Haṭha Pradīpikā 2.7-2.10: Nāḍīśodhana through Alternate-Nostril Breathing

The practice purifies the Nāḍīs through alternating filling, retention, and exhalation by way of Candra and Sūrya.

Dr. Ronald Steiner

Haṭha Pradīpikā 2.7

बद्धपद्मासनो योगी प्राणं चन्द्रेण पूरयेत् |

baddha-padmāsano yogī; prāṇaṃ candreṇa pūrayet | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

baddha karmadhāraya-compound past participle passive	bandh verbal root	bound, established
padma tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	padma substantive neuter	of the lotus
āsanaḥ nominative singular masculine	āsana substantive neuter	situated in lotus posture
yogī nominative singular	yogin substantive masculine	the yogin
prāṇam accusative singular	prāṇa substantive masculine	the breath
candreṇa instrumental case singular	candra substantive masculine	through the moon, left channel
pūrayet 3rd person singular aktive optative	pṛ verbal root	he should fill, inhale

धारयित्वा यथाशक्त्या पुनः सूर्येण रेचयेत् ||7||

dhārayitvā yathā-śaktyā; punaḥ sūryeṇa recayet ||7|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

dhārayitvā absolutus	dhṛ verbal root	having retained
yathā avyayībhāva-compund	yathā adverb	according to
śaktyā instrumental case singular	śakti substantive feminine	strength, capacity
punaḥ	punar adverb	then, in turn
sūryeṇa instrumental case singular	sūrya substantive masculine	through the sun, right channel
recayet 3rd person singular aktive optative	ric verbal root	he should exhale, empty

Metre: Anuṣṭubh

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

Sit in the lotus posture. Inhale through the left nostril, retain the breath for as long as is comfortably possible, and then exhale through the right.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

Brahmānanda defines the three actions of the breath functionally. Pūraka is the deliberate intake of external air, Kumbhaka is the retention of Prāṇa using the Bandhas, and Recaka is the deliberate release of the retained breath. In this reading, the Bandhas belong to the complete definition of Kumbhaka.

Brahmānanda's Jyotsnā - 19th c.

punaḥ MBHDL2026 ] bhūyaḥ NS1882

Critical Apparatus

Sitting in the Padmâsana posture the Yogî should fill in the air through the left nostril (closing the right one); and, keeping it confined according to one's ability, it should be expelled slowly through the sûrya (right nostril). Then, drawing in the air through the sûrya (right nostril) slowly, the belly should be filled, and after performing Kumbhaka as before, it should be expelled slowly through the chandra (left nostril).

Pancham Sinh - 1915

The Yogi assuming the Padmasana posture should draw in the Prana through the Ida, or the left nostril, and having retained it as long as he could, exhale it through Pingala, or the right nostril.

Srinivasa Iyangar - 1893

Nachdem er die Stellung des Padmasana eingenommen hat, ziehe er den Athem durch Candra (Ida), halte ihn so lange er kann und lasse ihn durch Sûrya (Pingala) wieder heraus.

Hermann Walter - 1893

Haṭha Pradīpikā 2.8

प्राणं सूर्येण चाकृष्य पूरयेदुदरं शनैः |

prāṇaṃ sūryeṇa cākṛṣya; pūrayed udaraṃ śanaiḥ | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

prāṇam accusative singular	prāṇa substantive masculine	the breath
sūryeṇa instrumental case singular	sūrya substantive masculine	through the sun, right channel
ca	ca particle	and
ākṛṣya absolutus	ā previx kṛṣ verbal root	having drawn it in
pūrayet 3rd person singular aktive optative	pṛ verbal root	he should fill
udaram accusative singular	udara substantive neuter	the abdomen
śanaiḥ	śanaiḥ adverb	slowly, gradually

विधिवत्कुम्भकं कृत्वा पुनश्चन्द्रेण रेचयेत् ||8||

vidhivat kumbhakaṃ kṛtvā; punaś candreṇa recayet ||8|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

vidhivat	vidhivat adverb	according to rule, as prescribed
kumbhakam accusative singular	kumbhaka substantive masculine	the breath pause, retention
kṛtvā absolutus	kṛ verbal root	having performed it
punar	punar adverb	then again, afterward
candreṇa instrumental case singular	candra substantive masculine	through the moon channel, left nostril
recayet 3rd person singular aktive optative	ric verbal root	he should exhale

Metre: Anuṣṭubh

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

Then inhale through the right, let the breath slowly “sink” into the abdomen, retain it as instructed, and exhale through the left.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

Again inhaling the Prana through the Pingala, he should perform Kumbhaka as laid down in the books, and should again slowly exhale it through the Ida.

