DIVINE INFORMATION PART 85 Respected friends,
While goingthrough one of my external memory device, I came across some good information stored from websites. I thought ofsharing interesting ones from them as a series. In part 85, I amstarting with 303rd item in this posting. Kindly note the series is a compilation. Sincerely, Gopala Krishnan 26-08-21 303 Pranayama 17.Pranayama is said to be the union of Prana and Apana. It is of three kinds -expiration, inspiration and cessation. They are associated with the letters ofthe (Sanskrit) alphabet (for the right performance of Pranayama). ThereforePranava (OM) only is said to be Pranayama. Sitting in the Padma posture, theperson should meditate that there is at the tip of his nose Gayatri, a girl ofred complexion surrounded by the numberless rays of the image of the moon andmounted on a Hamsa (swan) and having a mace in her hand. She is the visible symbol of theletter ‘A’. The letter ‘U’ has as its visible symbolSavitri, a young woman of white colour havinga disk in her hand and riding on a Garuda (eagle). letter ‘M’ has as its visible symbolSarasvati, an aged woman of black colour ridingon a bull, having a trident in her hand. He should meditate that the singleletter – the supreme light – the Pranava (OM) – is the origin or source ofthese three letters ‘A’, ‘U’ and ‘M’. Drawingup the air through Ida for the space of sixteen matras, he should meditate onthe letter ‘A’ during that time; retaining the inspired air for the space ofsixty-four matras, he should meditate on the letter ‘U’ during the time; heshould then exhale the inspired air for the space of thirty-two matras,meditating on the letter ‘M’ during that time. Heshould practise this in the above order over and over again. 18.Then having become firm in the posture and preserved perfect self-control, theYogin should, in order to clear away the impurities of the Susumna, sit in thePadmasana (Padma posture) and having inhaled the air through the left nostril,should retain it as long as he can and should exhale it through the right. Thendrawing it again through the right and having retained it, he should exhale itthrough the left in the order that he should draw it through the same nostrilby which he exhaled it before and retained it. In this context, occur (to memory) the following verses: "Inthe beginning having inhaled the breath (Prana) through the left nostril,according to the rule, he should exhale it through the other; then havinginhaled the air through the right nostril should retain it and exhale itthrough the other. To those who practise according to these rules through theright and left nostrils, thenadis become purified within three months. 19.He should practise cessation of breath at sunrise, in the midday, at sunset andat midnight slowly till eighty (times a day) for four weeks. 20.In the early stages, perspiration is produced; in the middle stage the tremorof the body and in the last stage levitation in the air. These (results) ensureout of the repression of the breath, while sitting in the Padma posture. 21. When perspiration arises witheffort, he should rub his body well. By this, the body becomes firm and light. 22.In the early course of his practice, food with milk and ghee is excellent. Onesticking to this rule becomes firm in his practice and gets no Tapa (or burningsensation in the body). 23.As lions, elephants and tigers are gradually tamed, so also the breath whenrightly managed (comes under control); else it kills the practitioner. 24.He should (as far as is consistent with his health and safety) properly exhaleit, properly inhale it or retain it properly. Thus (only) will he attainsuccess. 25.By thus retaining the breath in an approved manner and by the purification ofthe Nadis, the brightening of the (gastric) fire, the hearing distinctly of(spiritual) sounds and (good) health result. 26-30.When the nervous centres have become purified through the regular practice ofPranayama, the air easily forces its way up through the mouth of the Susumnawhich is in the middle. By the contraction of the muscles of the neck and bythe contraction of the one below (viz.,) Apana, the Prana (breath) goes intothe Susumna which is in the middle from the west Nadi. Drawing up the Apana andforcing down the Prana from the throat, the Yogin free from old age becomes ayouth of sixteen. 31. Seated in a pleasant posture anddrawing up the air through the right nostril andretaining it inside from the top of the hair to the toe nails, he should exhaleit through the same nostril. Through it, the brain becomes purified and thediseases in the air Nadis are destroyed. Drawing up the air through thenostrils with noise (so as to fill the space) from the heart to the neck andhaving retained it (within) as long as possible, he should exhale it throughthe nose. Through this hunger, thirst, idleness and sleep do not arise. Takingin the air through the mouth (wide open) and having retained it as long aspossible, he should expel it through the nose. Through this, (such diseases as)Gulma; Pleeha (both being splenetic diseases), bile and fever as also hunger,etc., are destroyed. Now we shall proceed to Kumbhaka (restraint of breath). Itis of two kinds - Sahita and Kevala. That which is coupled with expiration andinspiration is called Sahita. That which is devoid of these is called Kevala(alone). Until you become perfect in Kevala, practise Sahita. To one who hasmastered Kevala, there is nothing unattainable in the three worlds. ByKevala-restraint of breath, the knowledge of Kundalini arises. Then he becomeslean in body, serene in face and clear eyed, hears the (spiritual) soundsdistinctly, becomes free from all diseases and conquers his (Bindu) seminalfluid, his gastric fire being increased. Centring one’s mind on an inwardobject whilst his eyes are looking outside without shutting and opening of hiseyelids, has been called Vaishnavi-mudra. This is kept hidden in all theTantric works. 32. With his mind and breath absorbedin an internal object, the Yogin, though he does not really see the objects outside and under him, still (appears to)see them with eyes in which the pupils are motionless. This is calledKhechari-mudra. It has as its sphere of extension one object and is verybeneficial. (Then) the real seat of Vishnu, which is void and non-void, dawnson him. 33. With eyes half closed and with afirm mind, fixing his eyes on the tip of his nose and becoming absorbed in thesun and moon, he after remaining thusunshaken (becomes conscious of) the thing which is resplendent, which is thesupreme truth and which is beyond. O Sandilya, know this to be Tat (That). 34.Merging the sound in the light and elevating the brows a little, this is of theway of (or is a part of) the former practice. This brings about the state ofUnmani which causes the destruction of the mind. 35. Therefore he should practise theKhechari-mudra. Then he attains to the state of Unmani and falls into the Yoga sleep (trance). To one who obtains thisYoga sleep, time does not exist. Placing the mind in the midst of Sakti andSakti in the midst of the mind and looking on the mind with the mind, OSandilya be happy. 36. Place the Atman in the midst ofAkasa and Akasa in the midst of Atman andhaving reduced everything to Akasa, do not think of anything else. 37.You should not (then) entertain thoughts, either external or internal.Abandoning all thoughts, become abstract thought itself. 38. As camphor in fire and salt inwater become absorbed, so also the mind becomes absorbed in the Tattva (Truth). 39.What is termed Manas (mind) is the knowledge of everything that is known andits clear apprehension. When the knowledge and the object cognised are lostalike, there is no second path (or that is the only path). 40.By its giving up all cognition of objects, it (the mind) is absorbed and whenthe mind is absorbed, Kaivalya (isolation) alone remains. 41.For the destruction of the Chitta, there are two ways - Yoga and Jnana. Oprince of sages, Yoga is the (forcible) repression of the modifications of themind and Jnana is the thorough inquiry into them. I will continue in next posting. The mudrasare told just for information sake in this posting.If one desire to practice do it with an experienced master -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/131017824.682037.1629947833166%40mail.yahoo.com.
