Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 117
Mokṣopāya: Bhakti-rooted Jñāna and the Aṣṭāṅga Yoga of Viṣṇu-Meditation
प्राङ्मुखोदङ्मुखो वापि तथा प्रत्यङ्मुखोऽपि वा । अभ्यासेन जयेत्प्राणान्निःशब्दे जनवर्जिते ॥ १७ ॥
prāṅmukhodaṅmukho vāpi tathā pratyaṅmukho'pi vā | abhyāsena jayetprāṇānniḥśabde janavarjite || 17 ||
കിഴക്കോട്ടോ വടക്കോട്ടോ പടിഞ്ഞാറോട്ടോ മുഖം തിരിച്ച് ഇരുന്നാലും, അഭ്യാസത്തിലൂടെ പ്രാണങ്ങളെ ജയിക്കണം; സ്ഥലം നിശ്ശബ്ദവും ജനവിരഹിതവും ആയിരിക്കണം.
Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: none
FAQs
It emphasizes that inner mastery begins with prāṇa-saṃyama (control of the life-winds), cultivated by consistent practice in solitude and silence—conditions that reduce distraction and stabilize the mind.
While the verse is primarily yogic, it supports bhakti by preparing the body-mind for steady remembrance (smaraṇa) and focused worship; calm prāṇa makes the mind fit for devotion to the Lord.
It reflects applied yogic discipline rather than a specific Vedāṅga; practically, it teaches sādhana-vidhi—choosing a quiet, people-free place and maintaining a stable practice to regulate prāṇa.