Srinivasa Iyangar - 1893

Durch Sûrya ziehe man den Athem ein, fülle langsam den Bauch, verrichte vorschriftsgemäss den Kumbhaka und stosse den Athem wieder durch Candra aus.

Hermann Walter - 1893

Haṭha Pradīpikā 2.9

येन त्यजेत्तेन पूर्य धारयेदविरोधतः |

yena tyajet, tena pūrya; dhārayed avirodhataḥ | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

yena instrumental case singular masculine	yad pronoun rel	through whichever, through that same channel
tyajet 3rd person singular aktive optative	tyaj verbal root	he should exhale, release
tena instrumental case singular masculine	tad pronoun dem	through that
pūrya absolutus	pṛ verbal root	having filled, inhaled
dhārayet 3rd person singular aktive optative causative	dhṛ verbal root	he should retain
avirodhataḥ	avirodhatas adverb	without obstruction or discomfort

रेचयेच्च ततो ऽन्येन शनैरेव न वेगतः ||9||

recayec ca tato 'nyena; śanair eva na vegataḥ ||9|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

recayet 3rd person singular aktive optative causative	ric verbal root	he should exhale
ca	ca particle	and
tataḥ	tatas adverb	then, afterward
anyena instrumental case singular masculine	anya adjective	through the other
śanaiḥ	śanaiḥ adverb	slowly, gradually
eva	eva particle	precisely
na	na particle	not
vegataḥ ablative singular	vega substantive masculine	with haste, forcefully

Metre: Anuṣṭubh

Through whichever channel (yena | ins sg m) he is to exhale (tyajet | 3p sg act opt), through that same one (tena | ins sg m) he should inhale again (pūrya | abs) and hold (dhārayet | 3p sg act opt caus) the breath without discomfort (avirodhataḥ). Then (tataḥ), he should exhale (recayet | 3p sg act opt caus) through the other (anyena | ins sg m), and indeed (ca eva) slowly (śanaiḥ), not forcefully (na vegataḥ | abl sg).

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

Inhale again through the same nostril through which you just exhaled. Retain the breath without pressure, then exhale slowly through the other side.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

After exhaling through one nostril, one inhales again through that same nostril and then exhales through the opposite side. Brahmānanda connects “to the furthest limit” with signs such as perspiration or trembling. Exhalation in particular must remain slow, because according to his tradition a hurried Recaka diminishes bodily strength.

Brahmānanda's Jyotsnā - 19th c.

pūrya MBHDL2026 ] pītvā NS1882

avirodhataḥ MBHDL2026 ] atirodhataḥ NS1882

Critical Apparatus

Inhaling thus through the one, through which it was expelled, and having restrained it there, till possible, it should be exhaled through the other, slowly and not forcibly.

Pancham Sinh - 1915

He should perform Puraka (inhalation) through the same nostril by which he performed Rechaka, and having restrained the breath to the utmost (till he is covered with perspiration or till his body shakes), should exhale it slowly, and never fast (as it will diminish the energy of the body).

Srinivasa Iyangar - 1893

Durch diejenige Nâdî, durch welche man den Athem ausgestossen hat, ziehe man ihn ein, halte ihn gewaltsam (atirodhatas) an, und durch die andere Nâdî lasse man ihn langsam und nicht heftig wieder heraus.

Hermann Walter - 1893

Haṭha Pradīpikā 2.10

प्राणं चेदिडया पिबेन्नियमितं भूयो ऽन्यया रेचयेत्पीत्वा पिङ्गलया समीरणमलं बद्ध्वा त्यजेद्वामया |

prāṇaṃ ced iḍayā piben niyamitaṃ, bhūyo 'nyayā recayet; pītvā piṅgalayā samīraṇam alaṃ, baddhvā tyajed vāmayā | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

