अपाने जुह्वति प्राणं प्राणेऽपानं तथापरे | प्राणापानगती रुद्ध्वा प्राणायामपरायणा: || 29 || अपरे नियताहारा: प्राणान्प्राणेषु जुह्वति | सर्वेऽप्येते यज्ञविदो यज्ञक्षपितकल्मषा: || 30 || |
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“Other devotees offer as sacrifice the incoming breath of prana in the outgoing breath of apana, and the outgoing breath of apana in the incoming breath of prana, thus arresting the cause of inhalation and exhalation by intent practice of pranayama”
“Yet others curtail their food intake and offer the breath into the life-energy as sacrifice. All these knowers of sacrifice are cleansed of their impurities as a result of such performances.”
Commentary: Lord Krishna encapsulates pranayama and pratyahara in these two verses. The force of the senses to draw the mind outward to material vibrations is extremely powerful. Therefore the yogi employs scientific methods of life force control to pull the mind inward and make the attention focused on the source of life. Offering inhaling breath to the opposite current of exhalation and exhaling breath to the opposing current of inhalation, the yogi polarizes the body. Feeding on the prana as food and offering the breathing currents to the prana, the yogi stops constant growth and decay of the cells. With complete stillness of the muscles, sensory and motor nerves, the yogi experiences the Spirit within the body. This is the true joy that removes all impurities of ignorance and Karma.