SVU 2.8-2.9: Upright Posture and Regulation of Breath

The practitioner holds the body upright, gathers the senses in the heart, crosses dangerous currents on the raft of Brahman, and reins in breath and mind.

Dr. Ronald Steiner

Nils Jacob Liersch 27.12.2020

Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 2.8

त्रिरुन्नतं स्थाप्य समं शरीरं हृदीन्द्रियाणि मनसा संनिवेश्य |

trir unnataṃ, sthāpya samaṃ śarīraṃ; hṛdīndriyāṇi, manasā saṃniveśya | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

tris	tris adverb	three times, threefold
unnatam accusative singular neuter past participle passive	ud previx nam verbal root	upright, raised
sthāpya absolutus	sthā verbal root	having placed, held
samam accusative singular neuter	sama adjective	straight, even
śarīram accusative singular	śarīra substantive neuter	the body
hṛdi lokative singular	hṛd substantive neuter	in the heart
indriyāṇi accusative plural	indriya substantive neuter	the senses
manasā instrumental case singular	manas substantive neuter	with the mind, intellect
saṃniveśya absolutus	sam previx ni previx viś verbal root	having placed within, gathered

ब्रह्मोडुपेन प्रतरेत विद्वान्स्रोतांसि सर्वाणि भयावहानि ||8||

brahmoḍupena, pratareta vidvān; srotāṃsi sarvāṇi, bhayāvahāni ||8|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

brahma tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	brahman substantive neuter	Brahman
uḍupena instrumental case singular	uḍupa substantive neuter	with the raft, boat
pratareta 3rd person singular medial optative	pra previx tṝ verbal root	one should cross over
vidvān nominative singular masculine past participle active	vid verbal root	the knower, sage
srotāṃsi accusative plural	srotas substantive neuter	the currents, floods
sarvāṇi accusative plural neuter	sarva pronoun quant	all, every
bhaya upapada-compound	bhaya substantive neuter	danger
āvahāni accusative plural neuter	ā previx vah verbal root	bringing, bearing

Metre: Pāda 1: Triṣṭubh with Vajrā ending; Pāda 2: Triṣṭubh with Śālinī ending — 12 syllables; Pāda 3: Triṣṭubh with Vajrā ending; Pāda 4: Triṣṭubh with Vajrā ending

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

Keep chest, neck and head upright, and the whole body straight. Gather the senses with the mind in the heart. In this way the knower can cross every dangerous current on the raft of Brahman.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

The Bhāṣya attributed to Śaṅkara links the upright posture of chest, neck and head with the withdrawal of the senses into the heart. Praṇava as a boat carries one across the streams of saṃsāra. It adds a detailed account of nāḍī purification, alternate breathing, and recaka, pūraka and kumbhaka with prescribed counts and practice times.

Śaṅkara's Bhāṣya on the Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad

Śaṅkarānanda places the verse within eight-limbed yoga. Āsana calms the organs of action, while pratyāhāra leads the cognitive senses with the mental rein into the heart; dhāraṇā, dhyāna and samādhi hold them fast there. The boat of knowledge of Brahman finally destroys concealment and distraction, the two aspects of ignorance.

Śaṅkarānanda's Śvetāśvataropaniṣaddīpikā

Nārāyaṇa understands the three raised parts of the body as the head, neck and chest, and places the senses in the heart-lotus. The boat of Brahman, also understood as Oṃ, crosses the dangerous currents of desires. By way of illustration, he quotes the familiar image of hope as a raging river filled with greed and delusion.

Nārāyaṇa's Śvetāśvataropaniṣaddīpikā

Vijñānabhagavat instructs an intermediate practitioner who is not yet capable of immediate knowledge: hold the body upright, gather the senses together with the mind in the cave of the heart and cross over with the saving praṇava. Oṃ denotes both lower and highest Brahman and becomes the boat across all the perilous currents of saṃsāra.

Vijñānabhagavat's Śvetāśvataropaniṣadvivaraṇa

trirunnataṃ LV1958, ASS1927 ] dhruvatvam LV1958-app

Critical Apparatus

Den Leib dreifach gerichtet, ebenmäßig, Manas und Sinne im Herzen eingeschlossen, So mag der Weise auf dem Brahmanschiffe Die fürchterlichen Fluten überfahren.

