Krishjan

Chapter 7 — Seventh Khanda

Jabal Darshan

13 Shloka • Translation Only

Now, O great sage, I shall explain Pratyāhāra. The senses, by their very nature, move among their respective objects.

Forcefully withdrawing them from those objects is called Pratyāhāra. Whatever one sees, one should behold it as Brahman, remaining inwardly collected and absorbed.

This is declared by the knowers of Brahman to be Pratyāhāra. Whatever a person does throughout life, whether considered pure or impure...

One should offer all of it to Brahman. This is called Pratyāhāra. Or again, performing one's daily duties with the understanding that they are an act of worship of Brahman—this too is Pratyāhāra.

Likewise, one should perform even desire-motivated actions in the spirit of offering them to Brahman. This too is called Pratyāhāra. Or again, drawing in the Prāṇa, one may retain it successively from one bodily center to another.

One should draw the Prāṇa from the root of the teeth to the throat, then from the throat to the chest. Drawing it further from the region of the chest, one should retain it in the region of the navel.

Drawing the Prāṇa from the region of the navel, one should retain it in the seat of Kuṇḍalinī. Then, the wise practitioner should draw it from the region of Kuṇḍalinī and retain it in the Mūlādhāra.

From the Mūlādhāra, one should lead the Prāṇa to the region of the waist, then to the middle of the thighs. From there, it should be retained in both knees, and finally at the great toes.

This method has been declared as Pratyāhāra by the ancient masters who knew and taught Pratyāhāra. For the great soul who is devoted to the constant practice of it...

O noble one, all sins are destroyed, and the disease of worldly existence (Bhava-roga) comes to an end. Sitting motionless in Svastikāsana, one should draw in the Prāṇa through the junction of the nostrils.

The wise practitioner should fill the body with Prāṇa, from the soles of the feet up to the crown of the head. Thereafter, he should retain it successively in both feet, in the Mūlādhāra, and in the Nābhi-kanda. Then in the center of the heart, at the root of the throat, and at the palate. Next, between the eyebrows, in the forehead, and finally at the crown of the head.

The wise practitioner, withdrawing the awareness of the body and becoming fully collected, should absorb the Self into the Self— in that state which is beyond all duality and free from all mental distinctions.

This is Pratyāhāra as directly taught by the knowers of Vedānta. For one who practices in this manner, nothing whatsoever is difficult to attain.