THE SCIENCE OF PRANAYAMA

SRI SWAMI SIVANANDA

Sri Swami SivanandaFounder of The Divine Life Society

SERVE, LOVE, GIVE,PURIFY, MEDITATE,REALIZESo SaysSri Swami Sivananda

A DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY PUBLICATION

First Edition: 1935Sixteenth Edition: 1997(6,000 Copies)World Wide Web (WWW) Edition: 2000WWW site: http://www.SivanandaDlshq.org/

This WWW reprint is for free distribution

ISBN 81-7052-022-3

Published By

THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETYP.O. S

HIVANANDANAGAR

—

249 192Distt. Tehri-Garhwal, Uttar Pradesh,Himalayas, India.

PUBLISHERS’ NOTE

Itisneedlessforustostressonthemeritsofthesubjectoritsauthor,SriSwamiSivanandajiMaharaj.SriSwamijialreadylivesintheheartsofthepeopleoftheworldasan‘unfailingsaviour’.TheSwamiji’smethodofpresentingsuchintricateYogicsubjectsinaninimitable,simplestylewithconvincingassurancesinuniqueandunrivalled.Itisauthoritative,themoreso,becauseof Swamijibeingacombinationofanexperiencedmedicalpractitioner,afull-blownYogiandaJivanmukta.ThepracticeofPranayamahasbeenviewedwithfearincertainquartersonaccountof certainlimitations,viz.,theabsolutenecessityofthenearnesstoaperfectedGuru,thedieteticrestrictionsandthelike.SriSwamijihasexplainedhereinincleartermsthevagariesofsuchfearsandhasprescribedverysimpleandsafemethods.Thebookcontainssuitablelessonsforalltypesof Sadhakas.Thosewhofollowthespecialinstructionsgiventowardstheendofthebookcanbesureof their guaranteed success and safety.Pranayamaisanimportant

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inAshtangaYoga.Itisequallynecessaryforallintheirdailylife,forgoodhealth,successandprosperityineverywalkoflife.Howitisso,isexplainedinthesepages.Thescienceofrelaxationisaveryvaluablegiftforthereadersandwouldbenefitall.Wearegreatlyencouragedbythewarmreceptionthepreviouseditionshadatthehandsof ourdearreadersandwehopemoreandmoreSadhakaswouldtakeupthisimportantaspectof Sadhanaintheirdailyspiritualpractices,andfeelforthemselvesthehappinessandjoywhichwillnaturally lead them to blissful ‘Divine Life’.—THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY

INTRODUCTION

Today,forquicktravel,thematerialworldpresentsustheRailway,Steamers,Aeroplanesandsoforth,buttheYoginsclaimthatbyYogicculturetheweightofthebodycanbesoreducedthatitcanflyoverthespacetoanydistanceinaninstant.Theycanprepareamagicointment,whichwhenappliedtothesolesofthefeet,givesthempowertotraverseanydistanceonearthwithinaveryshorttime.BythepracticeofKhechariMudra,byapplyingtheelongatedtonguetotheposteriornasalopeningstheycanflyintheair.Bykeepingamagicpillintheirmouththeycanalsomoveinspacetoanyplaceinthetwinklingofaneye.Whenweareanxioustoknowthewelfareof ourownrelationsinadistantorforeignland,wetakerecoursetowritingletterssendingordinaryorurgentcables.ButtheYoginsclaimthattheycan,bymeditation(Dyana),knowanythingthathappensinotherpartsoftheworldbyaprojectionofthemindorbymentallytravellingthedistancewhichisonlyamatteroffewseconds.YogiLahiri,whoseSamadhiisstillinVaranasi,travelledtoLondontoseethestateofhealthofhissuperior’swife.Forhearingafriendatalongdistancethematerialworldpresentsuswithtelephonesandwirelessreceivers,buttheYoginsclaimthatthroughtheirYogicpower,theycanhearanything,fromanydistance,eventhevoicesofGodandotherinvisiblebeingsinthefirmament.Todaywhenamanissufferingfromadiseasethematerialworldpresentsuswithdoctors,medicines,injectionsandsoforth,buttheYoginsclaimthatbya