Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 126
Mokṣopāya: Bhakti-rooted Jñāna and the Aṣṭāṅga Yoga of Viṣṇu-Meditation
न गृह्णाति न त्यजति वायुमंतर्बहिः स्थितम् । विद्धि तच्छून्यकं नाम प्राणायामं यथास्थितम् ॥ २६ ॥
na gṛhṇāti na tyajati vāyumaṃtarbahiḥ sthitam | viddhi tacchūnyakaṃ nāma prāṇāyāmaṃ yathāsthitam || 26 ||
Ketika seseorang tidak menarik masuk dan tidak pula melepaskan napas yang berada di dalam maupun di luar, ketahuilah keadaan mantap itu sebagai prāṇāyāma bernama “Śūnyaka”.
Sanatkumāra (in instruction to Nārada)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
FAQs
It defines Śūnyaka prāṇāyāma as a poised stillness where neither inhalation nor exhalation is pursued, pointing to a yogic interior quietude supportive of meditation and liberation-oriented practice.
While primarily yogic, the verse supports bhakti indirectly by cultivating steadiness and mental silence, which help a devotee sustain single-pointed remembrance (smaraṇa) of the Lord without distraction.
No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is taught here; the practical takeaway is yogic technique—recognizing a named prāṇāyāma state (Śūnyaka) defined by suspension of both taking and releasing the breath.