Sūtra 3.29

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of Sūtra 3.29:

नाभिचक्रे कायव्यूहज्ञानम् ॥ ३.२९ ॥

nābhicakre kāyavyūhajñānam || 3.29 ||

29. In the navel-wheel, a knowledge of the disposition of the body.

The Rajamartanda commentary by King Bhoja:

[English translation of the 11th century commentary by Bhoja called the Rājamārtaṇḍa]

[Sanskrit text for commentary available]

After having described perfections regarding externals, be now attempts to describe internal perfections.

[Read Sūtra 3.29]

A knowledge is acquired by the Yogi who has performed Saṃyama with reference to the “wheel” (cakra) of sixteen radii which exists in the middle of the body, and is called " navel” (nābhi), of the “disposition” (vyūha) obtaining in the body of fluids, excrements, humours, tubes, &c. What is said is this—the navel-wheel, situated in the middle of the body, is the root of all the widespread tubes, therefore by knowing it, one fully understands how they are disposed in the body.

Notes and Extracts

[Notes and comparative extracts from other commentaries on the Yogasūtra]

[Down to the last aphorism the effect of Saṃyama applied to external objects formed the theme of comment; now the author turns to objects situated within the body. The first is the navelwheel, which is said to have sixteen radii. How this idea got into currency I cannot make out. Ancient Hindus must have seen the human abdomen dissected, and having seen it, it is impossible to imagine, how they conjured up the idea of a wheel with sixteen radii. There must be some recondite metaphor involved in this, but I know not what it is.]

Another perfection.