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PRANA

Just as blood flows into the heart and flows throughout the entire body, as the electrical

impulses travel in the nerves, so does the 5 pranas flow through the nadis which are parallel to the

nerves in the etheric body. The present day doctors have got expertise over the first two but they do

not know about prana. Just as the physical heart gives the lab-dab sound, the relative heart in thePranamaya Sharira gives out the sound So-Ham. Man lives because of the continuous flow of this

prana. If any prana is not correct, it leads to diseases. There is no relation to breath with pranayama

or prana. There are dasha nadas which a sadhaka in the path of learning this hears. They are as given

below:

The subtle sounds which indicate progress in Yoga

When the Yoga enters into deeper states of trance, the heat of the Kundalini begins to course

through the body, the subtle body is activated and the brain experiences a reverberating

natural silence. The Yogin experiences a sense of purity, rejuvenation and alertness within.

At this point, one may hear subtle sounds in the ear, smell burning incense or floralfragrances (which have non-worldly origin) and gain sight into the occult worlds. The

sounds which the Yogin hears tend to vary depending on the inner plane of consciousness to

which one is currently attuned. This post is a collection of these subtle sounds as noted in

various ancient scriptures. As we see, there is lot of similarity in these descriptions.

Reference Book Description of Sounds

Hamsa Upanishad Ten types of sounds:

1. chini (like the sound of the word)2. Chini-chini3. sound of bell4. sound of conch5.

sound of Tantiri (lute)

6. sound of Tala (cymbals)7. sound of flute8. sound of Bheri (drum)9. sound of Mridanga (double drum)10.sound of clouds (viz., thunder)

He may experience the tenth without the first nine sounds (through the

initiation of a Guru).

Nadabindu

Upanishad (verses

31-41)

At first, it will be like what is produced by the ocean (jaladhi), the cloud

(jimuta), the kettle-drum (bheri), and the water-fall (nirjhara) . A little later

it will be like the sound produced by a tabor (mardala, or small drum), a big

bell (ghanta), and a military drum (kahala); and finally like the sound of thetinkling bell (kinkin), the bamboo-flute (vamsa), the harp (vina) and the bee

(bhramara).

Darshana

Upanishad (6.36.-

38)

When air (prana) enters the Brahmarandhra, nada (sound) is also produced

there. resembling at first the sound of a conchblast (sankha-dhvani) and like

the thunder-clap (megha-dhvani) in the middle; and when the air has reached

the middle of the head, like the roaring of a mountain cataract (giri-

prasravana)

Shiva Samhita by The first sound is like the hum of the honey-intoxicated bee (matta-bhrnga),

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Guy Beck, Sonic

Theology, pp 93-

103

next that of a flute (venu), then of a harp (vina); after this, by the gradual

practice of Yoga, the destroyer of the darkness of the world, he hears the

sounds of ringing bells (ghanta) then sounds like roar of thunder (megha).

Voice of the silence,

chapter-1

Before thou setst thy foot upon the ladders upper rung, the ladder of

the mystic sounds, thou hast to hear the voice of thy innerGOD* in

seven manners.

The first is like the nightingales sweet voice chanting a song ofparting to its mate.

The second comes as the sound of a silver cymbal of the Dhyanis,awakening the twinkling stars.

The next is as the plaint melodious of the ocean-sprite imprisoned inits shell.

And this is followed by the chant of the Vina. The fifth like sound of bamboo-flute shrills in thine ear. It changes next into a trumpet-blast. The last vibrates like the dull rumbling of a thunder-cloud. The seventh swallows all the other sounds. They die, and then are

heard no more.

Hatha Yoga

Pradipika, Vol-4

In the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, the following verses (verse number is

indicated in parentheses) detail the subtle sounds which are heard.

(69) When the Brahma knot (in the heart) is pierced through byPranayama, then a sort of happiness is experienced in the vacuum of

the heart, and the anahat sounds, like various tinkling sounds of

ornaments, are heard in the body.

