that while the first eight are called sahita kumbhaka i.e. those win which recaka and ū첹 are involved, the last one is simply kumbhaka without any recaka or ū첹.

(i) ūⲹ岹Բ :

The Dzī sit on a comparable seat, adopt a posture like ܰԲ, Բ, 貹峾Բ etc. and suck in the outside air through the right nostril. Thereafter he should hold it in order that it fills the body right from the nails to the hair. Thereafter release the air from the left nostril slowly. This excellent ṇ峾 should be done repeatedly.

Benefit: This ṇ峾 cleaness the head, it destroys all the four types of diseases caused by the disturbance of air element. This ṇ峾 is also very effective in destroying the intestinal worms.[6]

(ii) ī :

Close the mouth. Then suck in air slowly through the two ḍīs (ḍ� and 辱ṅg) i.e. both the nostrils–right as well as left.

The inhaling should be such as may brush against the throat and right upto the heart and it should create a sound. (Something like the one you have in snaring). Hold it as before and then exhale through the left nostril. This ṇ峾 can be done even when you are walking or sitting.

Benefit: This ṇ峾 removes the heat that arises in the head. It is an excellent remedy for curing the phlegm in the threat. It also cures accumulation of water in the veins (ḍīs). It cures diseases related to the semen.[7]

(iii) Śٲī :

In this ṇ峾 the air is to sucked with the tongue and after holding the same released slowly through both the nostrils.

The name of this ṇ峾 is derived from its cooling effect on the body. ܳ󾱰 is a feminine form of kumbhaka and śīٲī is the feminine form of śīٲ meaning cool and qualifies ܳ󾱰.

Benefits: This ṇ峾 cures (i) enlargement of the spleen, (ii) tuberculosis (iii) diseases caused by the disturbance of fire element. (iv) fever, (v) thirst (vi) different types of poisons.[8]

(iv) 󲹲ٰ:

(i) Sit in 貹峾Բ posture (in case, one can not adopt this posture assume any other which is found to be comfortable). It is however, likely that the padma posture is more useful in this ṇ峾) with straight neck and abdomen.

(ii) After this empty the breath with the breath. This means that instead of doing it the usual way, do it a little more forcefully and consciously.

(iii) Now such in the air with force through the nostrils in such away that it touches the thorat and right upto the head, making the inhale with a sound.

(iv) Thereafter exhale in the same way (through the nostrils).

(v) In hale and exhale this repeatedly.

(vi) In this way the air inside the body should be brought in motion exactly in the same way as the ironsmith works his bellows forcefully.

(vii) Thereafter when you feel some fatique in the body, exhale with the left nostril.

(viii) Thereafter, when once again the abdomen is full of air, hold it for a while there with the nostrils closed lightly with the index fingers.

(ix) Do the kumbhaka as usual and thereafter exhale with the left nostril.

Benefits:

(i) This ṇ峾 takes away the heat fire that arises in the throat.
(ii) This increases the body heat fire.
(iii) This is instrumental in awakening the ṇḍī.
(iv) It meritorious destroys sin, is bestower of well being and gives comfort.
(v) It destroys the blockages at the mouth of the Brahma ḍ� i.e. ṣu caused by the accumulation of phlegm etc. there.
(vi) This is instrumental in piercing the three knots (granthi) born out of the three ṇa viz. sattva, rajas and tamas.[9]

(v) īٰī:

Suck in the air through the mouth, creating a hissing sound. Hold according to capacity and then release the same through both the nostrils.

Benefits: By doing the ṇ峾, one can avoid hunger, thirst, sloth and sleep. By doing this one can become another cupid (峾𱹲).[10]

(vi) 峾ī:

The word brahmara means a �black bee�. 峾ī is the feminine form of bhramara, which is an adjective derived from 峾ī meaning a bee. This ṇ峾 takes its name from that since while doing this a sound like that of a bee is produced.

While doing this ṇ峾 do it forcefully and with a sound resembling that of bee. So also create the same sound while releasing the breath slowly, inhaling and exhaling is to be done alternately through both the nostrils.

