Some offer the outgoing breath (prāṇa) into the incoming breath (apāna), and the incoming into the outgoing, restraining the movement of both — devoted to the practice of prāṇāyāma (breath control).
Synthesis
Some offer outgoing breath into incoming and vice versa. The Advaita tradition sees pranayama as means to still the mind. Ramanuja values it as devotional discipline. The Bhakti tradition sees conscious breathing as offering life-breath to God. Madhvacharya teaches pranayama genuinely purifies the subtle body. Abhinavagupta sees harmonizing prana and apana as entering the madhya of pure awareness. Vallabhacharya sees each breath as worship. Tilak values breath control for mental clarity. Vivekananda teaches it as a scientific method for building mental strength.
Commentaries 8 traditions
Shankara explains the technical practice: offering the outgoing breath into the incoming (pūraka), the incoming into the outgoing (recaka), and suspending both (kumbhaka). This pranayamic discipline stills the mind and prepares it for the direct realization of the Self.
Apply This Verse
Personal Growth
Breathwork is one of the most accessible and powerful self-regulation tools available. Start with simple practices — extended exhale for calm, rhythmic breathing for balance — and experience how profoundly breath affects mind and emotions.
Questions this verse answers
- ?"How do I start a breathwork practice?"
- ?"Why does breathing consciously change my emotional state?"
- ?"What simple breathing technique can I use daily?"
- ?"How does prāṇāyāma prepare the mind for meditation?"