चित्तं प्राणपरिस्पन्दम् आहुर् आगमभूषणाः । तस्मिन् संरोधिते नूनम् उपशान्तं भवेन् मनः
The teachers adorned with the scriptures declare that the mind is the movement of prāṇa; when that is truly restrained, the mind becomes tranquil.
मनस्स्पन्दोपशान्त्यायं संसारः प्रविलीयते । सूर्यालोकपरिस्पन्दशान्तौ व्यवहृतिर् यथा
When the agitation of the mind subsides, this worldly existence dissolves, just as activity ceases when the sunlight is withdrawn.
अनिशं चरतां देहगेहे गहनगामिनाम् । प्राणादीनां परिस्पन्दो वायूनां रोध्यते कथम्
How can the movement of the life-forces, which wander ceaselessly in the body’s abode and travel deep within, be restrained?
शास्त्रसज्जनसम्पर्काद् वैराग्याभ्यासयोगतः । अनास्थायां कृतास्थायां पूर्वं संसारवृत्तिषु
Through contact with scripture and noble people, by the practice of dispassion and yoga, and by withdrawing interest from former worldly pursuits—
यथाभिवाञ्छितध्यानाच् चिरम् एकतयोदितात् । एतत्तत्त्वघनाभ्यासात् प्राणस्पन्दो निरुध्यते
By meditating as one truly desires, for a long time and with one-pointedness, and by the repeated practice of this essential truth, the movement of the life-force is restrained.
पूरकादिनिजायामदृढाभ्यासाद् अखेदजात् । एकान्तध्यानसंयोगात् प्राणस्पन्दो निरुध्यते
Through firm and tireless practice of one’s own breath—such as inhalation and the rest—and by union with solitary meditation, the movement of the life-force is restrained.
ओङ्कारोच्चारणप्रान्तशब्दतत्त्वानुधावनात् । सुषुप्ते संविदो जाते प्राणस्पन्दो निरुध्यते
By pursuing the essence of sound to its end through the utterance of Om, and when consciousness enters deep sleep, the movement of the life-force is restrained.
रेचके नूनम् अभ्यस्ते प्राणे स्फारं खम् आगते । न स्पृशत्य् अङ्गरन्ध्राणि प्राणस्पन्दो निरुध्यते
When exhalation is well practiced and the breath expands into the vast sky, it does not touch the body’s channels; thus, the movement of the life-force is restrained.
कुम्भके पूर्ववत् कालम् अनन्तं परितिष्ठति । अभ्यासात् स्तम्भिते प्राणे प्राणस्पन्दो निरुध्यते
In breath retention, as before, the breath remains for a long, indefinite time; through practice, when the breath is stilled, the movement of the life-force is restrained.
तालुमूलगतां यत्नाज् जिह्वयाक्रम्य घण्टिकाम् । ऊर्ध्वरन्ध्रगते प्राणे प्राणस्पन्दो निरुध्यते
When, by effort, the tongue presses the uvula at the root of the palate, and the breath is directed to the upper aperture, the movement of the breath is restrained.
समस्तकलनोन्मुक्ते नकिञ्चिन्नाम्नि सूक्ष्मखे । ध्यानात् संविदि लीनायां प्राणस्पन्दो निरुध्यते
When, through meditation, all mental constructions are dissolved and consciousness merges into the subtle space called 'nothing at all,' the movement of the breath is restrained.
द्वादशाङ्गुलपर्यन्ते नासाग्रे विमलाम्बरे । सम्यग् दृशोः प्रशाम्यन्त्योः प्राणस्पन्दो निरुध्यते
When, at the tip of the nose, in the pure space extending twelve finger-breadths, and as the sight comes to rest perfectly, the movement of the breath is restrained.
अभ्यासाद् ऊर्ध्वरन्ध्रेण तालूर्ध्वद्वादशान्तगे । प्राणे गलितसंवित्तौ प्राणस्पन्दो निरुध्यते
Through practice, when the breath ascends through the upper aperture to the twelve-finger-breadth point above the palate, and awareness dissolves, the movement of the breath is restrained.
भ्रूमध्ये तारकालोकशान्ताव् अस्तम् उपागते । चेतने केतने बुद्धेः प्राणस्पन्दो निरुध्यते
When, in the space between the eyebrows, the star-like light of tranquility sets, and consciousness, the banner of intellect, subsides, the movement of the breath is restrained.