(72) By this means the Vishnu knot (in the throat) is pierced which isindicated by highest pleasure experienced, And then the Bheri sound

(like the beating of a kettle drain) is evolved in the vacuum in thethroat.

(73) In the third stage, the sound of a drum is known to arise in theSunya(space) between the eyebrows, and then the Vayu goes to the

Mahasunya, which is the home of all the siddhis.

(75) When the Rudra knot is pierced and the air enters the seat of theLord (the space between the eyebrows), then the perfect sound like

that of a flute is produced.

(84) In the first stage, the sounds are surging, thundering like thebeating of kettle drums and jingling ones. In the intermediate stage,

they are like those produced by conch, Mridanga, bells, &c.

(85) In the last stage, the sounds resemble those from tinklets, flute,Veena, bee, &c. These various kinds of sounds are heard as beingproduced in the body.

Savitri by Sri

Aurobindo

Sri Aurobindo discusses these subtle sounds in his poem Savitri, book 2,

canto 14, the world-soul. The first excerpt alludes to a cosmic

murmur which the Yogi hears. This is traditionally known as the

Anahata sound. See the next passage by Ramakrishna for more on this

cosmic murmur or Anahata sound. The second excerpt is a list of

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sounds (flute, crickets rash, anklet bells, temple gong, bees croon)

which are heard in increasing states of absorption.

Gospel of

Ramakrishna

This dialogue is from the Gospel of Ramakrishna, where Ramakrishna

Paramahansa explains the Anahata sound which reverberates through

the Universe. This is analogous but not the same as the Cosmic

Microwave Background radiation.

Prankrishna (to the Master): Sir, what is theAnahata sound?

Master: It is a spontaneous sound constantly going on by itself. It is the

sound of the Pranava, Om. It originates in the Supreme Brahman and is

heard by yogis. People immersed in worldliness do not hear it. A yogi

alone knows that this sound originates both from his navel and from the

Supreme Brahman resting on the Ocean of Milk

One does not keep repeating the sound lab-dab for the heart to work. It happens on itsown. Similarly the So-ham in the pranamaya sharira happens on its own. Till this goes on, the body

is said to be alive. Once this stops, the physical body dies. Here Pujya Gurudev gives us the technique

which is the Gayatri Mantra. Gayatri Mantra Gayaan traayathi ithi Gayatri It is that which

protects prana. In SOHAM if we remove sa and ha, AUM remains. Prana is coming from AUM as 5

types for you but when u leave it comes out as one. That is what you need to know. If you can know

this one can control prana. Just as the heart purifies the blood, the brain controls the nerve

impulses, similarly this work for prana is done by Sahasrara. Just as Param Pujya Gurudev has given

this technique, Sri Aurobindo has given Savitri after correcting and re-correcting it for 40 years.

None in yoga know or practice yama-niyamas but go on to the asanas and

pranayamas till dhyana. For this Gurudev has changed this ashtanga yoga with panchasheelas and 4

varchas. But who is really practicing them although Gurudev has given it for the present times.

Mainda and Dwivida were the two people incharge of this prana SOHAM from the treta

yuga. This has now been given to Nakula and Sahadeva.

If one can control these pranas, he can become immortal. First let us know what these 5

pranas are and what they do

The five major pranas and their functions are

Prana -

The seat and field and activity of Prana is from the heart to the throat. Its main function is

respiration. It moves between the nostrils and the heart during inhalation/exhalation. It controls and

regulates all activities of the sense organs. It helps in sound production, swallowing and regulates

the body temperature. It is golden in colour, light in weight and has an upward movement.

Apana

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The seat and field of activity of apana is from the navel to the soles of the feet. It is characterized by

heaviness and has a downward movement. Its function is elimination. It eliminates stool, urine,

semen and menses. It helps in the process of childbirth. When this energy is not regulated one feels

lazy, dull, heavy and confused. It is yellow in colour.

