Chapter 1 — Amritanada Upanishad

Raising up the vayu (breath) from the ākāśa (region, viz., the heart) and making the body void (of vayu) and empty and uniting (the soul) to the state of void, is called recaka (expiration).

That is called pūraka (inspiration) when one takes in vayu (air), as a man would take water into his mouth through the lotus-stalk.

That is called kumbhaka (cessation of breath) when there is no expiration or inspiration and the body is motionless, remaining still in one state.

Then he sees forms like the blind, hears sounds like the deaf and sees the body like wood. This is the characteristic of one that has attained much quiescence.

That is called dhāraņā when the wise man regards the mind as sankalpa (heartfelt desire, a solemn vow, an intention, or a resolve to do something) and merging sankalpa into Atma, contemplates upon his Ätman (alone).

That is called täraka (logic) when one makes inference which does not conflict with the Vedas. That is called samadhi (state of intense concentration) in which one, on attaining it, thinks (all) equal.

Seating himself on the ground on a seat of kusa grass which is pleasant and devoid of all evils, having protected himself mentally (from all evil influences), uttering ratha mandala (Omkar),

assuming either padma, svastika, or bhadra posture or any other which can be practised easily, facing the north and

closing the nostril with the thumb, one should inspire through the other nostril and retain breath inside and preserve the Agni (fire). Then he should think of the sound (Om) alone.

Om, the one letter is Brahman; Om should not be breathed out. Through this divine mantra (Om), it should be done many times to get rid himself of impurity.

Then as said before, the mantra-knowing wise should regularly meditate, beginning with the navel upwards in the gross, the primary (or less) gross and subtle (states).

The greatly wise should give up all (sight) seeing across, up or down, and should practise yoga always being motionless and without tremor.

The union as stated (done) by remaining without tremor in the hollow stalk (viz., Suşumnā) alone is Dharana. The yoga with the ordained duration of twelve matras is called (Dharana).

This Ghosha, known by the name Pranav, is not pronounced through external efforts. It is not even a consonant and a vowel. It is not pronounced even through throat, palate, lips or nose etc. It is also not pronounced from the area called teeth situated at the end of both the lips. ‘Pranav’ is the best letter, which never disappears. Omkar should be practiced in the form of Pranayama, and the mind should always be engaged in the resonating sound.

The path which a Yogi observes, that is, the place which he considers accessible through the mind, he travels along the same path with his soul and mind. In order for the soul to move on the best path, the seeker should keep practicing regularly.

The path of entry of air is the heart. It is through this that Prana enters the path of Sushumna. On ascending above this, the gate of salvation at the top is Brahmarandhra. Yogis know it as Suryamandal. By piercing this Suryamandal or Brahmarandhra and renouncing the life one attains liberation.

The yogi should forever abandon all the bad qualities like fear, anger, laziness, excessive sleeping, excessive waking, eating too much or remaining fasting at all.

In this way, any seeker who practices regularly and makes gradual progress, automatically attains knowledge within three months, there is no doubt in this.

That yogi-seeker, by practicing regularly, attains the power of seeing God within four months. In five months, he becomes endowed with the power equal to that of the gods and in six months he becomes capable of attaining Kaivalya as per his wish without any doubt.

That which is of the earth is of five Matras (or it takes five Matras to pronounce Parthiva-Pranava). That which is of water is of four Matras; of Agni, three Matras; of Vayu, two;

And of Akasa, one. But he should think of that which is with no Matras. Having united Atman with Manas, one should contemplate upon Atman by means of Atman.

Prana is thirty digits long. Such is the position (of range) of Pranas. That is called Prana which is the seat of the external Pranas.

In this external prana, one lakh thirteen thousand six hundred and eighty breaths take place in a day and night.

(Of the Pranas) the first viz., Prana is pervading the heart; Apana, the anus; Samana, the navel; Udana, the throat;

And Vyana, all parts of the body. Then come the colours of the five Pranas in order.

Prana is said to be of the colour of a blood-red gem (or coral); Apana which is in the middle is of the colour of Indragopa (an insect of white or red colour).

Samana is between the colour of pure milk and crystal (or oily and shining), between both (Prana and Apana); Udana is Apandara (pale white); and Vyana resembles the colour of archis (or ray of light).

That man is never reborn wherever he may die, whose breath goes out of the head after piercing through this Mandala (of the pineal gland). That man is never reborn.

Om! May He protect us both together; may He nourish us both together; May we work conjointly with great energy, May our study be vigorous and effective; May we not mutually dispute (or may we not hate any). Om! Let there be Peace in me! Let there be Peace in my environment! Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me! Here ends the Amritanada Upanishad belonging to the Krishna-Yajur-Veda.