Paul Deussen - 1921

Holding his body steady with the three [upper parts<1>] erect, And causing the senses with the mind to enter into the heart, A wise man with the Brahma-boat should cross over All the fear-bringing streams.
<1: Head, chest, and neck—so prescribed at BhG. 6. 13.>

Robert Hume - 1921

Having equally balanced the body, with its three portions raised, and fixed the organs of sense on the heart by means of the mind, the wise man should cross, by the boat of Om (or knowledge of Brahm), all the dangerous rivers.

Siddhesvar Varma Shastri - 1916

Den Leib dreifach gerichtet, ebenmäßig, Manas und Sinne im Herzen eingeschlossen, So mag der Weise auf dem Brahmanschiffe Die fürchterlichen Fluten überfahren.

Paul Deussen - 1897

If a wise man hold his body with its three erect parts (chest, neck, and head) even<1>, and turn his senses with the mind towards the heart, he will then in the boat of Brahman<2> cross all the torrents which cause fear.
<1: Cf. Bhagavadgītā VI, 13. Samam kāyasirogrīvam dhārayan. Saṅkara says: trīny unnatāny urogrīvasirāmsy unnatāni yasmin sarire.>
<2: Explained by Saṅkara as the syllable Om.>

F. Max Müller - 1884

Keeping the upper parts (the chest, neck, and the head) erect<1> and equal to the (other parts of the) body, subduing within the heart the senses together with the mind, let the wise by the raft of Bramha (Om) cross over all the fearful torrents (of the world).
<1: See the similar passage in Bhagv. G. 5 Adh. 27. 3 and 6 Adh. 11–13.>

Edward Röer - 1853

Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 2.9

प्राणान्प्रपीड्येह स युक्तचेष्टः क्षीणे प्राणे नासिकयोच्छ्वसीत |

prāṇān prapīḍye,ha sa yukta-ceṣṭaḥ; kṣīṇe prāṇe, nāsikayocchvasīta | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

prāṇān accusative plural	prāṇa substantive masculine	the vital breaths
prapīḍya absolutus	pra previx pīḍ verbal root	having pressed down, restrained
iha	iha adverb	here
saḥ nominative singular masculine	tad pronoun dem	he, this one
yukta karmadhāraya-compound past participle passive	yuj verbal root	controlled, regulated
ceṣṭaḥ nominative singular masculine	ceṣṭā substantive feminine	with controlled movements, exertions
kṣīṇe lokative absolutus singular masculine past participle passive	kṣi verbal root	when diminished, exhausted
prāṇe lokative absolutus singular	prāṇa substantive masculine	when the breath has diminished
nāsikayā instrumental case singular	nāsikā substantive feminine	through the nose
ucchvasīta 3rd person singular aktive optative	ud previx śvas verbal root	one should breathe out

दुष्टाश्वयुक्तमिव वाहमेनं विद्वान्मनो धारयेताप्रमत्तः ||9||

duṣṭāśva-yuktam, iva vāham enaṃ; vidvān mano, dhārayetāpramattaḥ ||9|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

duṣṭa karmadhāraya-compound past participle passive	duṣ verbal root	bad, unruly
aśva tatpuruṣa-compound instrumental case	aśva substantive masculine	with horses
yuktam accusative singular masculine past participle passive	yuj verbal root	yoked, harnessed
iva	iva particle	like, as
vāham accusative singular	vāha substantive masculine	the vehicle, team
enam accusative singular masculine	enad pronoun dem	this one, him
vidvān nominative singular masculine past participle active	vid verbal root	the knower, sage
manas accusative singular	manas substantive neuter	the mind, intellect
dhārayet 3rd person singular aktive optative causative	dhṛ verbal root	he should hold, gather
apramattaḥ nominative singular masculine past participle passive	a previx pra previx mad verbal root	vigilant, without negligence

Metre: Pāda 1: Triṣṭubh with Vajrā ending; Pāda 2: Triṣṭubh with Vajrā ending; Pāda 3: Triṣṭubh with Vajrā ending; Pāda 4: Triṣṭubh with Śālinī ending

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

Restrain the vital breaths and keep every movement under control. When the breath has grown faint, breathe out gently through the nose. As a charioteer guides a team of restless horses, so the knower should keep the mind attentively in check.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

The Bhāṣya attributed to Śaṅkara presupposes purified nāḍīs. The vital forces are restrained within one's own body, and the weakened breath is slowly released through the nose. As a charioteer guides horses that are difficult to control, the vigilant sage is to hold fast the mind by regulating the breath.

