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.
नापानो ऽभ्युदितो यत्र प्राणश् चास्तम् उपागतः । नासाग्रगगनावर्तं तच् चित्तत्त्वम् उपास्महे
We contemplate that essence of mind where neither the downward breath arises nor the upward breath sets, the space at the tip of the nose, the sky-like vortex.
प्राणापानोद्भवस्थाने बाह्याभ्यन्तरसंस्थिते । ये द्वे योगिपदाधारं तच् चित्तत्त्वम् उपास्महे
We contemplate that essence of mind which is the support of the two yogic states, where the upward and downward breaths originate and abide, both externally and internally.
प्राणापानरथारूढम् अप्राणापानम् आततम् । यच् छक्तिरूपं शक्तीनां तच् चित्तत्त्वम् उपास्महे
We contemplate that essence of mind which, mounted on the chariot of the upward and downward breaths, yet is beyond both, and which is the power among all powers.
हृत्प्राणकुम्भकं देवं बहिश् चापानकुम्भकम् । पूरकांशविमृष्टं यत् तच् चित्तत्त्वम् उपास्महे
We contemplate that essence of mind which is the divine retention of breath in the heart, the retention of the downward breath outside, and is touched by the measure of inhalation.
प्राणापानपरामर्शसत्तारूपावबोधकम् । यत् प्राप्यं प्राणमननात् तच् चित्तत्त्वम् उपास्महे
We contemplate that essence of mind which, by the awareness of the contact between the upward and downward breaths, reveals the reality of existence, and is attained by the breath and the mind.
यत् प्राणपवनस्पन्दो यत् स्पन्दानन्दकारणम् । कारणं कारणानां यत् तच् चित्तत्त्वम् उपास्महे
We contemplate that essence of mind which is the vibration of the vital breath, the cause of the bliss of vibration, and the cause of all causes.
यद् अखिलकलनाकलङ्कहीनं परिवलितं च सदा कलागणेन । अनुभवविभवं पदं तद् अग्र्यं सकलसुरावनतं परं प्रपद्ये
I take refuge in that supreme state, the foremost experience, which is ever surrounded by all the arts, free from all taint of thought and imagination, and which is revered by all the gods.
एषा हि चिति विश्रान्तिर् मया प्राणसमाधिना । क्रमेणानेन सम्प्राप्ता स्वयम् आत्मनि निर्मले
This is indeed the repose of consciousness, which I have gradually attained through the samadhi of the breath, in my own pure self.
एतां दृष्टिम् अवष्टभ्य संस्थितो ऽस्मि महामुने । न चलामि निमेषांशम् अपि मेरुर् इवाचलः
Relying on this vision, O great sage, I stand firm; I do not waver even for the blink of an eye, like Mount Meru, unmoving.
गच्छतस् तिष्ठतो वापि जाग्रतस् स्वपतो ऽपि वा । स्वप्ने ऽपि न चलत्य् एष सुसमाधिर् ममात्मनि
Whether walking or standing still, whether awake or asleep, even in dreams, this deep absorption in my own self does not depart.