Student:
Pranam, Gurudev.
Guru:
Pranam, Pranam.
Student:
Today, I would like to learn from you about the Kumbhaka Kriya.
Guru:
Well, Kumbhaka is nothing but the process of breathing. This kriya of inhalation and exhalation is called Kumbhaka. You breathe in through one nostril, close that nostril, and then release the breath through the other nostril. This is called Kumbhaka. One must understand this properly; it cannot be done without proper knowledge.
Guru:
The Tantras teach us that you should visualize that you are sitting amidst a flow of water and there is a wall of fire surrounding you. You are sitting there, and you must make your mind as vast as the sky—totally free from any clutter or distractions. During Kumbhaka, you should have no other thoughts. Your mind should be focused solely on the fact that you are performing Kumbhaka.
Guru:
The mantra Hamsah should be chanted. Hamsa refers to the Vishuddha chakra, the place from where we speak. It is called Parama-hamsa. When it becomes supreme, the Hamsa appears. That is why it is called the Turiya stage. This mantra must be chanted. Within the soul, a lamp shall be lit, illuminating the darkness. This is all visualization. You cannot actually light a fire or a lamp inside the body, but you must visualize that there is no more darkness within your mind. You must establish this thought.
Guru:
Then, through the Sushumna nadi, the Kulakundalini rises from the Muladhara through the Swadhisthana, Manipura, Anahata, Vishuddha, and Ajna—the six chakras. There are 24 elements (Tattvas). When we breathe, it first divides into five parts: Prana, Apana, Samana, Udana, and Vyana. This Prana vayu, which keeps us alive, then further divides into the 24 Tattvas. If there is no air, you die. It is all the action of air—the kriya of breathing.
Guru:
When performing Kumbhaka, you must take a deep breath and hold it at the navel (Nabhi-kunda). Keep it at the navel. It will then circulate automatically. After closing your nostrils, you begin the Hamsa seed mantra. But before starting, you must visualize the expulsion of the Papa Purusha (the Personification of Sin).
Guru:
On the left side of the body resides the Papa Purusha. He is pitch black and resides on the left side. He is of a dark complexion. He is described as having the sin of killing a Brahmin on his head and his two arms are made of stolen gold—meaning they are very strong. He is intoxicated with wine. He wears a tiger skin and holds a sword in his hand. This is the Papa Purusha.
Guru:
There is a mantra to expel him. One must recite the mantra and bid farewell to this Papa Purusha. You visualize this dark figure with the sin of Brahmanicide, wandering with his powerful arms, intoxicated, wearing tiger skin, and holding a sword. When Muslims go to Mecca, they perform a ritual of throwing stones at a pillar to drive away the devil. They do it in their way; we do it in ours. After sitting down, I must first think of this Papa Purusha and expel him. Only after that should I proceed.
Guru:
Next is Rechaka and Puraka (exhalation and inhalation). First, you perform Puraka, then Rechaka. When you close one nostril and inhale, do it slowly so that your belly fills up with air. Inhale as much as you can. Then, release that breath through the other nostril very, very slowly.
Guru:
Kumbhaka is very powerful. A turtle breathes only once in a long while; that is why a turtle's lifespan is 300 years. Similarly, if a human practices Kumbhaka, they too can live for many years. Living for 100 or 150 years would be no big deal for them.
Guru:
While inhaling, there is a seed mantra, Rang. You must chant this. There are three mantras involved. During Rechaka, you hold the breath inside—you must not let it out. You hold it for as long as you can until you feel restless. When you perform Kumbhaka, your body expands. When you cannot hold it anymore and feel the urge to breathe, that is when you release it.
Guru:
After inhaling and bringing the air down to the navel, you lock it. While locked, chant as much as you can—the Raktavarna (red-colored) mantra, the Sun mantra. Inhale through one side and exhale through the other. This creates immense pressure on the Kulakundalini and the Muladhara. The more air pressure there is, the more they begin to open. They are like lotus buds facing downwards, but when they open, the lotus blooms. This is the main thing.
