Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 118
Mokṣopāya: Bhakti-rooted Jñāna and the Aṣṭāṅga Yoga of Viṣṇu-Meditation
प्राणो वायुः शरीरस्थ आयामस्तस्य निग्रहः । प्राणायाम इति प्रोक्तो द्विविधः स प्रकीर्त्तितः ॥ १८ ॥
prāṇo vāyuḥ śarīrastha āyāmastasya nigrahaḥ | prāṇāyāma iti prokto dvividhaḥ sa prakīrttitaḥ || 18 ||
Prāṇa est le souffle vital demeurant dans le corps ; sa régulation mesurée et sa maîtrise se nomment prāṇāyāma. Il est proclamé qu’il en existe deux sortes.
Narada
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
It defines prāṇāyāma as disciplined restraint of the inner life-wind, presenting breath-control as a foundational yogic tool for purification and steadiness of mind on the path toward mokṣa.
While not explicitly naming bhakti, it supports devotion indirectly: regulating prāṇa stabilizes attention and emotions, making japa, dhyāna, and sustained remembrance of Viṣṇu easier and more effective.
It aligns with practical yogic-śāstra discipline rather than a specific Vedāṅga; the key takeaway is the technical definition of prāṇāyāma as measurable regulation (āyāma) and restraint (nigraha) of bodily vāyu.