Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 45
आकुंचनेनैव मूर्द्धमुन्नीय पवनं शनैः । मूर्धनि ब्रह्मरंध्रे तं प्राणं संधारयेत्कृती
ākuṃcanenaiva mūrddhamunnīya pavanaṃ śanaiḥ | mūrdhani brahmaraṃdhre taṃ prāṇaṃ saṃdhārayetkṛtī
Par la seule contraction (ākuñcana), en élevant doucement le souffle jusqu’à la tête, l’adepte doit retenir ce prāṇa au sommet du crâne, dans l’ouverture de Brahmā (brahmarandhra).
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)
Listener: Pārtha
Scene: A yogin with a thin column of light rising to the crown; at the top, a radiant aperture (brahmarandhra) like a small sun-lotus; the body remains motionless, breath subtle.
FAQs
The adept refines breath-control into concentration by gently lifting prāṇa to the crown and holding it at the brahmarandhra.
No outer tīrtha is named; the verse sanctifies the brahmarandhra as an inner ‘summit’ for yogic holding.
A concrete yogic procedure is prescribed: raise the breath slowly by ākuñcana and retain it at the brahmarandhra.