Shloka 25
Satī at Dakṣa’s Sacrifice: Condemnation of Blasphemy and Voluntary Departure by Yoga-Fire
कृत्वा समानावनिलौ जितासना सोदानमुत्थाप्य च नाभिचक्रत: । शनैर्हृदि स्थाप्य धियोरसि स्थितं कण्ठाद्भ्रुवोर्मध्यमनिन्दितानयत् ॥ २५ ॥
kṛtvā samānāv anilau jitāsanā sodānam utthāpya ca nābhi-cakrataḥ śanair hṛdi sthāpya dhiyorasi sthitaṁ kaṇṭhād bhruvor madhyam aninditānayat
First she steadied her posture and brought the vital airs into balance. Then she lifted the udāna from the navel center and placed it in equilibrium. Next, the prāṇa joined with intelligence was set within the heart, and from there, gradually carried through the throat passage up to the point between the eyebrows.
The yogic process is to control the air passing within the body in different places called ṣaṭ-cakra, the six circles of air circulation. The air is raised from the abdomen to the navel, from the navel to the heart, from the heart to the throat, from the throat to between the eyebrows and from between the eyebrows to the top of the cerebrum. That is the sum and substance of practicing yoga. Before practicing the real yoga system, one has to practice the sitting postures because this helps in the breathing exercises which control the airs going upwards and downwards. This is a great technique which one has to practice to attain the highest perfectional stage of yoga, but such practice is not meant for this age. No one in this age can attain the perfectional stage of such yoga, but people indulge in practicing sitting postures, which is more or less a gymnastic process. By such bodily gymnastics one may develop good circulation and may therefore keep one’s body fit, but if one simply restricts oneself to that gymnastic process one cannot attain the highest perfectional stage. The yoga process, as described in the Keśava-śruti, prescribes how one can control his living force according to his desire and transmigrate from one body to another or from one place to another. In other words, yoga practice is not meant to keep the body fit. Any transcendental process of spiritual realization automatically helps one to keep the body fit, for it is the spirit soul that keeps the body always fresh. As soon as the spirit soul is out of the body, the material body immediately begins to decompose. Any spiritual process keeps the body fit without separate endeavor, but if one takes it that the ultimate aim of yoga is to maintain the body, then he is mistaken. The real perfection of yoga is elevation of the soul to a higher position or the liberation of the soul from material entanglement. Some yogīs try to elevate the soul to higher planetary systems, where the standard of life is different from that of this planet and where the material comforts, life span and other facilities for self-realization are greater, and some yogīs endeavor to elevate the soul to the spiritual world, the spiritual Vaikuṇṭha planets. The bhakti-yoga process directly elevates the soul to the spiritual planets, where life is eternally blissful and full of knowledge; therefore bhakti-yoga is considered to be the greatest of all yoga systems.
FAQs
This verse describes equalizing inhalation and exhalation, then lifting prāṇa (with udāna) upward—from the navel to the heart, throat, and finally between the eyebrows—showing a classical yogic process of internal ascent of life-air with focused consciousness.
In the narrative of Dakṣa’s offense and Satī’s intense resolve, she employs yogic control of prāṇa and mind to withdraw from the body—moving the life-air upward as part of leaving her mortal frame.
The verse highlights steady posture, calm breathing, and gradual inward focus—practices that can be applied as disciplined meditation and regulated breathing to reduce agitation and strengthen concentration for spiritual study and devotion.