Samana

The seat and field of activity of samana is from the navel to the heart. Its function is digestion and

assimilation. It therefore nourishes the whole body and gives glowing health to it. It is white in

colour and cool in nature.

Udana

The seat and field of activity of udana is from the throat to the head. It keeps the body lifted

upwards, and does not allow it to fall down while running or turning in different directions. It helps

in vomiting. It also helps in sound production, speaking, singing etc. By regulating this energy the

body can be made very light. If is green in colour. After death a portion of this energy remains in the

body. This energy then decomposes the physical body reverting the physical matter of the body to

its elemental forms.

Vyana-

This energy pervade the whole body. Its major function is circulation. It co-ordinates all activities of

the nervous system. It helps in maintaining co-ordination and balance. It is sky-blue in colour.

In The secret of prana by David Frawley he writes that Wherever we create space there

energy or Prana must arise automatically.

A simpler way of understanding this is that when you inhale and exhale air, there is a gap in

between these two actions which is called KUMBHAKA. It is in this kumbhaka that pranaemerges. To understand this more clearly, one should understand that there is space all

around you and within you. For this a doha can help

Jal me kumbh, kumbh me jal hai, baahar bheetar paanee.

PhooTaa kumbh jal jalahi samaanaa, yah tat kathau gyanee.

This whole universe is like an ocean, we all are like pots in this infinite sea. As water is within the pot

and water itself is around the pot, only a thin veil of the form of pot keeps the water within it apart

from the water of sea. So we live in the infinite consciousness of existence which we call by different

name, but it is within us, around us and we are it, only a thin veil of ego keeps us separated from

that infinite ocean of consciousness. When the pot is broken, the water within it merges in the

infinite water of the sea, so our consciousness merges in the infinite when we are able to drop the

ego.

The effect of prana is sankalpa. Just as blood gets oxygen, prana gets sankalpa. Just as a electrical

wire may contain many wires in it, but the electricity which flows is the same, though there are 5

types of prana, they all flow in the same tube the nadis. Also the same blood flows in the entire

body but give whatever is necessary for each part of the body. Similarly prana is of 5 types mainly

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and it flows in the 72,000 nadis and distributes itself accordingly in the body. The insulator for the

electric wire protects against shocks and in prana, our ego is the covering.

Now to understand that all this is Prana-yama : Pranayama is not breathing but control of prana, to

measure the different pranas in the body and regulate them, direct them and be immortal like

devatas. This has been given by Pujya Gurudev as the 9 day Sanjeevani Sadhana. If you can

understand this, you can instantaneously reach that state at this moment itself.

Param Pujya Gurudev has given spirituality as a science. Hence if we just perform the

process as told, we can get the result. If we can understand a simple example first, we can

later on understand many sadhanas given by Him very easily. Let us say that you have a

horse in your house and it lives a free life roaming in the garden, living as it likes. But when

the owner rides on it, the power of moving the horse lies in the hands of the owner. Though

the horse has its own course of evolution as an animal and likes and dislikes, when the

owner is riding on it, it works according to the goals of its owner forgetting its course of

evolution. Similarly, our animal body the human body has its own course of evolution.

Only the physical and astral bodies are correct in it. But if through mind, you can take the

reins of the body, the horse, into your control, your evolution will speed up. Even now we

measure power in cars etc, in terms of HORSE POWER only. Hence all the desires, habits,

likes and dislikes of our body are that of the horse. But the present day situation is that

physical comforts have increased immensely for the horse and it has forgotten that the

owner has to ride it for a purpose and work towards a specific goal. The modern day

technology has made man lazy, he has forgotten the grinding stones and replaced them

with electronic goods. The little exercise which the body used to get because of those works

is also not there now. Hence one needs to do chakki peeso asanas etc, given by Baba

Ramdev. The main aim of Asanas is to mould the body so that it acts in the direction of

achieving the goal of its owner. Asanas have become a mere tool for curing diseases at the

physical level.

