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 ||
Apabila seseorang tidak menarik masuk dan tidak melepaskan nafas yang berada di dalam dan di luar, ketahuilah keadaan teguh 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.