Introduction to Tantra Sastra - Aghori

YOGA 133
LĀGHAVA : PRĀṆ ĀYĀMA
From prāṇ āyāma (q.v.) arises laghava (lightness).
All beings say the ajapā-Gāyatrī, which is the expulsion
of the breath by Haṃkāra, and its inspiration by
Sahkāra, 21,600 times a day. Ordinarily, the breath goes
forth a distance of 12 fingers’ breadth, but in singing,
eating, walking, sleeping, coition, the distances are 16,
20, 24, 30, and 36 breadths respectively. In violent exercise
these distances are exceeded, the greatest distance
being 96 breadths. Where the breathing is under the
normal distance, life is prolonged. Where it is above that,
it is shortened. Pūraka is inspiration, and recaka expiration.
Kumbhaka is the retention of the breath between
these two movements. Kumbhaka is, according to the
Gheraṇ ḍ a-Saṃhitā, of eight kinds: sahita, sūryabheda,
ujjāyi, śītali, bhastrikā, bhrāmari, mūrchchha, and kevalī.
Prāṇ āyāma similarly varies. Prāṇ āyāma is the control
of the breath and other vital airs. It awakens śakti, frees
from disease, produces detachment from the world, and
bliss. It is of varying values, being the best (uttama)
where the measure is 20; middling (madhyama) when at
16 it produces spinal tremour; and inferior (adhama)
when at 12 it induces perspiration. It is necessary that
the nāḍ i should be cleansed, for air does not enter those
which are impure. The cleansing of the nāḍ i (nāḍ i-
śuddhi) is either samaṇ u or nirmaṇ u—that is, with or
without, the use of bīja. According to the first form, the
yogī in padmasana does guru-nyāsa according to the
directions of the guru. Meditating on “yaṃ,” he does japa
through Iḍ a of the bīja 16 times, kumbhaka with japa of
bīja 64 times, and then exhalation through the solar
nāḍ i and japa of bīja 32 times. Fire is raised from maṇ i-