www.svastha.

net

Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā on Kapālabhāti

Excerpt from:

Hatha Yoga Pradipika: Translation with Notes from

Krishnamacharya
Translated by A. G. Mohan & Dr. Ganesh Mohan
https://www.amazon.com//dp/9811131333/

Chapter II: Verses 59-67

अथ भस्त्रिका–
ु े पादतले उभे ।
ऊर्वोरुपस्त्रि संस्थाप्य शभ
पद्मासनं भर्वेदते त सर्ववपापप्रणाशनम ॥५९॥

ु ।
सम्यक पद्मासनं बद्ध्वा समग्रीर्वोदिः सधीः
ु ं संयम्य यत्नेन प्राणं घ्राणेन िेचयेत ॥६०॥
मख

यथा लगस्त्रत हृत्कण्ठे कपालार्वस्त्रध सस्वनम ।

र्वेगने पूियेच्चास्त्रप हृत्पद्मार्वस्त्रध मारुतम ॥६१॥
atha bhastrikā–
ūrvorupari saṁsthāpya śubhe pādatale ubhe |
padmāsanaṁ bhavedetat sarvapāpapraṇāśanam ||59||
samyak padmāsanaṁ baddhvā samagrīvodaraḥ sudhīḥ |
mukhaṁ saṁyamya yatnena prāṇaṁ ghrāṇena recayet ||60||
yathā lagati hṛtkaṇṭhe kapālāvadhi sasvanam |
vegena pūrayeccāpi hṛtpadmāvadhi mārutam ||61||
Now bhastrikā [is described].
II.59-61: When both feet are placed on the opposite thighs, it is called padmāsana, which destroys all
ill effects or sins (pāpa). Seated in padmāsana properly, with the neck and the abdomen in line, the
wise practitioner should close the mouth and exhale through the nostrils with force until it is felt to
resound in the chest, throat, and up to the skull. Then inhale rapidly till it reaches the lotus of the
heart.
[Krishnamacharya] In the kapālabhāti prāṇāyāma, the speed (i.e. the number of breaths per minute) is important.
In bhastrikā, it is the force with which the air is expelled that is important. Bhastrikā is used for awakening the

Prepared for online.svastha.net 1

 www.svastha.net
kuṇḍalinī, involving more effort from the lowest three cakras, whereas kapālabhāti involves more effort from
the chest.

ु र्विेचयेत तद्वत पूियेच्च पनः

पनर्व ु पनः
ु ।
यथ ैर्व लोहकािेण भिा र्वेगने चाल्यते ॥६२॥

तथ ैर्व स्वशिीिस्थं चालयेत्पर्वनं स्त्रधया ।

यदा श्रमो भर्वेद देहे तदा सूयण
े पूियेत ॥६३॥
punarvirecayet tadvat pūrayecca punaḥ punaḥ |
yathaiva lohakāreṇa bhastrā vegena cālyate ||62||
tathaiva svaśarīrasthaṁ cālayetpavanaṁ dhiyā |
yadā śramo bhaved dehe tadā sūryeṇa pūrayet ||63||
II.62-63: Exhale in the same manner and inhale, again and again. Similar to a blacksmith working his
bellows with speed, one should mindfully stimulate the prāṇa in the body [by exhalation and
inhalation]. When the body feels tired, breathe in through the right nostril.
[Krishnamacharya] If this practice is not interspersed with sufficient inhalation and a little holding after
inhalation, dizziness may arise.

व स्त्रनलेन तथा लघ ु ।
ू म
यथोदिं भर्वेत्पण
धाियेन्नास्त्रसकां मध्यातर्वनीभ्ां स्त्रर्वना दृढम ॥६४॥
yathodaraṁ bhavetpūrṇamanilena tathā laghu |
dhārayennāsikāṁ madhyātarjanībhyāṁ vinā dṛḍham ||64||
II.64: After expanding the abdomen, the nostrils should be closed using the thumb, the ring finger,
and the little finger (mṛgī-mudrā).

स्त्रर्वस्त्रधर्वत कुम्भकं कृ त्वा िेचयेस्त्रदडयास्त्रनलम ।

र्वातस्त्रपत्तश्लेष्महिं शिीिास्त्रिस्त्रर्वर्वधवनम ॥६५॥
vidhivat kumbhakaṁ kṛtvā recayediḍayānilam |
vātapittaśleṣmaharaṁ śarīrāgnivivardhanam ||65||
II.65: After practicing retention (kumbhaka) as prescribed, the breath should be exhaled through the
left nostril. This removes [disorders arising from] imbalance of vāta, pitta, and kapha, and stimulates
the metabolism (agni).

कुण्डलीबोधकं स्त्रिप्रं पर्वनं सखदं

ु स्त्रहतम ।
ु े संस्थकफाद्यगवलनाशनम ॥६६॥
ब्रह्मनाडीमख
kuṇḍalībodhakaṁ kṣipraṁ pavanaṁ sukhadaṁ hitam |
brahmanāḍīmukhe saṁsthakaphādyargalanāśanam ||66||
II.66: Bhastrikā arouses the kuṇḍalinī quickly and is purifying, pleasant, and beneficial. It removes all
obstructions caused by kapha from the mouth of the suṣumnā.

Prepared for online.svastha.net 2

 www.svastha.net

ु ूतग्रस्त्रित्रयस्त्रर्वभेदकम ।
सम्यग्गात्रसमद्भ
े ैर्व कतवव्य ं भिाख्यं कुम्भकं स्त्रत्वदम ॥६७॥
स्त्रर्वशेषण
samyaggātrasamudbhūtagranthitrayavibhedakam |
viśeṣeṇaiva kartavyaṁ bhastrākhyaṁ kumbhakaṁ tvidam ||67||
II.67: This kumbhaka called bhastrikā should be specially practiced since it breaks through the three
knots (granthi-s) created in the body.

Prepared for online.svastha.net 3