Shloka 10
नारद–शुक संवादः (Nārada–Śuka Dialogue): Tyāga, Saṃyama, and Vyakta–Avyakta Viveka
प्राणायामो हि सगुणो निर्गुणं धारयेन्मन: । यद्यदृश्यति मुज्चन् वै प्राणान् मैथिलसत्तम । वाताधिकयं भवत्येव तस्मात् तं न समाचरेत्
yājñavalkya uvāca | prāṇāyāmo hi saguṇo nirguṇaṃ dhārayen manaḥ | yadyadṛśyati muñcan vai prāṇān maithilasattama | vātādhikyaṃ bhavaty eva tasmāt taṃ na samācaret |
Yājñavalkya dit : «Le prāṇāyāma, lorsqu’il est pratiqué avec attributs (saguṇa)—c’est-à-dire soutenu par un objet déterminé de contemplation—aide à affermir l’esprit dans l’état sans attributs (nirguṇa). Mais, ô le meilleur des Maithila, si l’on expire les souffles vitaux sans la vision intérieure de la divinité prescrite (ou du principe directeur) au moment de l’inspiration et des autres phases, alors un excès de vāta (vent) s’élève assurément dans le corps. C’est pourquoi il ne faut pas pratiquer un prāṇāyāma dépourvu de méditation».
याज़्ञवल्क्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
Breath-discipline should be joined to focused contemplation (saguṇa support) so that the mind can become steady in the attributeless (nirguṇa) state; doing prāṇāyāma mechanically, without meditative ‘vision’ or proper inner focus, is discouraged because it can cause imbalance (vāta aggravation) and fails to serve its spiritual purpose.
In a didactic exchange within Śānti Parva, the sage Yājñavalkya instructs a Maithila interlocutor on correct yogic method: prāṇāyāma is presented as a means to stabilize the mind, but only when integrated with meditation; otherwise it is portrayed as potentially harmful and spiritually unproductive.