prāṇam accusative singular	prāṇa substantive masculine	the breath
cet	cet particle	if
iḍayā instrumental case singular	iḍā substantive feminine	through Iḍā, the left channel
pibet 3rd person singular aktive optative	pā verbal root	he should drink, inhale
niyamitam accusative singular masculine past participle passive	ni previx yam verbal root	restrained, retained
bhūyaḥ	bhūyas adverb	then, once more
anyayā instrumental case singular feminine	anya adjective	through the other side
recayet 3rd person singular aktive optative causative	ric verbal root	he should exhale
pītvā absolutus	pā verbal root	having inhaled
piṅgalayā instrumental case singular	piṅgalā substantive feminine	through Piṅgalā, the right channel
samīraṇam accusative singular	samīraṇa substantive masculine	the wind, breath current
alam	alam adverb	sufficiently
baddhvā absolutus	bandh verbal root	having retained
tyajet 3rd person singular aktive optative	tyaj verbal root	he should release, exhale
vāmayā instrumental case singular feminine	vāma adjective	through the left side

सूर्याचन्द्रमसोरनेन विधिना बिम्बद्वयं ध्यायतां शुद्धा नाडिगणा भवन्ति यमिनां मासत्रयादूर्ध्वतः ||10||

sūryā-candramasor anena vidhinā, bimba-dvayaṃ dhyāyatāṃ; śuddhā nāḍi-gaṇā bhavanti yamināṃ, māsa-trayād ūrdhvataḥ ||10|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

sūrya dvandva-compound	sūrya substantive masculine	sun
candramasoḥ genitive dual	candramas substantive masculine	of sun and moon
anena instrumental case singular neuter	idam pronoun dem	by this
vidhinā instrumental case singular	vidhi substantive masculine	according to the rule, method
bimba tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	bimba substantive neuter	disc, orb
dvayam accusative singular	dvaya substantive neuter	pair, duality
dhyāyatām genitive plural masculine present participle active	dhyai verbal root	of meditators
śuddhāḥ nominative plural masculine	śuddha adjective	pure
nāḍi tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	nāḍī substantive feminine	nāḍī
gaṇāḥ nominative plural	gaṇa substantive masculine	groups
bhavanti 3rd person plural aktive present	bhū verbal root	become
yaminām genitive plural	yamin substantive masculine	of the self-controlled
māsa tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	māsa substantive masculine	months
trayāt ablative singular neuter	traya numeral	after three
ūrdhvataḥ	ūrdhvatas adverb	thereafter

Metre: Śārdūlavikrīḍita

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

Inhale through Iḍā and exhale through Piṅgalā; then inhale through Piṅgalā and, after retaining the breath for a sufficient time, exhale through Iḍā. According to the text, one who meditates on the sun and moon while practising this alternate-nostril breathing purifies the Nāḍīs within three months.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

alaṃ MBHDL2026 ] atho NS1882

bimbadvayaṃ dhyāyatāṃ MBHDL2026 ] abhyāsaṃ sadā tanvatāṃ NS1882

Critical Apparatus

If the air be inhaled through the left nostril, it should be expelled again through the other, and filling it through the right nostril, confining it there, it should be expelled through the left nostril. By practising in this way, through the right and the left nostrils alternately, the whole of the collection of the nâdîs of the yamîs (practisers) becomes clean, i.e., free from impurities, after 3 months and over.

Pancham Sinh - 1915

Draw in the Prana by the Ida and exhale it by the Pingala; again draw in through the Pingala, and having retained it as long as you can, exhale it through the Ida. The Yogi who has perfected himself in Yama, by practising Pranayama through the right and left, gets his Nadis purified in not less than three months.

Srinivasa Iyangar - 1893

Wenn man den Athem durch die Idâ eingezogen hat, so halte man ihn an und lasse ihn durch die Pingala wieder heraus; und wenn man den Athem durch Pingala eingezogen hat, so lasse man ihn nach dem Anhalten durch die linke (d. h. die Ida) wieder heraus. Nach drei Monaten ist das Nâdîsystem derjenigen Yogin gereinigt, welche nach dieser Regel die Uebung von Surya und Candra beständig ausführen.

Hermann Walter - 1893

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The "Yoga Doc" - Dr. Ronald Steiner is the founder of the AYI method. This method links traditional Ashtanga Yoga with innovative Yogatherapy and living Philosophy. This forms a practice that is personal for each and... more ›

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Haṭha Pradīpikā 2.7-2.10: Nāḍīśodhana through Alternate-Nostril Breathing

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