प्राण एवार्कतां याति सबाह्याभ्यन्तरे ऽम्बरे । आप्यायनकरीं पश्चाच् छशिताम् अधिगच्छति
Prāṇa itself becomes the sun, both in the outer and inner space; afterwards, it attains the state of the moon, which brings nourishment.
प्राण एवेन्दुतां त्यक्त्वा शरीराप्यायकारिणीम् । क्षणाद् आयाति सूर्यत्वं संशोषणकरं परम्
Prāṇa, having abandoned the state of the moon, which brings nourishment to the body, instantly attains the supreme state of the sun, which brings about drying up.
अर्कतां सम्परित्यज्य न यावच् चन्द्रतां गतः । प्राणस् तावद् विचार्यान्तर् देशकालौ न शोच्यते
As long as prāṇa, having given up the state of the sun, has not attained the state of the moon, it remains to be examined; but in that interval, place and time are not to be grieved over.
हृदि चन्द्रार्कयोर् ज्ञात्वा नित्यम् अस्तमयोदयम् । आत्मनो निजम् आधारं न भूयो जायते मनः
Knowing the perpetual setting and rising of the sun and moon in the heart, and one's own true foundation, the mind is not born again.
सोदयास्तमयं सेन्दुं सरश्मिं ससमागमम् । हृदये भास्करं देवं यः पश्यति स पश्यति
He who sees in the heart the divine sun, with its rising and setting, with the moon, with rays, and with all its associations—he truly sees.
नाक्षीणं न परिक्षीणं बहिस्स्थं सिद्धये तमः । हार्दं तु क्षपयेद् ध्वान्तं यत्क्षये सिद्धिर् उत्तमा
The darkness outside, whether not diminished or fully diminished, does not lead to accomplishment; but when the darkness of the heart is destroyed, then the highest accomplishment is attained.
बाह्ये तमसि सङ्क्षीणे लोकालोकः प्रजायते । हार्दे तु तमसि क्षीणे स्वालोको जायते परः
When the external darkness is diminished, the world and its beyond are perceived; but when the inner darkness of the heart is diminished, one's own supreme light arises.
हार्दान्धकारक्षयदं परिज्ञातं विमुक्तिदम् । सोदयास्तमयं यत्नात् प्राणार्कम् अवलोकयेत्
The destruction of the heart's darkness is known to grant liberation; one should carefully observe the rising and setting of the sun of breath.
अपानेन्दुः प्रयात्य् अस्तं यत्र हृत्पद्मकोटरे । पदात् तस्माद् उदेत्य् अन्तः प्राणार्को बहिरुन्मुखः
Where the moon of apāna sets in the core of the heart's lotus, from that place the sun of prāṇa rises within, facing outward.
अपाने ऽस्तङ्गते प्राणस् समुदेति हृदम्बुजात् । छायायां गलिताङ्गायां तत्रैवाशु यथातपः
When apāna sets, prāṇa rises from the heart-lotus; just as, when the shadow fades, the sun appears there at once.
प्राणे त्व् अस्तङ्गते बाह्याद् अपानः प्रोदयेत् क्षणात् । आतपे परितो नष्टे छायेवाशु पदे नवा
But when prāṇa sets externally, apāna rises instantly, like a new shadow appearing when the sunlight all around disappears.
प्राणजन्मावनौ नष्टम् अपानं विद्धि सन्मते । अपानजन्मभूमौ च प्राणं नष्टम् अवैहि हि
Know, O wise one, that when prāṇa is born, apāna is lost in the earth; and when apāna is born, prāṇa is indeed lost in its place.
अस्तङ्गतवति प्राणे त्व् अपाने ऽभ्युदयोन्मुखे । बहिःकुम्भकम् आलम्ब्य चिरं भूयो न शोच्यते
When prāṇa has set and apāna is about to rise, by holding the external retention (bahir kumbhaka) for a long time, one is no longer subject to sorrow.
अपाने ऽस्तङ्गते प्राणे किञ्चिद् अभ्युदयोन्मुखे । अन्तःकुम्भकम् आलम्ब्य चिरं भूयो न शोच्यते
When apāna has set and prāṇa is about to rise, by holding the internal retention (antar kumbhaka) for a long time, one is no longer subject to sorrow.
प्राणरेचकमूलस्थम् अपानापूरकोटिगम् । स्वस्थं कुम्भकम् अभ्यस्य न भूयः परितप्यते
By practicing kumbhaka, established in the root of the exhalation of prāṇa and reaching the summit of the inhalation of apāna, one remains undisturbed.
