Pranayama is an important yoganga which is widely entertained from earliest times

Pranayama is an important yoganga which is widely entertained from earliest times. The word pranayama is composed of prana and yama. pane is derived from the root ‘an’ (to breathe ) with the prefix par (vital energy / subtle life force / cosmic entity) prana means simply ‘ breath’ (RG veda) ayama means – control, regulation, break, pause, cut Ayam signifies voluntary effort to control & direct their prana. Prana is generally translated as: breath, force, energy, life etc.

In other words pranayama means: a subtle life force which provides energy to different organs (including mind) and also controls many vital life processes such as circulation, respiration etc. It is a voluntary, slow and temporary ‘pause’ in the movement of the breath or the pause brought in the movement of inhalation and exhalation is called pranayama.

The Yogasutra defines pranayama as “tasmin sati svasaprasvasayor gaticedah pranayamah”; means to give a pause or break between inhalation and exhalation is pranayama. tasmin – in that Sati- while being svasa – inhalation prasvasa – exhalation yoh – of the two.

gati – Motion, here rhythmic regular movement, viccheda (h) Cut, interruptio break, (is) pranayama

According to patanjali bahyabhyantara-stambha-vrttir-desa-kal samkhya-bhih paridrsto dirgha suksmah means Pranayama becomes of thru varieties of outward modality, inward modality and standstill modality, on account being measured and regulated by means of expanse, time and number of rounds so that it becomes prolonged and simultaneously subtle. bahya – outward, external. abhyantara – inward, internal stambha – motionlessness, stoppage vrtti (h?r) – mode of behaviour (here of respiration) desa – region, extent, expanse kala -time

samkhya- number (of rounds)

bhih – (3rd, instrumental case suffix, plural) By means of. paridrsta (h?o)- seen on the whole, measured, regulated. dirgha – prolonged suksma (h) – subtle, fine (is). According to Patanjali there are four types of pranayama i.e. bahya (exahalation or external) avyantara (inhalation or internal), stambha (no inhalation of no exhalation, means hold the breath inside), visayaksepi (which is different from the above three pranayama and subjected to experience are the four types of pranayama.