Part 3.1b - The Nine classifications of Prāṇāyāma

The Yogakuṇḍalinī Upaniṣad mentions four types of prāṇāyāma. These are—Sūryabhedī; Ujjāī; Śitalī; Bhastrikā;^[1].

The Yogaśikhopaniṣad^[2] also mentions only four types as Yogakuṇḍalinī, Upaniṣad. The Śāṇḍilya Upaniṣad, however mentions another called—Sītkāra.^[3]

In addition to the these five, the Haṭhayogapradipikā^[4] and Gheraṇḍa Saṃhitā,^[5] mention four more such as—bhrāmarī, murchā, plāvini and kevalī.

So in all there are the following nine namely:-

1. Sūryabhedī,
2. Ujjāyī,
3. Śitalī,
4. Sītkārī,
5. Bhastrikā,
6. Bhrāmari,
7. Mūrchā,
8. Plāvinī and
9. Kevalī.

It may also be noted that while the first eight are called sahita kumbhaka i.e. those win which recaka and pūraka are involved, the last one is simply kumbhaka without any recaka or pūraka.

(i) Sūryabhedana :

The yogī sit on a comparable seat, adopt a posture like sukhāsana, siddhāsana, padmāsana etc. and suck in the outside air through the right nostril. Thereafter he should hold it in order that it fills the body right from the nails to the hair. Thereafter release the air from the left nostril slowly. This excellent prāṇāyāma should be done repeatedly.

Benefit: This prāṇāyāma cleaness the head, it destroys all the four types of diseases caused by the disturbance of air element. This prāṇāyāma is also very effective in destroying the intestinal worms.^[6]

(ii) Ujjāyī :

Close the mouth. Then suck in air slowly through the two nāḍīs (Iḍā and piṅgalā) i.e. both the nostrils–right as well as left.

The inhaling should be such as may brush against the throat and right upto the heart and it should create a sound. (Something like the one you have in snaring). Hold it as before and then exhale through the left nostril. This prāṇāyāma can be done even when you are walking or sitting.

Benefit: This prāṇāyāma removes the heat that arises in the head. It is an excellent remedy for curing the phlegm in the threat. It also cures accumulation of water in the veins (nāḍīs). It cures diseases related to the semen.^[7]

(iii) Śitalī :

In this prāṇāyāma the air is to sucked with the tongue and after holding the same released slowly through both the nostrils.

The name of this prāṇāyāma is derived from its cooling effect on the body. Kumbhikā is a feminine form of kumbhaka and śītalī is the feminine form of śītala meaning cool and qualifies kumbhikā.

Benefits: This prāṇāyāma cures (i) enlargement of the spleen, (ii) tuberculosis (iii) diseases caused by the disturbance of fire element. (iv) fever, (v) thirst (vi) different types of poisons.^[8]

(iv) Bhastrikā:

(i) Sit in padmāsana posture (in case, one can not adopt this posture assume any other which is found to be comfortable). It is however, likely that the padma posture is more useful in this prāṇāyāma) with straight neck and abdomen.

(ii) After this empty the breath with the breath. This means that instead of doing it the usual way, do it a little more forcefully and consciously.

(iii) Now such in the air with force through the nostrils in such away that it touches the thorat and right upto the head, making the inhale with a sound.

(iv) Thereafter exhale in the same way (through the nostrils).

(v) In hale and exhale this repeatedly.

(vi) In this way the air inside the body should be brought in motion exactly in the same way as the ironsmith works his bellows forcefully.

(vii) Thereafter when you feel some fatique in the body, exhale with the left nostril.

(viii) Thereafter, when once again the abdomen is full of air, hold it for a while there with the nostrils closed lightly with the index fingers.

(ix) Do the kumbhaka as usual and thereafter exhale with the left nostril.

Benefits:

(i) This prāṇāyāma takes away the heat fire that arises in the throat.
(ii) This increases the body heat fire.
(iii) This is instrumental in awakening the kuṇḍalinī.
(iv) It meritorious destroys sin, is bestower of well being and gives comfort.
(v) It destroys the blockages at the mouth of the Brahma nāḍī i.e. suṣumnā caused by the accumulation of phlegm etc. there.
(vi) This is instrumental in piercing the three knots (granthi) born out of the three guṇas viz. sattva, rajas and tamas.^[9]

(v) Sītkārī:

Suck in the air through the mouth, creating a hissing sound. Hold according to capacity and then release the same through both the nostrils.

Benefits: By doing the prāṇāyāma, one can avoid hunger, thirst, sloth and sleep. By doing this one can become another cupid (kāmadeva).^[10]

(vi) Bhrāmarī:

The word brahmara means a “black bee”. Bhrāmarī is the feminine form of bhramara, which is an adjective derived from bhrāmarī meaning a bee. This prāṇāyāma takes its name from that since while doing this a sound like that of a bee is produced.

While doing this prāṇāyāma do it forcefully and with a sound resembling that of bee. So also create the same sound while releasing the breath slowly, inhaling and exhaling is to be done alternately through both the nostrils.

