प्राणस्पन्दो निरुध्यते - PrAnaspando Nirudhyate
Introduction
दिवि भमौ ू तथाssकाशेबहिरन्तश्च मेविभःु
योविभात्यवभासात्मा तस्मैसर्वात्मनेनमः ||
Salutations to him who is all pervading, who shines as the light of perception illuminating the earth, sky, space, the inner self and the outer world and who manifests as all that exists.
The text of Yoga Vasishta is attributed to Sage Valmiki (real author unknown), and consists of around 32000 Shlokas or 64000 lines of poetic grandeur. The whole narration is in the form of a dialogue between Sage Vasishta and Shri Rama. It is explained in the form of stories, stories within stories, to impress upon the reader to validate the deeper significance a seeker (mumukshu) has to engage in, to approach the problems confronting him. This has been condensed further to Laghu Yoga vasishta containing about 6000 verses and translated into many languages.
The main theme centers around the root cause of Shri Rama’s despondency when he returned from the gurukula. He showed no interest in any activity. His questions relate to the problem of human existence, suffering, and the way to happiness and other related questions.
Who is this book intended for?
It is intended for the chosen few, who have already had the needed spiritual development in the search of truth, capable of absorbing the salient facts explained in the narrative. According to Prof. Satyanarayana Shastry, this book is like a manana grantha ( a book for rumification and deep introspection). In this paper, the idea is about Pranaspando Nirudhyate, where one learns to transcend the prana, to still the prana, and thereby calm down the mind. With repeated practice, one attains nirvana or Moksha.
It is intended for the chosen few, who have already had the needed spiritual development in the search of truth, capable of absorbing the salient facts explained in the narrative. According to Prof. Satyanarayana Shastry, this book is like a manana grantha ( a book for rumification and deep introspection). In this paper, the idea is about Pranaspando Nirudhyate, where one learns to transcend the prana, to still the prana, and thereby calm down the mind. With repeated practice, one attains nirvana or Moksha.
Discussion
प्राणस्पन्दो निरुध्यते
Pranaspando nirudhyate
स्पन्दन मात्रंएव जगत |्
The world is identified with movements. There are Spandana, movement all around us. Daynight cycle, seasons changing, waves appearing and merging back into the sea are all
manifestations of the spandana. In Humans, we see these spandana as prana movements and
modifications in the chitta.
In the Hatha Yoga pradipika it is said,
चलेवातेचले चित्तंनिश्छलेनिश्छलंभवेत |
योगी सथाणत्ुवमाप्नोति ततो वायंुनिरोधयेत ||
As the wind moves, so the mind. By slowing down the breath (vayu), the mind calms down.
Most of the time we are not aware of these imbalances in the prana and we go on with our
routine. We worry about our health, only when faced with a certain disorder. The imbalance of
Prana causes a lot of disturbance in how our body and its various systems function. As per the
understanding from Yoga VAsishta, the root cause of all the Psychological disturbances starts in
the mind. Due to the fluctuations (speeded up thoughts in the mind) there are fluctuations in the
prana and the first signs are disturbances in digestion and elimination. This causes Ama to collect
in the body, which if not rectified on time leads to other disorders.
The Dialogue between Sage Vasishta and Sri Rama is explained below with a few verses taken
from the Yoga VAsishta, (Upashama prakarana) explaining the effects of Prana Spandana on the
mind and its impact on one's well being. Sri Rama was leading a luxurious life in the palace with
his family. But he was overcome with despondency. Things were going on as a routine and he
felt he had nothing to contribute to the society and the people of his kingdom. He had all the
comforts and yet his mind was restless, and he was not interested in any activity. Nothing
satisfied him.
Sage Vasishta, who was the Kula Guru in King Dasharatha’s palace, began his teachings to Sri
Rama. These teachings are compiled together in the text Yoga Vasishta, which are in the form of
stories to bring about the teachings of Dharma.
Sri Rama asks his guru Sage Vasishta, ‘why and how does the mind oscillate, and by what does it
become quiet? What is the solution for this Spandana/ oscillation?
