Pranayama in Mahabharata

The Above shloka is an excerpt from Mahabharata, Vana Parva . It is a conversation between Narada & Yudhishthir, wherein Narada tells Yudhishthir of a conversation that happened between Bhishma & Pulatsya Rishi in the past, where Pulatsya Rishi mentioned to Bheeshma about the several Teerthasthals in Bharat. Of the several Teerthasthals that Pulatsya Rishi mentions , one particularly caught my attention. It's a place called Shwavillomapah.  In essence while describing the importance of this place , Pulatsya muni says , that many expert  yogis who perform intense pranayama at this place, shed their body hair and achieve purification of their chitta. 

Now to a lay person, shedding of body hair by the performance of pranayama might sound weird & non-sensical. But, there actually might be some factual basis for the same. You see, HathaYoga pradipika states that 'a practitioner must train himself/herself to hold kumbhaka until the prana can permeate to the tip of the nails & body hair.'- Ch:2/Sl 49 (p.p). This permeation of prana within each cell can create a sensation similar to goosebumps in a practitioner.  This increase in the intensity & flow of the prana in the body leads to a rise in the body temperature during the practice. We call this heat 'Ushna' in Sanskrit. 

Now, quite possibly the falling of the body hair might actually be an evolutionary response to the internal increase in ushna during the practice pranayama. As less body hair helps the body better respond to & process the heat produced internally. 

This increase in ushna during the pranayama sadhana is fundamentally what makes the entire system sensitive thus strengthening one's perception leading to chitta shuddhi. 

And it was very exciting and interesting for me to find pranamaya sadhana mentioned in our itihasa, Mahabharata. 

*-----An article by Rohit Pillai---* 
(The above article comes from the limited experience and knowledge of the author.  Just in case of any mistakes the author is open for criticism and corrections).

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Secrets of Sushumna

The word Sushumna in Yoga is a really dynamic word. In Hatha yoga It means the naadi ranging from the mooladhara to Sahasrara. Though , quite possibly, the word Sushumna itself is a Sandhya bhasha terminology in Sanskrit. In the word Sushumna itself lies codified the secrets of Samadhi. Let us break the word Sushumna into three parts - 'Su' , 'Shu', 'Mna'. The 'Su' in Sushumna stands for that which is pleasant or indicative of Bliss. 'Shu' is the root word for  Shuchi or Shuddh indicating purity , wholeness (poornata) and clarity of perception. 'Mna' in its root means to intently Fix your mind upon something or anchor or mind to something...eg: breath, mantra. etc. So quite possibly, the word Sushumna here is indicative of the state of Laya / dissolution  of mind as a result of its fixation on the state of bliss arising internally and also the clarity of perception and sensitivity in the presence of which the ordinary limited mind is diss...
Read more

The Science of Khechari & Bindu.

*The science of Khechari & Bindu (Dimethyltriptamine/DMT).*  In Hatha yoga, it is specifically said that the Bindu released from the pineal gland when dropped into the Jatharagni is destroyed. And hence by the use of Khechari mudra it is caught on the tongue and absorbed by the capillaries of the tongue. Now , let us explore what this Bindu possibly is and why catching it on the tip of the tongue is more effective than letting it digest via stomach. So , as per Master Mantak Chia, under certain processes,  once the body has created a built up of 15-20 mg of melatonin, the next chemical released is pinoline. Once pinoline too has built up to a certain level, the next hormone released is 5MEO & Dimethyl tryptamine (DMT). This DMT is a bliss producing chemical. And , as per some viewpoints, possibly also the mystical nectarine chemical , known as Bindu. Now there are some chemicals like LSD & DMT which apparently become less effective or are destroyed when they fall i...
Read more

Prashnopanishad Pranayama Mantra.

Commentary on the pranayama mantra , Prashnopanishad, ch. 2, vs.13. प्राणस्येदं वशे सर्वं त्रिदिवे यत्प्रतिष्ठितम् । मातेव पुत्रान्रक्शस्व श्रीश्च प्रज्ञां च विधेहि न इति ॥ १३ ॥ prāṇasyedaṃ vaśe sarvaṃ tridive yatpratiṣṭhitam | māteva putrānrakśasva śrīśca prajñāṃ ca vidhehi na iti || 13 || Commentary on the pranayama mantra: Between the metaphysical Consciousness (Shuddha Chaitanya) and the Gross physical material world, it is the prana that acts as a link between the 2 dimensions being both the catalyst and sutradhar facilitating the process of expression of life and evolution. The stability and functioning of our mind , the organs of perception and the organs of action is dependent on the level , intensity & stability of the prana within us. When enhanced by the practice of pranayama it protects us from chitta vikshepas & shat-ripus like a mother protects her children. On prana is dependent the sensitivity of our system, and on the sensitivity of our system is dependent our ...
Read more