Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 23
शुक्रोत्पत्तिः तथा महेश्वरदर्शनम् (Śukra’s Emergence and the Vision of Maheśvara)
प्राणसंधारणादस्ति यच्च पुण्यफलं तव । त्रिभिर्वर्षसहस्रैस्तु तेनास्तु तव निर्वृतिः
prāṇasaṃdhāraṇādasti yacca puṇyaphalaṃ tava | tribhirvarṣasahasraistu tenāstu tava nirvṛtiḥ
Welchen verdienstvollen Lohn du auch durch die Übung des Tragens und Bewahrens des Lebensatems erlangt hast—durch dieses Verdienst seien dir Zufriedenheit und Frieden für dreitausend Jahre gewährt.
Lord Shiva
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Ishana
Role: nurturing
FAQs
It affirms that disciplined mastery of prāṇa (life-breath) becomes puṇya (spiritual merit) and, by Shiva’s grace, ripens into sustained inner peace (nirvṛti), supporting steadiness on the path toward liberation.
In Shaiva practice, prāṇa-discipline is offered to Saguna Shiva as devotion and self-purification; the steadied breath supports focused Linga-worship, mantra-japa, and one-pointed contemplation, through which Shiva bestows tranquility and spiritual fruition.
Prāṇa-saṃdhāraṇa (regulated breath-retention/prāṇāyāma) performed with Shiva-oriented intention—ideally alongside Panchākṣarī japa (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”)—as a tapas that generates puṇya and inner calm.