येन प्रस्पन्दतेचित्तंयेन न स्पन्दतsेथवा |
तद्ब्रह्मन्ब्रहिू मेयेन चिकित्सेयंतदेव हि || 4
I have compiled a few of the solutions given by Sage Vasishta to Shri RAma which helps us to
understand the techniques to calm down the Spandana.
1. यथा शौक्ल्यहिमेराम तिलतललवौ ै यथा ।
यथा कुसमसौग ु न्ध्येतथौष्ण्यदहनौ यथा ॥ ५ ॥
Sage Vasishtha said to Rama, just like the colour white is associated with snow, and oil is
associated with sesame seeds; fragrance with flowers and the flame is coexistent with fire,
similarly, the mind and the prana follow each other. The mind and the prana are interconnected.
Fluctuations in one cause fluctuation in the other. When the spandana dissolves, the mind calms
down and all the activities of the mind dissolves on its own.
2. द्वौ क्रमौ चित्तनाशाय यॊगो ज्ञानंच राघव |
यॊगस्तदृत्तिरोधो हि ज्ञानंसंयगवेक्षणम || 8 ्
Sage Vasishta says, there are two methods for the dissolution of the mind, yoga and jnana. Yoga
is the disciplining of the chitta and jnana is perception of the truth.
Humans have different personalities, so different paths have been suggested to calm down the
mind. One is the path of Yoga and the Other the Path of Knowledge. Each person chooses a path
which is conducive to him, which he feels he can practise and incorporate along with his day to
day activities.
This thought is brought about by Shri Krishna in B.Gita where he discusses the different paths of
Yoga with Arjuna. Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga. Sage Patanjali also gives us Ashtanga
Yoga to reduce the modifications of the mind.
3. मनःस्पन्दोपशान्त्यायंसंसारः प्रविलीयते।
सर्या ू लोकपरिस्पन्दशान्तौ व्यवहृतिर्यथा र्य ॥ १६ ॥
The action of the mind being stopped, the perception of the existence of the world becomes
extinct (as we have no perception of it in our sound sleep, when the mind is inactive). It is like
the extinction of worldly affairs at sunset.
It is said that spandana is what makes the world, ever changing, and always in motion. We
associate ourselves with this with the ever changing nature of the world outside, which has some
beautiful and not so beautiful moments also. Interaction with the world with its ups and downs,
pain and pleasure, Joy and sorrow and other dualities, creates vrittis (fluctuations in the mind)
and we get caught up in this whirlpool. Just as a fish gets attracted to its bait and gets caught, our
outgoing sense organs get attracted to objects, develop desires and we fall into prey wanting to
possess the object.
Due to our ignorance, we consider a rope to be a snake in darkness. Once the light comes, we
see the rope and understand that it was due to my ignorance. Can we focus on permanent things
rather than the impermanent in the ever changing nature of things around us? This realization
does shift one’s focus to the higher reality. Just as when the sun goes down, all the activities in
nature slows down and the atmosphere becomes calm. Similarly, when we recognize the
impermanence of things and shift our awareness to a higher consciousness, the ignorance slowly
gets removed and the mind calms down.
श्रीराम उवाच ।
अनिशंचरतांदेहगेहेगगनगामिनाम ्।
प्राणादीनांपरिस्पन्दो वायनां ू रोध्यतेकथम ्॥ १७ ॥
Shri Rama’s question was, is it possible to stop the course of the winds, perpetually circulating
through the cells of the body, like the unnumbered birds flying in the air to their nests.
Sage Vasishta continues with the discussion.
4. शास्त्रसज्जनसंपर्कवरा ै ग्याभ्यासयोगतः ।
अनास्थायांकृतास्थायांपर्वू संसारव र्व त्तिृ षु।। १८
In the company of Scriptures and satsangha and following the path of AbhyAsa and VairAgya,
one becomes free from all the earlier accumulated vrittis and vasanas.
We are bound by our ever active sense organs and are ignorant of our true nature. We feel
burdened by our day to activities and this causes a lot of heartaches and pains. The interaction
with the world outside, creates impressions which are stored as Vasanas in the mind. These
Vasanas are the reason we behave or respond the way we do. Once our ignorance is removed in
the company of the learned, reading and contemplating on their words and scriptures, there
comes a sense of calmness in us. We are no longer bound by the vasanas and we feel a sense of
freedom in all our interactions with the world. we are free from it and go along with the flow.
