Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 23
शुक्रोत्पत्तिः तथा महेश्वरदर्शनम् (Śukra’s Emergence and the Vision of Maheśvara)
प्राणसंधारणादस्ति यच्च पुण्यफलं तव । त्रिभिर्वर्षसहस्रैस्तु तेनास्तु तव निर्वृतिः
prāṇasaṃdhāraṇādasti yacca puṇyaphalaṃ tava | tribhirvarṣasahasraistu tenāstu tava nirvṛtiḥ
ప్రాణసంధారణ తపస్సు ద్వారా నీకు కలిగిన పుణ్యఫలముచేత మూడు వేల సంవత్సరములు నీకు తృప్తి మరియు శాంతి కలుగుగాక.
Lord Shiva
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Ishana
Role: nurturing
FAQs
It affirms that disciplined mastery of prāṇa (life-breath) becomes puṇya (spiritual merit) and, by Shiva’s grace, ripens into sustained inner peace (nirvṛti), supporting steadiness on the path toward liberation.
In Shaiva practice, prāṇa-discipline is offered to Saguna Shiva as devotion and self-purification; the steadied breath supports focused Linga-worship, mantra-japa, and one-pointed contemplation, through which Shiva bestows tranquility and spiritual fruition.
Prāṇa-saṃdhāraṇa (regulated breath-retention/prāṇāyāma) performed with Shiva-oriented intention—ideally alongside Panchākṣarī japa (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”)—as a tapas that generates puṇya and inner calm.