चिरं कालं हृदेकान्तव्योमसंवेदनान् मुनेः । अवासनमनोध्यानात् प्राणस्पन्दो निरुध्यते
When, for a long time, the sage abides in the awareness of the inner sky of the heart, and the mind is free from impressions and meditation, the movement of the breath is restrained.
ब्रह्मञ् जगति भूतानां हृदयं तत् किम् उच्यते । इदं सर्वं महादर्शे यस्मिंस् तत् प्रतिबिम्बति
O Brahman, what is called the heart of all beings in the world? It is that in which all this is reflected, like a great mirror.
साधो जगति भूतानां द्विविधं हृदयं स्थितम् । उपादेयं च हेयं च विभागो ऽयं तयोश् शृणु
O noble one, in the world, the heart of beings is of two kinds: one to be accepted and one to be rejected. Listen to the distinction between the two.
इयत्तया परिच्छिन्ने देहे यद् वक्षसो ऽन्तरे । हेयं तद् धृदयं विद्धि तनाव् एकतटे स्थितम्
Know that the heart, which is to be discarded, is situated as a limited thing within the body, specifically in the region of the chest, resting on one side of the slender body.
संविन्मात्रं तु हृदयम् उपादेयं नृणां स्मृतम् । तद् अन्तरे च बाह्ये च न च बाह्ये न चान्तरे
But the heart that is to be accepted, it is said, is pure consciousness alone in people; it is neither inside nor outside, and yet it is both inside and outside.
तत् तत्प्रधानं हृदयं तत्रेदं समवस्थितम् । तद् आदर्शः पदार्थानां तत् कोशस् सर्वसम्पदाम्
That heart, which is predominant in each case, is where this world abides; it is the mirror of all objects, the treasury of all riches.
सर्वेषाम् एव जन्तूनां संविद् धृदयम् उच्यते । न देहावयवैकांशो जडो जीर्णोपलोपमः
For all living beings, consciousness is called the heart; it is not a mere inert part of the body, like a worn-out stone.
तस्मात् संविन्मये शुद्धे हृदये ऽत्र विवासनम् । बलान् नियोजिते चित्ते प्राणस्पन्दो निरुध्यते
Therefore, when the mind is forcibly established in this pure, consciousness-filled heart, the movement of the vital breath is restrained.
एभिः क्रमैर् अथान्यैश् च नानासङ्कल्पकल्पितैः । नानादैशिकवक्त्रस्थैः प्राणस्पन्दो निरुध्यते
By these methods, and by others imagined through various intentions, and taught by teachers from different regions, the movement of the vital breath is restrained.
अभ्यासेन निराबाधम् एतास् ता योगयुक्तयः । उपायताम् उपायान्ति भव्यस्य भवभेदने
Through practice, these yogic methods, free from obstacles, become effective means for the noble one to bring about the dissolution of worldly existence.
अभ्यासाद् दृढतां याताद् वैराग्यपरिलाञ्छितात् । यथावासनम् आयामः प्राणानां सफलस् स्मृतः
When, through practice, firmness is attained, marked by dispassion, then the regulation of the vital breaths, according to one's seat, is considered fruitful.
भ्रूनासातालुसंस्थासु द्वादशाङ्गुलकोटिषु । अभ्यासाच् छाम्यति प्राणो दूरे गिरिनदी यथा
Through practice, the breath comes to rest within the twelve-finger span situated at the root of the palate and the base of the uvula, just as a river or stream recedes into the distance.
भूयो भूयश् चिराभ्यासाज् जिह्वाप्रान्तेन तालुनि । घण्टिका स्पृश्यते प्राणा येनोर्ध्वेन वहन्त्य् अलम्
Again and again, through long practice, the tip of the tongue touches the palate near the uvula, by which the upward-moving breaths are easily directed.
विकल्पबहुलास् त्व् एते स्वभ्यासेन समाधयः । परमोपशमायाशु सम्प्रयान्त्य् अविकल्पताम्
These states of concentration, though initially full of mental fluctuations, quickly become free of such distinctions through one’s own practice, leading swiftly to supreme tranquility.
आत्मारामो वीतशोको भवत्य् अन्तस्सुखः पुमान् । अभ्यासाद् एव नान्यस्मात् तस्माद् अभ्यासवान् भव
A person becomes self-delighted, free from sorrow, and inwardly content solely through practice and not by any other means; therefore, be steadfast in practice.
अभ्यासेन परिस्पन्दे प्राणानां क्षयम् आगते । मनः प्रशमम् आयाति निर्वाणम् अवशिष्यते
When, through practice, the movement of the breaths ceases, the mind attains calm, and liberation alone remains.