By the company of the learned ones and reading of scriptures (by Satsangha), we get knowledge
about the impermanence of the things around us and the knowledge of higher consciousness.
Using the tools of Abhyasa and vairagya, we are released from the bondage and get liberated.
Sage Patanjali (PYS) has given us the concept of Pratipaksha Bhavanam to calm down the mind.
In the Astanga Yoga concept, Sage Patanjali, has given us 8 steps starting with yama and niyama
which are restraints and observes one follows during the interaction with the world outside and
for his own personal growth. In our journey of life, we tend to forget these and concentrate only
on the physical and gross aspects. To remind us and to be in tune with our nature, Sage Patanjali,
again reminds us by giving the sutra Pratipaksha Bhavanam (cultivating a positive attitude when
negative emotions take over) to overcome the inherent negative thoughts and emotions such as
anger, greed, pride, sadness, worry, and tension etc. Promoting healthy and positive thoughts are
essential to reach a balanced state of mind and personality.
5. यथाभिवाञ्छितध्यानाच्चिरमेकतयोदितात्।
एकतत्त्वघनाभ्यासात्प्राणस्पन्दो निरुद्ध्यते।। १९
Meditation of the desired object, and keeping in view that single object, and firm reliance on that
object, are the best means of stilling the breath.
The nature of the mind is to wander and the speed of the mind is believed to be faster than the
speed of the wind. When we sit to meditate, and bring our awareness to a particular object, the
awareness is maintained only for a few seconds. Thoughts keep coming and going and the mind
starts wandering. We need to keep repeating the practice again and again till we can reach the
state of one-pointedness. With repetitive practice, there is a chance to get monotonous, a lack of
awareness or a tendency to lose interest . Here, the advice given is that we should be doing the
practice with firm resolve, for a long time, fixing the awareness on one object and completely be
absorbed in it. When we are engrossed in a thing which we enjoy, love doing it, there is no
burden on us, the mind is calm and the prana slows down.
6. परका ू द्यनिलायामादृढाभ्यासादखेदजात |्
एकान्तध्यानयोगाच्च प्राणस्पन्दो निरुध्यत || 20 े
Doing the act of breathing with firm resolve and being with oneself while doing this practice, the
breath slows down and stillness is experienced.
Respiration involves Pooraka, Rechaka, kumbhaka, and Kevala sthithi. Most of us are caught up
with how long I can hold my breath, or how many rounds I can do the practice. Instead, develop
a practice to fix the mind on the breath, observe the natural way of breathing. By doing this, no
extra effort is involved, and we enter into a state where there is no spandana and enjoy the
slowing down of the breath, the stillness, the kevala stithi.
Is it possible for a person to sit alone? It is indeed challenging for most people. In the present
day, technology has helped us to keep ourselves busy, even when we are alone. In case we need
to sit quietly, boredom sets in or there is a tendency to get restless after a few minutes. Such is
the way that we are now- in a constant DOING state. Sage Bhushunda says that the secret to his
long life is this stilling of breathe, where after the breathe out he remains in that kevala stithi (where there is no spandana). The practice recommended is to sit alone quietly without any
engagements and let the restlessness settle down on its own. Begin to feel the peace inside and
then interact with the world outside. The Self in peace with the Self, आत्मन्येव आत्मनातष्ुटः is
the advice given by Shri Krishna in B.gita. In this way, there is no doing, just BEING with
ourselves, the mind is calm and Prana slows down.
7. ओकार ं उच्चारण प्रान्तशब्द तत्त्व अनभावनात ु |्
सषु प्ुतेसंविदो जातेप्राणस्पन्दो निरुध्यत || 21 े
The chanting of the syllable Om, pondering upon the significance of that word, and the
corresponding feeling when we are doing the chanting, and being in oneness with that, are ways
to slow down the breath.
ॐ has been used to represent the supreme consciousness. In the PYS it is said
तस्य वाचकः प्रणवः।।PYS 1.27।।
तज्जपस्तदर्थभावनम र्थ ।्PYS1.28।।
While chanting, one has to remember the meaning and also the bhavana attached with the
chanting. We need to keep repeating the Om chanting with this remembrance of the supreme
consciousness. Again, while chanting one has to chant / sing to one's capacity, effortlessly like a
smooth flow of the river.