In 1908, Gandhiji who was based in South Africa visited London and met many

Indians who aimed to bring down the British Government by violence. On his voyage back to

South Africa, Gandhiji wrote a small booklet called Hind Swaraj. Here he deals with many

topics. One of the topics is Machinery. He foresaw the problems in future of a society

obsessed with machinery. The chapter of that book on Machinery is as follows:

READER: When you speak of driving out Western civilization, I suppose you will

also say that we want no machinery.EDITOR: By raising this question, you have opened the wound I have received.

When I read Mr. Dutts Economic History of India. I wept ; and as I think of it again

my heart sickens. It is machinery that has impoverished India. It is difficult to measure

the harm that Manchester has done to us. It is due to Manchester that Indian handicraft

has all but disappeared.

But I make a mistake. How can Manchester be blamed ? We wore Manchester

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cloth and this is why Manchester wove it. I was delighted when I read about the

bravery of Bengal. There were no clothmills in that presidency. They were, therefore,

able to restore the original hand-weaving occupation. It is true Bengal encourages the

mill-industry of Bombay. If Bengal had proclaimed a boycott of all machine-made

goods, it would have been much better.

Machinery has begun to desolate Europe. Ruination is now knocking at theEnglish gates. Machinery is the chief symbol of modern civilization ; it represents a

great sin.

The workers in the mills of Bombay have become slaves. The condition of the

women working in the mills is shocking. When there were no mills, these women

were not starving. If the machinery craze grows in our country, it will become an

unhappy land. It may be considered a heresy, but I am bound to say that it were better

for us to send money to Manchester and to use flimsy Manchester cloth than to

multiply mills in India. By using Manchester cloth we only waste our money ; but by

reproducing Manchester in India, we shall keep our money at the price of our blood,

because our very moral being will be sapped, and I call in support of my statement the

very mill-hands as witnesses. And those who have amassed wealth out of factories are

not likely to be better than other rich men. It would be folly to assume that an Indian

Rockefeller would be better than the American Rockefeller. Impoverished India can

become free, but it will be hard for any India made rich through immorality to regain

its freedom. I fear we shall have to admit that moneyed men support British rule ; their

interest is bound up with its stability. Money renders a man helpless. The other thing

which is equally harmful is sexual vice. Both are poison. A snake-bite is a lesser

poison than these two, because the former merely destroys the body but the latter

destroy body, mind and soul. We need not, therefore, be pleased with the prospect of

the growth of the mill-industry.

READER: Are the mills, then, to be closed down ?

EDITOR: That is difficult. It is no easy task to do away with a thing that is

established. We, therefore, say that the non-beginning of a thing is supreme

wisdom. We cannot condemn mill-owners ; we can but pity them. It would be too

much to expect them to give up their mills, but we may implore them not to

increase them. If they would be good they would gradually contract their business.

They can establish in thousands of households the ancient and sacred handlooms

and they can buy out the cloth that may be thus woven. Whether the mill-owners

do this or not, people can cease to use machine-made goods.

READER: You have so far spoken about machine-made cloth, but there are

innumerable machine-made things. We have either to import them or to introducemachinery into our country.

EDITOR: Indeed, our gods even are made in Germany. What need, then, to speak of

matches, pins and glassware? My answer can be only one. What did India do before

these articles were introduced? Precisely the same should be done today. As long as

we cannot make pins without machinery so long will we do without them. The tinsel

splendour of glassware we will have nothing to do with, and we will make wicks, as

of old, with home-grown cotton and use handmade earthen saucers for lamps. So

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doing, we shall save our eyes and money and support Swadeshi and so shall we attain

Home Rule.

