Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 45
आकुंचनेनैव मूर्द्धमुन्नीय पवनं शनैः । मूर्धनि ब्रह्मरंध्रे तं प्राणं संधारयेत्कृती
ākuṃcanenaiva mūrddhamunnīya pavanaṃ śanaiḥ | mūrdhani brahmaraṃdhre taṃ prāṇaṃ saṃdhārayetkṛtī
केवल आकुञ्चन द्वारा धीरे-धीरे पवन को मस्तक तक उठाकर, साधक को उस प्राण को शिरोभाग के ब्रह्मरन्ध्र में धारण करना चाहिए।
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.