Sarvadarshanasangraha 15.160

15.160

When that stability of posture is achieved, breath control (prāṇāyāma) becomes established. And its nature is the interruption of the movement of inhalation and exhalation. There, 'inhalation' (śvāsa) means drawing the outer air inside. 'Exhalation' (praśvāsa), again, is the expulsion of the abdominal air outside. The absence of movement of both of them is breath control. If it is objected: "Surely this is not the general definition of breath control, because it cannot apply to its specific varieties—the modes of expulsion (recaka), inhalation (pūraka), and retention (kumbhaka)"—this is not a defect, because the interruption of the movement of inhalation and exhalation is possible everywhere. To explain: the outward expulsion of the abdominal air is the breath control called recaka, which was previously stated as exhalation; the inward holding of the outer air is pūraka, which is of the nature of inhalation; the retention-mode inside is kumbhaka, in which the wind called prāṇa is kept motionless, like water in a pot. Since there is indeed the interruption of the movement of both inhalation and exhalation everywhere in these, there is no room for doubt. Thus it has been said: "When that [posture] is present, breath control is the interruption of the movement of inhalation and exhalation."