Adhyaya 8: Yogasthanas, Ashtanga Yoga, Pranayama-Siddhi, and Shiva-Dhyana leading to Samadhi
समं नयति गात्राणि समानः पञ्च वायवः उद्गारे नाग आख्यातः कूर्म उन्मीलने तु सः
samaṃ nayati gātrāṇi samānaḥ pañca vāyavaḥ udgāre nāga ākhyātaḥ kūrma unmīlane tu saḥ
Dalam lima hembusan vital, Samāna membawa anggota tubuh kepada keseimbangan dan keharmonian. Dalam perbuatan sendawa ia dikenali sebagai Nāga, dan dalam pembukaan mata ia disebut Kūrma.
Suta Goswami
It frames bodily regulation as a prerequisite for purity: balancing the vāyus steadies the pashu (embodied soul) so worship and meditation on the Linga can proceed without distraction, supporting inner and outer śiva-pūjā.
By detailing the functions of prāṇa and its sub-vāyus, the verse implies Shiva as Pati—the inner Lord who governs the life-winds—while the pashu experiences these movements under pasha (bodily limitation) until disciplined and aligned.
A prāṇic discipline central to Pāśupata-oriented yoga: observing and balancing Samāna, and recognizing Nāga and Kūrma as specific prāṇa-functions, aiding steadiness in japa, dhyāna, and Linga-upāsanā.