Benefits: By practicing this prāṇāyāma, the yogī experience an indescribable mental joy.^[11]

The description of this prāṇāyāma as given by the Gheraṇḍa Saṃhitā is however, quite different from what has been described by the other Upaniṣad. According to this

At midnight when all sorts of sounds of birds etc. have ceased (i.e. pindrop silence) the practitioner should do pūraka (inhale) and kumbhaka (holding), closing both his ears, with his hands. Having done so, he should try to hear the auspicious inner sound (nāda) in the right ear. In due course he will hear different types of sounds beginning with the sound of a cricket and ultimately the dundubhi war drum, ultimately leading to Samādhi.^[12]

(vii) Murchā:

According to Haṭhayoga pradipikā “At the end of pūraka (inhale), do the jālandhara bandha (lock) firmly and then release the air slowly. This prāṇāyāma called mūrchā induces a swooning of the mind and gives pleasure and relief.^[13]

The description given by the Gheraṇḍa saṃhitā is, however, a bit different–Do kumbhaka (holding) with case and then apply the mind in the spot in between the eye brows (ājñācakra). Forget all the sense objects. This swooming of the mind gives great relief. The uniting of the mind with the soul certainly produces bliss.^[14]

(viii) Plāvinī:

When the abdomen is filled with air and the entire inside of the body is filled with air to the maximum, the body becomes capable of floating on water like the leaf of a lotus.^[15]

(ix) Kevalī:

This is a very difficult prāṇāyāma. Success in this can be achieved only after a long and sustained effort.

This prāṇāyāma constitutes only kumbhaka (holding of the breath) and there is no recaka (exhaling) or pūraka (inhaling) in it. At first grasp this seems to be an impossibility, but the possibility starts emerging once the concept is clear. The Gheraṇḍa saṃhitā says:-

The breath goes out with the sound HA and enters again with the sound SA. (put together, that becomes Haṃsa). That way human being ulters this Gāyatrī called ajapā twenty one thousand and six hundred times during one day and night at the rate of fifteen respirations per minute.

This respiration called haṃsa is associated with three points in the body viz.

(i) the mūlādhāra cakra between the aṇus and the genital;
(ii) the anāhata cakra the lotus at the heart;
(iii) the twin nostrils.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

‌suryojjāyī śitalī ca bhastrī caiva caturthikā | Yo. Kuṇ-I.21.‌

[2]:

athābhyaset sūryabhedamujjāyīm cāpi śitalam |
bhastram ca sahito nāma syātccatuṣṭayakumbhakaḥ || Yogaśikha-upaniṣad 23.

[3]:

‌Śāṇḍilya Upaniṣad-I.VII-13-3.

[4]:

‌sūryabhedamujjayī śītkārī śitatī tathā bhastrikā bhrāmarī murchā plarinītyaṣṭa–kumbha kāḥ || Haṭhayoga-pradīpaII-44.‌

[5]:

Sabitoḥ sūryabhedaśca ujjayī śitalī tathā bhastrikā bhrāmarī murchā kevalī cāṣṭa kumbhikāḥ. Gheraṇḍa Saṃhitā-V-46.

[6]:

Haṭhayoga-pradīpa-II-48-50

[7]:

‌Ibid-II-51, 53; Yogakuṇḍalini Upaniṣad-I-26-29.

[8]:

‌“mukhena vāyum saṃgruhya prāṇarandhreṇa recayet |
sītalīkaraṇam cedam hanta pittam kṣudhām tṛṣāṃ || Yogaśikha-upaniṣad-I-95.
also, “jivhayā vāyum gṛhitvā yathaśakti kumbhayitvā nāsābhyām recayet tena gulmaplīhā jvarapittaṣudhādi naśyati || Śāṇḍilya Upaniṣad-I. VII-13-4.

[9]:

‌Yogakuṇḍalini Upaniṣad-I–32 to 39; Haṭhayoga-pradīpa-II-59-67.

[10]:

‌Śāṇḍilya Upaniṣad-I-VII-13-3; Haṭhayoga-pradīpa-III-54-56.

[11]:

‌begādgheṣam pūrakam bhṛṅgīnādam recakam mandam mandam |
yogīndrāṇāmevambhyāsayogācītte jātā kācīdānandalītā || Haṭhayoga-pradīpa-II-68.

[12]:

‌Gheraṇḍa Saṃhitā-V-78-82.

[13]:

‌pūrakānte gāḍhataram vadhvā jālandharam śantiḥ |
recayenmurehanākhyeyaṃ kṛtvā manormūrchā sukhapradā || Ibid-II-69.

[14]:

‌sukhena kumbhakam kṛtvā manaśca bhṛvontaram |
santyajya viṣayān sarvāṇ manormūrchā sukhapradā |
ātmani manasa yogadāmanda jāyate dhṛvam || Ibid-V-83.

[15]:

‌antaḥpravartitodāramārūtāpūritodaraḥ |
payasyagādhepi sukhātplavate padmapatravat || Haṭhayoga-pradīpa-III.70.