Chapter 4
Ashtanga Yoga: Nadis and Prana
For anyone, one's body is 96 Angulas when measured with his own thumb. In the middle of the body is the abode of fire shining like molten gold. For humans, it is triangular in shape located two Angulas above the anus and two Angulas below the genitals
Know the Center of the body! The Kandasthana is located nine Angulas from Muladhara and it stretches out four Angulas in diameter. It looks like the egg of a hen and placed inside a sheath. In the middle of it is the navel.
Nadis
The Nadi located in the middle of the knot of the navel is Susumna. Seventy-two thousand Nadis stand around it. Among them, fourteen Nadis are important.
They are listed below.
1.Susumna
2.Pingala
3.Ida
4.Sarasvati
5.Pusa
6.Varuna
7.Hasti-jihva
8.Yajasvini
9.Alambusa
10.Kuhu
11.Visvodara
12.Payasvini
13.Sankini
14.Gandhari
Of these, three are more important. Among the three, one is the most important. That is Susumna known as Brahma-Nadi as called by the learned. Susumna is attached to the
Vertebral column known as Vina-Danda that is made up of bones and extends up to the skull.
The seat of Kundalini is two Angulas below the navel. The form of Kundalini is made up of eight constituents. She regulates the functions of Vayus as her allotted function. Also, she regulates the functions of the passage of food and drinks by the encircling the sides of the navel with her own mouth which is the aperture of Brahman.
Ida stands on the left of Susumna and Pingala stands on the right. Sarasvati and Kuhu stand on the sides. Gandhari and Hasti- jihva stand at the rear and front of Ida. Pusa and Yajasvini are at the rear and front of Pingala.
Visvodara stands in between Kuhu and Hasti-jihva. Varuna stands in between Yajasvini and Kuhu. Yajasvini is in between Pusa and Sarasvati. Sankini is between Gandhari and Sarasvati. Alambusa extends up to the Anus from the middle of the knot of the navel.
Kuhu is at the front of Susumna.
Pingala extends up to the right nostril and Ida to the left nostril. Yajasvini goes up to the big toe of left foot. Pusa goes up to left eye by standing behind Pingala.
Payasvini to the right ear. Sarasvati goes to the tip of the tongue. Hasti-jihva to the big toe of the right foot. Sankini to the end of the left ear. Gandhari to the right eye. Visvodara is located in the knot of the navel.
Vayus
Vayus are ten in number. They are as below.
2.Apana
3.Vyana
4.Samana
5.Udana
6.Naga
7.Kurma
8.Krkara
9.Deva-datta
10.Dhanjaya
These Vayus flow through all the Nadis. Of them, the first five are important. Among these, the first two are more important. Among these two, Prana is the most important.
Prana always presents in the middle of the neck, nose, navel, and heart.
Apana is always present in the middle of the anus, thighs, knees, the whole belly, navel, hip, and shanks. Vyana is always present in the middle of the ears and eyes, at the joints of shoulders and neck, wrist and the throat.
Udana is present in legs and hands.
Samana pervades all parts of the body, without any doubt.
The second five Vayus starting from Naga are present in skin, bones and the like.
The Functions of Vayus
The functions of Prana are the inhalation, exhalation, and coughing. The works of Apana are the evacuation of faeces and urine. Samana pulls everything to the proximity. Udana lifts things up, without any doubt. Vyana causes clashes.
Naga does belching. Dhanjaya swelling. Kurma does the work of shutting the eyes. Krkara is making oneself hungry. Bringing sleep is the work of Devadatta.
The Deities of Nadis
Siva is the deity of Susumna. Hari is for Ida. Brahman is for Pingala. Viraj is for Sarasvati. Pusan is for Pusa. For Hasti-jihva, Varuna is the deity. For Yajasvini, the Sun. For Alambusa, Varuna. For Kuhu, the God of hunger. For Gandhari and Sankini, the moon is the deity. Prajapati is the deity of Payasvini. Pavaka is for Visvodara.
The movement inside the Nadis
The moon always travels through Ida. Likewise the sun through Pingala.
The passage of Vayu from Pingala to Ida is known as the Northern course and Ida to Pingala is the southern course.
When Prana reaches the junction of Ida and Pingala, it is a new moon in the body.
When Prana enters Muladhara, it is said to be the first equinox by the dedicated performer of penance and when Prana enters the cranium, it is the last equinox of the performer.
All inhalations and exhalations are the passage of months. When the Prana reaches Kundalini through Ida, it is said to be the lunar eclipse. If it is through Pingala, it is a solar eclipse.
Pilgrimage places inside the body
Sri-Parvata is at the crest. Kedara in the forehead. Benares is at the junction of brows and nose. Kurushetra is at the chest.
Prayaga is at the heart chakra. In the middle of the heart is Chidambaram. Kamalalaya is in Muladhara.
Having abandoned the pilgrimage waters inside the body and resorting to external waters of pilgrimage places is like going after broken pieces of glass having abandoned the gems in hands.
The pilgrimage resort of abstract meditation is the supreme resort that is the proper remedy for all the sins. The wife is caressed with one focus and the daughter is caressed with a different focus.
The yogi, having faith in his own Atman, should not resort to pilgrimage waters nor Gods made of wood and the like.
The internal pilgrimage resort is by far superior to external pilgrimage resorts. The Thirtha (water of the pilgrimage places) of Atman is the greatest Thirtha. Other Thirthas have no significance.
If the internal Thirtha of Chitta (mind) is contaminated, it cannot be purified by ceremonial baths and ablutions like a liquor-pot are not purified even after hundreds of washings with water.
A man becomes pure (bodily) by bathing at places like Varanasi during solstices, equinoxes, eclipses, and at intervening periods always.
The Thirtha flowing from the washed feet of great men who are in pursuit of the true knowledge and attainment of yoga, it is the Thirtha for the purification of the contaminated mind of the ignorant. (Note: It means that only the grace of Guru purifies).
Shiva is firmly established in the body. The fools seek Shiva in the woods, stones, sacrifices, chanting, charity, and sacred waters. It is like the person who serves food licks his elbow after throwing off the ball of food. (Giving up Shiva who stands inside and seeking him externally).
The yogis look for Shiva inside and not in images that have been created for ignorant people to conceive the Supreme Being.
He who sees the eternal, real, non-dual, omniscient, and bliss Brahman as his own Atman knows that. Always realize with the help of your own mind " I am the Atman", giving up the cluster of Nadis and the human state on your own accord.
On seeing the almighty, incorporeal, blissful, and eternal Brahman in all the bodies, the yogi fortifies himself and does not experience grief. By the strength of his wisdom, the ignorance that produces the difference between Atman and Brahman is altogether lost.
What is the difference between Atman and Brahman? There exists no difference.