Chapter 5
Purification of Nadis
Sage Sankriti asked Sage Dattatreya to explain the purification of Nadis by means of which one can attain Jivan-mukti meditating constantly.
Dattatreya proceeds to explain briefly the mode of purification.
The aspirant having regulated his actions and conducts in line with the prescriptions of the scriptures, being devoid of desires and volition, having endowed with the eight limbs of yoga starting from Yama, being in tranquil, having resorted to the ultimate truth, and having confirmed in his own self properly instructed by the enlightened should resort to a Math (ancient place for practice) either at the top of a hill or on the banks of a river, or under Bilva tree or at a forest which is pleasant and clean.
Then he should assume a posture facing east or north with his neck, head and body erect in a straight line, having closed his mouth and eyes, becoming motionless and start the yoga practice to see with his eyes the tip of the nose, the disc of the moon in the middle of the Bindu, the fourth state of consciousness, and the nectar that falls down.
Inhaling the Prana through the left nostril and keeping it in the belly visualizing the fire in the middle of the body, he should meditate on the seed of fire ("Ram") with Bindu and Nada. Then he should exhale the Prana through the right nostril. Again he should inhale through the right nostril and meditate on the seed of the fire. Then he should exhale the Prana through the left nostril.
He should practice this six times at three junctions of the day for three to four days (uniformly for each day).
By constantly following this, he attains purification of the Nadis that reflects in the lightness of the body, glowing of fire in the belly and the clear manifestation of sound. The symptoms are the indications for successful mastery. He should continue the practice until he sees the symptoms.
Then he should proceed to purify his Atman. The true nature of Atman is that it is always pure, eternal, self-luminous and is always in the form of happiness. By the impact of ignorance, it is seen as impure. By the impact of wisdom, its purity is seen. He alone is pure who washes away the mud of impurity with the water of true knowledge. Not others who are bound by Karma.