It is not to be conceived that all men will do all these things at one time or that

some men will give up all machine-made things at once. But, if the thought is sound,

we shall always find out what we can give up and gradually cease to use it. What a

few may do, others will copy; and the movement will grow like the cocoanut of themathematical problem. What the leaders do, the populace will gladly do in turn. The

matter is neither complicated nor difficult. You and I need not wait until we can carry

others with us. Those will be the losers who will not do it, and those who will not do

it, although they appreciate the truth, will deserve to be called cowards.

READER: What, then, of the tram-cars and electricity?

EDITOR: This question is now too late. It signifies nothing. If we are to do without

the railways we shall have to do without the tram-cars. Machinery is like a snake-hole

which may contain from one to a hundred snakes. Where there is machinery there are

large cities; and where there are large cities, there are tram-cars and railways ; and

there only does one see electric light. English villages do not boast of any of thesethings. Honest physicians will tell you that where means of artificial locomotion have

increased, the health of the people has suffered. I remember that when in a European

town there was a scarcity of money, the receipts of the tramway company, of the

lawyers and of the doctors went down and people were less unhealthy. I cannot recall

a single good point in connection with machinery. Books can be written to

demonstrate its evils.

READER: Is it a good point or a bad one that all you are saying will be printed

through machinery?

EDITOR: This is one of those instances which demonstrate that sometimes poison is

used to kill poison. This, then, will not be a good point regarding machinery. As itexpires, the machinery, as it were, says to us: Beware and avoid me. You will derive

no benefits from me and the benefit that may accrue from printing will avail only

those who are infected with the machinery-craze.

Do not, therefore, forget the main thing. It is necessary to realize that machinery is

bad. We shall then be able gradually to do away with it. Nature has not provided any

way whereby we may reach a desired goal all of a sudden. If, instead of welcoming

machinery as a boon, we should look upon it as an evil, it would ultimately go.

If one has perfect health, there is no need of hospitals, when Pujya Gurudev walked in the

sky in the Himalayas, there is no need for railway system. All this technology and machinesare a reflection of various parts of our human body. For example, camera from eyes,

telephone from ear and so on. The important point to be noted here is that your physical

body is your asana. A collector sits in his asana, a chief minister sits in his asana, but when

he sits in his respective asana, he has some specific responsibilities. That is what the real

asana is. The asana is to lead you to a particular goal irrespective of whether you are sitting

in that chair or not. If the 5 karmendriyas and 5 gyanendriyas are not perfect, one cannot

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utlize these instruments. The same thing applies to our body also. The best asana is the

padmasana. For us to take control over our horse and ride it, we should know where to go.

Each one should reach his asana. But as a fundamental thing to move forward in evolution,

Padmasana is very important. We all know the characteristics of a lotus it blossoms in mud

water, is untouchable by water, blooms at the rays of the Sun. To gain that mental state,

padmasana is needed. That is the only seat which leads you to higher cosmic levels whereone can understand the whole greatness of our spiritual Masters. One should always

remember that this physical body is only a horse, it has its own way of life. But todayss man

has forgotten this and thinks he is the horse only and is living like that. But the mind should

ride on this horse and reach its goal.

The next important thing is Pranayama. With a particular type of thinking linked with

pranayama, one can achieve a perfect body. For this you need to understand a particular

dhyana given by Param Pujya Gurudev as the Bhavana Mantra. We should do this mantra

in the padmasana for best results. Bhavana means emotions not thinking. Emotions are

based on pranamaya sharira, prana gives emotions. Emotions means that which makes youmove, the power to move is emotion. If you have a thought but no emotion on it, you dont

work for it and get the result. Here Param Pujya Gurudev has given the bhavana mantra

do the mantra with emotions. Mantra is not important but you should know what is mantra

actually. mananaath traayathe ithi mantraha. But not as a mere action of it. This is what

Sant Kabir says -

Maala To Kar Mein Phire, Jeebh Phire Mukh Mahin

Manua To Chahun Dish Phire, Yeh To Simran Nahin

Translation

The rosary rotating by the hand (or) the tongue twisting in the mouth,

With the mind wandering everywhere, this isn't meditation (Oh uncouth!).