8. तालमु लगतां ू यत्नाज्जिह्वयाक्रम्य घण्टिकाम ्।
ऊर्ध्वरर्ध्व न्ध्रगतेप्राणेप्राणस्पन्दो निरुद्ध्यते॥ २५ ॥
The tongue being carried to the end of the palate, and the tip being attached to the guttural bulb
or nodule, will slow down the breathing.
Prana helps plants, animals, and humans to grow upward. When we put a seed in the soil, give
proper manure, required water, the seed sprouts, comes out of the soil and grows into a plant.
With proper care it grows into a tree and yields us fruits and flowers, (depending on the type of
seed we planted). We may wonder, what is that which is making the seed grow. It is the locked
up prana in the tiny seeds that helps the plant to grow upward. If such is the case in a plant, what
about the prana in the humans, can it take him to great heights?
Humans look to the world outside for their interaction and most of their activities are directed
outside. Few get a glimpse of the inner nature. By cultivating a habit to contemplate on this inner
nature he transcends from the limitations of the body and mind.
The way we react is either an expression or a suppression of our inherent feelings as we are
bound by the pair of opposites. All our activities are reactions to the world outside. We have a
choice either to react or respond to a situation. With DhrudaabhyAsA, we can indeed rise from
the pair of opposites, raga and dvesha and transcend. Pranayama practices help to push the
prana upward, transcending the body, mind so that we have a better balance over the way we
respond. Once we are able to maintain this balanced state, we can direct the prana to move to the
part where we want to focus. We become the master. This requires, drudha abhyasa, ekagrata,
ekanta dhyana along with vairagya. The mind helps prana to go upward. And the dwandwa like
pain and pleasure, joy and sorrow, with which we seem to be bound starts to reduce slowly, the
mind calms down allowing the prana to become still.
9. द्वादशाङ्गुलपर्यन्र्य तेनासाग्रेविमलाम्बरे।
संविद्दृशि प्रशाम्यन्त्यांप्राणस्पन्दो निरुद्ध्यते॥ २७ ॥
The vital breath ranges within the space of twelve inches from the tip of the nose, this region
should be closely watched by the eyesight in order to still the breath.
When one does the Nasagra trataka practice, one is instructed to focus on the nose tip, which
puts a lot of effort on the eyes, sometimes resulting in headache.
Instead, what is suggested is to fix our gaze at a distance of twelve finger distance from the nose
tip, where the eyes can naturally fix the gaze on the incoming and outgoing breath. The result is
effortless gazing of the breath , which helps to slow down the prana spandana.
Conclusion
The world is associated with Spandana. When we associate ourselves with this spandana then
chitta vritti happens leading to chitta vikshepa. To calm down the spandana, breath (thereby
prana) is used as a tool to reduce the spandana and calm down the mind and reach a state of
silence. Various methods have been suggested by Sage Vasishta to Shri Rama. We as yoga
practitioners have also learnt these methods. What we need to do is constant practice, with a firm
resolve and without strain or effort.
“na hatath na bhalath is the solution given by sage Vasishta to reach मनः प्रशमन and be in the
kevala sthithi.
अभ्यासेन निराभाधमेतास्ता योगयक्ुतयः |
उपायातामपाया ु न्ति भव्यस्य भवभेदने ||
अभ्यासेन परिस्पन्देप्राणानांक्षयमागत |े
मनः प्रशममायाति निर्वाणमवशिष्यत || 50 े
Having attained such an uninterrupted state by practice and established in yoga, one finds his
own path, a great way to free from the clutches of the world.
Having made the practice one's own, having found the dissolution of prana spanda, the mind
becomes free from afflictions, and one achieves a state of nirvana.
Written by,
Vijaya Hariharan,Yoga Therapist
Yoga Bharati Bengaluru
Email: vijaya@yogabharati.net
The essence of Yoga Vasishta-Ramakrishna mission publication
The laghu Yoga vasistha
Lectures notes from Yogashri Raghuramjis lectures
The laghu Yoga vasistha
Lectures notes from Yogashri Raghuramjis lectures