Guru:
One should learn the proper technique of Rechaka and Puraka from an expert. By practicing this, the Ajna chakra will awaken. Awakening the Ajna chakra means the Sushumna nadi awakens. We have two main nadis, Ida and Pingala. They have colors and are associated with different deities.
Guru:
In the Kulakundalini, we have the Kleem seed mantra—the seed of desire (Kama). No one can live in this world without desire; it is very necessary. However, that doesn't mean you spend it recklessly. Controlling and mastering desire is what conquering kama means.
Guru:
The longer you hold your breath, the more your body, veins, lungs, and heart will expand. You might not be able to hold it for five or ten minutes at first—that's almost impossible—but if you hold it for even five minutes, you will feel a restlessness, an urge to breathe.
Student:
And along with that, the mantras must be chanted?
Guru:
Yes, there are mantras to be counted on the fingers. There are several: the Rang seed, the Sun seed, the Vayu (air) seed, and the Agni (fire) seed.
Student:
Will doing any one of them suffice?
Guru:
No, you should do all three. First 13 times, then 32 times, then 64 times, and then 108 times. To chant 108 times, it takes about three to four minutes. You must count and keep the breath locked. Nothing in the body should move. You must sit perfectly straight. Do not sit slumped. Sit in Padmasana (lotus position) with both hands on your knees. Then perform Rechaka and Puraka.
Guru:
This isn't something you master in a day. On the first day, you might hold it for 30 seconds or a minute. For those who practice, it increases gradually. We breathe about 22,000 to 23,000 times a day without even realizing it.
Student:
Daily?
Guru:
Daily. The more breaths you take, the shorter your lifespan becomes. The fewer breaths you take, the longer you live. If you lock your breath for five minutes, your lifespan increases by that much. If you do this every day and increase your life by even a minute or two, over time, your lifespan will significantly increase. If you do this for 60 days, your life increases by a full day.
Guru:
When you cannot take a breath, you feel a bit light-headed. But if someone practices this for 15 to 30 minutes, they will feel immense peace. This is called the Rest of the Soul—Pranayama or Kumbhaka. Kumbhaka is a bit more difficult; Pranayama is easier.
Guru:
You must be very careful with Kumbhaka. For example, if I were to hold your head underwater, you would struggle and your body would react because you couldn't breathe. Your veins would swell, your lungs would expand, and your heartbeat might go up to 120. But don't be afraid; it's a matter of practice. Our normal heartbeat is 65 to 70. Here it might reach 120. When you can hear your heart thumping in your ears—dhak, dhak, dhak—know that your Pranayama is working correctly. You will hear the sound of your own life force. That is when you know your Kumbhaka is right.
Guru:
This is all done through Rechaka and Puraka. We have nine gates (Nava Dwara) in our body. The openings: the two nostrils, the ears, the eyes, the anus, and the urinary tract. These are the holes through which the life force (Prana) exits. When a person dies, the Prana leaves through one of these gates. People don't realize that Prana is like smoke—a gaseous substance that leaves the body.
Guru:
When we are born, we are made of the five elements (Pancha-bhuta): Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Ether (Kshiti, Ap, Tejas, Marut, Vyom). When the Vyom (Ether/Space) suddenly leaves the body, that is the Prana leaving.
Guru:
I request the listeners of this episode to learn Kumbhaka from someone who knows it well. It doesn't take much to learn, but it increases the lifespan. That is why it is called Pranayama—giving rest to the Prana. It makes the body radiant and very strong. After performing Kumbhaka, if you lie down, you will feel immense relaxation in the body. You will feel very light.
Student:
So Gurudev, we have learned from you that Kumbhaka is the only way to increase a human's lifespan.
Guru:
Exactly.
Student:
Pranam, Gurudev.
Guru:
Pranam, Pranam.