Benefits: By practicing this ṇ峾, the Dzī experience an indescribable mental joy.[11]

The description of this ṇ峾 as given by the ҳṇḍ ṃh is however, quite different from what has been described by the other 貹Ծṣa. According to this

At midnight when all sorts of sounds of birds etc. have ceased (i.e. pindrop silence) the practitioner should do ū첹 (inhale) and kumbhaka (holding), closing both his ears, with his hands. Having done so, he should try to hear the auspicious inner sound () in the right ear. In due course he will hear different types of sounds beginning with the sound of a cricket and ultimately the dundubhi war drum, ultimately leading to .[12]

(vii) ѳܰ:

According to ᲹṻDz 徱辱 “At the end of ū첹 (inhale), do the jālandhara bandha (lock) firmly and then release the air slowly. This ṇ峾 called ū induces a swooning of the mind and gives pleasure and relief.[13]

The description given by the ҳṇḍ saṃhitā is, however, a bit different–Do kumbhaka (holding) with case and then apply the mind in the spot in between the eye brows (ñ峦). Forget all the sense objects. This swooming of the mind gives great relief. The uniting of the mind with the soul certainly produces bliss.[14]

(viii) ʱ屹ī:

When the abdomen is filled with air and the entire inside of the body is filled with air to the maximum, the body becomes capable of floating on water like the leaf of a lotus.[15]

(ix) 𱹲ī:

This is a very difficult ṇ峾. Success in this can be achieved only after a long and sustained effort.

This ṇ峾 constitutes only kumbhaka (holding of the breath) and there is no recaka (exhaling) or ū첹 (inhaling) in it. At first grasp this seems to be an impossibility, but the possibility starts emerging once the concept is clear. The ҳṇḍ saṃhitā says:-

The breath goes out with the sound HA and enters again with the sound SA. (put together, that becomes Ჹṃs). That way human being ulters this ⲹٰī called twenty one thousand and six hundred times during one day and night at the rate of fifteen respirations per minute.

This respiration called ṃs is associated with three points in the body viz.

(i) the mūlādhāra cakra between the and the genital;
(ii) the anāhata cakra the lotus at the heart;
(iii) the twin nostrils.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

‌suryojjāyī śitalī ca bhastrī caiva caturthikā | Yo. Ku�-I.21.

[2]:

athābhyaset sūryabhedamujjāyīm cāpi śitalam |
bhastram ca sahito ٳٳṣṭⲹܳ󲹰첹� || ۴Dzś-ܱ貹Ծṣa 23.

[3]:

Śṇḍⲹ 貹Ծṣa-I.VII-13-3.

[4]:

‌sūryabhedamujjayī śītkārī śitatī tathā bhastrikā 峾ī ܰ plarinītyaṣṭa–kumbha kā� || ᲹṻDz-ī貹II-44.

[5]:

Sabito� sūryabhedaśca ujjayī śitalī tathā bhastrikā 峾ī ܰ 𱹲ī cāṣṭa ܳ󾱰�. ҳṇḍ ṃh-V-46.

[6]:

ᲹṻDz-ī貹-II-48-50

[7]:

‌Ibid-II-51, 53; Yogakuṇḍalini 貹Ծṣa-I-26-29.

[8]:

‌“mukhena vāyum saṃgruhya prāṇarandhreṇa recayet |
sītalīkaraṇam cedam hanta pittam ṣu峾 ṛṣ� || ۴Dzś-ܱ貹Ծṣa-I-95.
also, �jivhayā vāyum gṛhitvā yathaśakti kumbhayitvā nāsābhyām recayet tena gulmaplīhā jvarapittaṣudhādi naśyati || Śṇḍⲹ 貹Ծṣa-I. VII-13-4.

[9]:

‌Yogakuṇḍalini 貹Ծṣa-I�32 to 39; ᲹṻDz-ī貹-II-59-67.

[10]:

‌Śṇḍ� 貹Ծṣa-I-VII-13-3; ᲹṻDz-ī貹-III-54-56.

[11]:

‌begādgheṣam ū첹m bhṛṅgī岹m recakam mandam mandam |
Dzīndrāṇāmevambhyāsayogācītte 峦īԲԻ岹ī || ᲹṻDz-ī貹-II-68.

[12]:

‌ҳṇḍ� ṃh-V-78-82.

[13]:

‌pūrakānte gāḍhataram vadhvā jālandharam śanti� |
𳦲Գܰ󲹲ⲹ� ṛt manorū sukhapradā || Ibid-II-69.

[14]:

‌sukhena kumbhakam ṛt manaśca bhṛvontaram |
santyajya viṣayān sarvā� manorū sukhapradā |
ٳԾ manasa yogadāmanda jāyate dhṛvam || Ibid-V-83.

[15]:

‌aԳٲḥpپٴǻūūٴǻ岹� |
payasyagādhepi sukhātplavate padmapatravat || ᲹṻDz-ī貹-III.70.

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