Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 45
आकुंचनेनैव मूर्द्धमुन्नीय पवनं शनैः । मूर्धनि ब्रह्मरंध्रे तं प्राणं संधारयेत्कृती
ākuṃcanenaiva mūrddhamunnīya pavanaṃ śanaiḥ | mūrdhani brahmaraṃdhre taṃ prāṇaṃ saṃdhārayetkṛtī
ಆಕುಂಚನ ಮಾತ್ರದಿಂದ ಪವನವನ್ನು ನಿಧಾನವಾಗಿ ಶಿರಸ್ಸಿಗೆ ಎತ್ತಿ, ಕೃತೀ ಸಾಧಕನು ಆ ಪ್ರಾಣವನ್ನು ಮೂರ್ಧನಿಯ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮರಂಧ್ರದಲ್ಲಿ ಧಾರಣೆ ಮಾಡಬೇಕು.
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.