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Shloka 4

Adhyāya 48: Brahmopadeśa on Prāṇāyāma, Sāttvika Vṛtti, and the Sattva–Kṣetrajña Question

प्राणायामैरथ प्राणान्‌ संयम्य स पुनः पुनः । दशद्वादशभिर्वापि चतुर्विशात्‌ परं तत:

prāṇāyāmair atha prāṇān saṁyamya sa punaḥ punaḥ | daśadvādaśabhir vāpi caturviṁśāt paraṁ tataḥ ||

Vāyu-deva nói: Nhờ nhiều lần chế ngự các khí lực sinh mệnh bằng pháp môn prāṇāyāma—dù là mười hay mười hai lần điều tức—hành giả vượt qua hai mươi bốn nguyên lý và đạt đến nguyên lý thứ hai mươi lăm: Đấng Tối Thượng, Paramātman.

प्राणायामैःby breath-restraints (prāṇāyāmas)
प्राणायामैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootप्राणायाम
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
अथthen/and
अथ:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअथ
प्राणान्the vital breaths
प्राणान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootप्राण
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
संयम्यhaving restrained
संयम्य:
TypeVerb
Rootसम्-यम्
Formल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), having restrained
सःhe
सः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
पुनःagain
पुनः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपुनः
पुनःagain
पुनः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपुनः
दशby ten
दश:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootदशन्
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural, used as numeral; often treated as indeclinable in practice
द्वादशभिःby twelve
द्वादशभिः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootद्वादशन्
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural, numeral used instrumentally
वाor
वा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा
अपिalso/even
अपि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि
चतुर्विंशात्from twenty-four
चतुर्विंशात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootचतुर्विंशति
FormFeminine, Ablative, Singular
परम्beyond/superior (to)
परम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootपर
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
ततःthereafter/from that
ततः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः

वायुदेव उवाच

V
Vāyu-deva (Wind-god)
P
prāṇa (vital breath)
P
prāṇāyāma (breath-control)
C
caturviṁśati-tattva (twenty-four principles)
P
pañcaviṁśa-tattva / Paramātman (twenty-fifth principle; Supreme Self)

Educational Q&A

Repeated prāṇāyāma and restraint of prāṇa lead the practitioner beyond the twenty-four material principles (tattvas) to realization of the twenty-fifth principle, the Supreme Self (Paramātman/Puruṣa).

Vāyu-deva is instructing a listener on yogic practice and metaphysical ascent, explaining how disciplined breath-control functions as a method for transcending the constituents of nature and reaching the highest spiritual principle.