Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 8
Uttaraloka
Northern Higher World), Dharma–Adharma Viveka, and Adhyatma-Prashna (Prelude
प्राणधारणमात्रं तु केषांचिदुपपद्यते । श्रमेण महता केचित्कुर्वंति प्राणधारणम् ॥ ८ ॥
prāṇadhāraṇamātraṃ tu keṣāṃcidupapadyate | śrameṇa mahatā kecitkurvaṃti prāṇadhāraṇam || 8 ||
Für manche wird schon das bloße Anhalten des Atems von selbst möglich; andere jedoch vollbringen die Atemzurückhaltung nur unter großer Anstrengung und Mühsal.
Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
It highlights that yogic capacity varies by individual nature and prior saṃskāras: some attain prāṇa-dhāraṇā with ease, while others must cultivate it through sustained effort—encouraging perseverance without comparison.
Indirectly, it cautions that technical yogic feats like breath-retention are not uniformly accessible; therefore, one should not base spiritual progress solely on such abilities, and may instead rely on steadier means like devotion and disciplined living.
No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is taught here; the practical takeaway is yogic discipline—prāṇa-dhāraṇā as part of prāṇāyāma—requiring graded practice according to one’s capacity.