HTK 10.39–39*1: Jīvacālaka / Jīvacāla

Haṭhatattvakaumudī 10.39–39*1: Jīvacālaka / Jīvacāla: Moving the vital breath down and up

In Jīvacālaka, the mind moves the vital breath downwards and upwards during retention. The closing formula calls the technique Jīvacāla.

Dr. Ronald Steiner

Haṭhatattvakaumudī 10.39

हठेन वै कुम्भितमारुतस्य चेत्प्राणस्य सञ्चालनम् अङ्ग मानसात् |

haṭhena vai kumbhita-mārutasya cet; prāṇasya sañcālanam aṅga mānasāt | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

haṭhena instrumental case singular	haṭha substantive masculine	with force
vai	vai particle	certainly
kumbhita bahuvrīhi-compund past participle passive denominative	kumbha substantive masculine	retained
mārutasya genitive singular masculine	māruta substantive masculine	whose breath is
cet	cet particle	when
prāṇasya genitive singular	prāṇa substantive masculine	of the vital breath
sañcālanam nominative singular	sañcālana substantive neuter	movement
aṅga	aṅga particle	now
mānasāt ablative singular	mānasa substantive neuter	from the mind

अधस्तथोर्ध्वं यमिनः स कुम्भो नाम्ना शिवोक्तः किल जीवचालकः ||39||

adhas tathordhvaṃ yaminaḥ sa kumbho; nāmnā śivoktaḥ kila jīva-cālakaḥ ||39|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

adhas	adhas adverb	downwards
tathā	tathā adverb	likewise
ūrdhvam	ūrdhvam adverb	upwards
yaminaḥ genitive singular	yamin substantive masculine	of the self-restrained
saḥ nominative singular masculine	tad pronoun dem	this
kumbhaḥ nominative singular	kumbha substantive masculine	breath retention
nāmnā instrumental case singular	nāman substantive neuter	by name
śiva tatpuruṣa-compound instrumental case	śiva substantive masculine	by Śiva
uktaḥ nominative singular masculine past participle passive	vac verbal root	taught
kila	kila particle	as it is said
jīva upapada-compound	jīva substantive masculine	the vital breath
cālakaḥ nominative singular masculine	cālaka adjective	moving

Metre: Pāda 1: Vaṃśastha; Pāda 2: Indravaṃśā; Pāda 3: Upendravajrā; Pāda 4: Indravaṃśā

If (cet), now (aṅga), in the self-restrained person (yaminaḥ | gen sg), whose breath is retained (kumbhita-mārutasya | gen sg m) with force (haṭhena | ins sg), movement (sañcālanam | nom sg) of the vital breath (prāṇasya | gen sg) indeed (vai) [takes place] from the mind (mānasāt | abl sg), downwards (adhas) and likewise (tathā) upwards (ūrdhvam), [then] that breath retention (saḥ kumbhaḥ | nom sg), as it is said (kila), [is] taught by Śiva (śivoktaḥ | nom sg m ppp). [It bears] the name (nāmnā | ins sg) Jīvacālaka (jīva-cālakaḥ | nom sg m).

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

Let your attention travel down through the body and back up. Notice where you feel something distinctly and where you are mainly following an image.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

iti	iti particle	thus ends
jīva tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	jīva substantive masculine	of the vital breath
cāla		unclear: part of the name Jīvacāla, movement of the vital breath
kumbhakaḥ nominative singular	kumbhaka substantive masculine	breath retention

Haṭhatattvakaumudī 10.39–39*1: Jīvacālaka / Jīvacāla: Moving the vital breath down and up

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