अपानरेचकाधारं प्राणपूरान्तसंस्थितम् । स्वसंस्थं कुम्भकं दृष्ट्वा न भूयः परितप्यते
Seeing kumbhaka established in oneself, at the base of the exhalation of apāna and at the end of the inhalation of prāṇa, one is no longer troubled.
प्राणापानाव् उभाव् अन्तर् यत्रैतौ विलयं गतौ । तद् आलम्ब्य पदं शान्तम् आत्मना नानुतप्यते
Where prāṇa and apāna both merge within, relying on that peaceful state, the self does not suffer.
प्राणभक्ष्योन्मुखापानं देशं कालं च निष्कलम् । विचार्य बहिर् अन्तर् वा न भूयः परिशोच्यते
By contemplating the place and time where apāna is ready to consume prāṇa, whether outward or inward, one is not afflicted again.
अपानभक्षणपरं प्राणं हृदि तथा बहिः । देशं कालं च सम्प्रेक्ष्य न भूयो जायते मनः
Observing the place and time where prāṇa, devoted to the consumption of apāna, resides in the heart and outside, the mind does not arise again.
यत्र प्राणो ह्य् अपानेन प्राणेनापान एव च । निगीर्णो बहिर् अन्तश् च देशौ कालौ च पश्य तौ
Where prāṇa is swallowed by apāna, and apāna by prāṇa, both outward and inward, see those places and times.
क्षणम् अस्तङ्गतप्राणम् अपानोदयवर्जितम् । अयत्नसिद्धं बाह्यस्थं कुम्भकं तत् पदं विदुः
For a moment, when prāṇa has set and apāna has not arisen, that effortless kumbhaka established outside is known as that state.
क्षणम् अस्तङ्गतापानः प्राणोदयविवर्जितः । अयत्नसिद्धो ह्य् अन्तस्स्थः कुम्भकः परमं पदम्
For a moment, when apāna has set and prāṇa has not arisen, that effortless kumbhaka established within is the supreme state.
एतत् तद् आत्मनो रूपं शुद्धैषा सा परैव चित् । एतत् सद् असदाभासम् एतत् प्राप्य न शोच्यते
This is indeed the true nature of the Self: pure, supreme consciousness. It appears as both existence and non-existence; upon attaining this, there is no sorrow.
पुष्पस्यान्तर् इवामोदं प्राणस्यान्तर् अवस्थितम् । न च प्राणं न चापानं चिदात्मानम् उपास्महे
Just as fragrance dwells within a flower, so consciousness abides within the breath. We do not worship breath or its outward flow, but the consciousness within the Self.
प्राणक्षयपदान्तस्थम् अपानक्षयकोटिगम् । अपानप्राणयोर् मध्यं चिदात्मानम् उपास्महे
We worship the consciousness within the Self, which resides at the end-point of breath and at the peak of its outward flow, in the interval between inhalation and exhalation.
प्राणस्य प्राणनं प्रोच्चैः परं जीवस्य जीवितम् । देहस्य धारणं धुर्यं चिदात्मानम् उपास्महे
We worship the consciousness within the Self, which is the highest vitality of breath, the supreme life-force of the living being, and the sustaining power of the body.
यस्मिन् सर्वं यतस् सर्वं यस् सर्वं सर्वतश् च यः । यश् च सर्वमयो नित्यं चिदात्मानम् उपास्महे
We worship the consciousness within the Self, in whom all exists, from whom all arises, who is everything, everywhere, and who is eternally all-pervading.
आलोकालोकनं पुण्यं सर्वपावनपावनम् । भावाभावनम् अन्यूनं चिदात्मनम् उपास्महे
We worship the consciousness within the Self, which is the sacred vision of light, the purifier of all impurities, the presence and absence of all states, and lacking nothing.
परस्परोपसङ्घट्टे हृदये मरुतोस् स्थितम् । बहिर् अन्तस् तथाकाशे चिदात्मनम् उपास्महे
We worship the consciousness within the Self, which is established in the heart amidst the meeting of the vital airs, and which is present both within and without, as space.
अपानो ऽस्तङ्गतो यत्र प्राणो नाभ्युदितः क्षणम् । कलाकलङ्करहितं तच् चित्तत्त्वम् उपास्महे
We worship that essence of consciousness, where the outward breath has ceased, the inward breath has not yet arisen, and which is free from any mark or trace.