If we can correctly use the japa mala, the person gets siddhi. Hence one should

compulsorily have a mala (rosary) with 108 beads in the hand. It can be made of sandal or

tulasi or rudraksha or any other gems. You should also know the importance of each type of

mala and when to use them. When doing japa, one should concentrate on each bead when

the fingers of the hand move onto it. To move the mala bead one by one, we should not use

the index finger but use the middle or ring finger and sometimes the little finger with the

thumb. The fingers of the hand are the mediums to utilize the gyanendriya shakthi. Similarly

the 10 fingers of the legs are for the karmendriyas. We should know how to utilize these

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gyanendriyas and karmendriyas together to achieve our goal. This is one of technique of

japa. The number 108 beads in a mala are related to our body again. Mooladhara chakra

contains 4 petals, swadhishtana 6, manipooraka 10, anahatha 12, vishuddhi 16, agna

2, mano buddhi chitta ahamkara (4) totals 54, cycle completion : 54 + 54 = 108.

When japa is done correctly, the 5 gyanendriyas and 5 karmendriyas of all the 5 bodieswhich equals to 50 are all activated. Sandal mala symbolize bhakthi (does not mean on God,

it can be on anything, be it on money, on a person or on God also). Tulasi mala is for purity

(purity of all, right from the physical body to all the 5 bodies). When you are pure in all your

5 bodies, then there will be no death. This is the reason tulasi water would be poured into

the mouth of dying people so that he revives and is well again. But this has totally lost it true

meaning now. This is same as the teertha we partake in temples. The mantra when taking

teertha goes as

Akaala mruthyu haranam, sarva vyaadhi nivaranam,

sarva paapa kshayakaram, sri Vishnu(or any God) paadodakam pavanam shubham.

Meaning that this teertha will protect you from accidental death, remove all your diseases,

clear all your sins and will give you good fortune.

We are talking about all this in the context of Prana. If we have a pure and perfect body,

prana flows in it easily, even in a person on the death bed can work miracles with prana.

One should know how to utilize that prana. To get this prana shakthi into us Param Pujya

Gurudev has given us this bhavana mantra.

Bhavana Mantra

The color of my blood is bright red. This is the source of my excellent health. The blood is very fresh.

There are no foreign particles in the blood. Each and every cell in my body is radiating light. My body

is extremely flexible. I am becoming more flexible. My effulgence and capacity is seen in my radiant

eyes. My lungs are strong. I take deep breaths. I inhale the prana shakti through breathing. I do not

have any kind of disease. I am able to clearly see the improvement in my health on a daily basis.

Each and every part of my body is strong. I am strong. Adequate immunity is present in my body

which prevents disease and preserves good health. I am absorbing the pure effulgent Atmatej within

myself. My primary objective is to enhance my energies. I will beget as much energy as possible. I

will become healthy. I will grow. I will vanquish all kinds of weakness and disease. My latent powers

are getting awakened. I am the treasure house of all life-giving energies. I am healthy, strong and

happy now.

In the coming few years science is going to develop in this field of pranamaya, the etheric

body. When one knows how to control prana, he will be free from death. But it depends upon us.

Just as Sri Krishna told Sri Aurobindo that India has attained independence already in the year 1909

itself, but India got her independence in 1947. It took 38 years to attain after being told that it has

been given already. Similarly Pujya Gurudev says that by 2012 the kali yuga is going to end the satya

yuga is arriving. But when will it happen to YOU? Only man has this choice, all other beings attain

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satya yuga automatically when it comes. If one can collect data about the plants and animals, their

behavior now and after 2012, you will know the change yourself.

The above bhavana mantra can be utilized for anything, either to attain independence or for

revival of satya yuga or be it anything else, the technique is one and the same. Hence use this

mantra correctly and develop yourself and your body perfectly.