Śaṅkara's Bhāṣya on the Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad

Śaṅkarānanda links restraint of the breath with moderation in eating, activity and practice. Once the breath has gradually become fine, it is gently released; at the same time the sage holds the mind as the rein of the refractory horses of the senses. Even subdued senses, like former enemies, must never be treated without vigilance.

Śaṅkarānanda's Śvetāśvataropaniṣaddīpikā

Nārāyaṇa explains 'with measured activity' by the ideal of moderation in eating, sleeping and acting. The breath made fine in prāṇāyāma is slowly exhaled; the mind must then be fixed. The sequence rests on the mind's dependence on the breath: stability of the breath alone makes mental stability possible.

Nārāyaṇa's Śvetāśvataropaniṣaddīpikā

Vijñānabhagavat describes kumbhaka at the familiar places of the breath, followed by slow exhalation through Iḍā or Piṅgalā. Wherever the breath is held, the practitioner is also to hold the mind fast, for according to the rule of yoga the mind follows the breath. Circumspection takes the place of any violent excess.

Vijñānabhagavat's Śvetāśvataropaniṣadvivaraṇa

sa yuktaceṣṭaḥ LV1958 ] saṃyuktaceṣṭaḥ ASS1927, LV1958-app

Critical Apparatus

Den Odem hemmend, die Bewegung zügelnd, Bei Schwund des Hauchs ausatmend durch die Nase, Wie jenen Wagen mit den schlechten Rossen (Kāṭh. 3,4). So fesselt ohne Lässigkeit das Manas!

Paul Deussen - 1921

Having repressed his breathings here in the body, and having his movements checked, One should breathe through his nostrils with diminished breath. Like that chariot yoked with vicious horses,<1> His mind the wise man should restrain undistractedly.
<1: Described at Katha 3. 4.>

Robert Hume - 1921

Being moderate in his activities (the yogi), having forcibly checked the breaths in the body, should breathe through the nostril when the breath has decreased (in quantity). Being careful, the wise man should control his mind like a chariot, to which refractory horses have been yoked.

Siddhesvar Varma Shastri - 1916

Den Odem hemmend, die Bewegung zügelnd, Bei Schwund des Hauchs ausatmend durch die Nase, Wie jenen Wagen mit den schlechten Rossen (Kāṭh. 3,4). So fesselt ohne Lässigkeit das Manas!

Paul Deussen - 1897

Compressing his breathings let him, who has subdued all motions, breathe forth through the nose with gentle breath<1>. Let the wise man without fail restrain his mind, that chariot yoked with vicious horses<2>.
<1: Cf. Bhagavadgītā V, 27. Prānāpānau samau kritvā nāsābhyantara kārinau. See Telang’s notes, Sacred Books of the East, vol. viii, p. 68 seq.>
<2: A similar metaphor in Kath. Up. III, 4–6; Sacred Books of the East, vol. xv, p. 13.>

F. Max Müller - 1884

Keeping down the senses (Prāṇā), subduing his desires, and gently respiring by the nostrils, let the wise diligently attend to the mind, as (the charioteer) to a car, drawn by vicious horses.<1>
<1: Vid. Kāth. 3, 4 to 9.>

Edward Röer - 1853

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Dr. Ronald Steiner

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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 ›

Nils Jacob Liersch

Meine Begeisterung für Yoga, indische Philosophie und Sanskrit führte mich zum Studium der Indologie und Religionswissenschaft an der Universität Heidelberg. Seit 2004 befinde ich mich auf meinem persönlichen Yogaweg... more ›

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SVU 2.8-2.9: Upright Posture and Regulation of Breath

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