Sitkari Pranayama

Sitkari Pranayama

Technique

Pramana: Śāstra Pramāṇa - शास्त्र प्रमाण

Source: Sandilyopanishad VI 13-3

Original Verse:

"वक्त्रेण सीत्कारपूर्वकं वायुं गृहीत्वा यथाशक्ति कुम्भयित्वा नासाभ्यां रेचयेत् ।

तेन क्षुत्तृष्णालस्यनिद्रा न जायन्ते सीत्कारप्राणायाममाह​- वक्त्रेणेति ॥ १३-३ ॥"

Transliteration:

"vaktreṇa sītkārapūrvakaṃ vāyuṃ gṛhītvā yathāśakti kumbhayitvā nāsābhyāṃ recayet |

tena kṣuttṛṣṇālasyanidrā na jāyante sītkāraprāṇāyāmamāha- vaktreṇeti ॥ 13-3 ॥"

Translation:

"Sucking the air through the mouth, with the Sitkara (hissing sound), holding it in Kumbhaka as long as possible, (the Yogin) should expel it through the nostrils. Therefrom thirst, hunger and sleep through indolence, will not be produced. (13-3)"

Kāka-Cañcu (Sitkari)

PRAMANA：Āpta Pramāṇa - आप्त प्रमाण

Apta Pramana Source：Kumbhaka Paddadhi 137-140

Original Verse：

"रसनाम्-उन्मुखीकृत्य सीकारं कुर्वता मरुत् |

पीयन्ते कुम्भके यस्मिन् नासिकाभ्यां विरेचनम् ॥ १३७ ॥

रसनां प्राण-संयुक्तां पीड्यमानाम् विचिन्तयेत् |

सीत्कारी-कुम्भकः प्रोक्तः सर्व-सिद्धिकरः सताम् ॥ १३८ ॥

सीत्कारी-कुम्भकाभ्यासात् स्मर-जित्वर-रूप-धृक् |

क्षुन्-निद्रालस्य-रोग-सर्वोपद्रव-वर्जितः ॥ १३९ ॥

योगीन्द्रो योगिनी-चक्र-सेव्यः सृष्ट्यादि-कृत् भवेत् ॥ १४० ॥ "

Transliteration：

"rasanām-unmukhīkṛtya sīkāraṃ kurvatā marut |

pīyante kumbhake yasmin nāsikābhyāṃ virecanam ॥ 137 ॥

rasanāṃ prāṇa-saṃyuktāṃ pīḍyamānām vicintayet |

sītkārī-Kumbhakaḥ proktaḥ sarva-siddhikaraḥ satām ॥ 138 ॥

sītkārī-kumbhakābhyāsāt smara-jitvara-rūpa-dhṛk |

kṣun-nidrālasya-roga-sarvopadrava-varjitaḥ ॥ 139 ॥

yogīndro Yoginī-cakra-sevyaḥ sṛṣṭyādi-kṛt bhavet ॥ 140 ॥"

Translation：

"Turning the tongue upwards and producing the sound “sīt”, inhale the air. After holding the breath, exhale through both the nostrils, while making frictional sound. Concentrate on the tongue pressed and the sound along with prāṇā. This is called Sītkārī-Kumbhaka, which contributes to all the accomplishments. With the practice of Sītkāri-Kumbhaka, one controls the cupid (God of Love) and becomes handsome. It helps controlling hunger, sleep, laziness, diseases and one becomes free from all the problems of health. The yogī enjoys the multitude of powers like creation, etc. "

Kāka-cañcu-Kumbhaka

PRAMANA：Āpta Pramāṇa - आप्त प्रमाण

Apta Pramana Source：Kumbhaka Paddadhi 148-152

Original Verse：

"द्विजैर्-द्विजान् पीड्य वायुं काकचञ्च्वा पिबेच्-छनैः |

ऊर्ध्व-जिह्वः कुम्भकारो रेचयेद् घ्रान-वर्त्मना ॥

काकचञ्चुः कुम्भ उक्तः केनायं काकुदश्रवाः ॥ १४८ ॥

आवत्सरार्धम्-अभ्यासं प्रत्यहं यः समाचरेत् |

सर्व-रोग-विनिर्मुक्तो वत्सरान् मृत्यु-जिद् भवेत् ॥ १४९ ॥

त्रि-वर्षे शिवतां याति भूतेन्द्रिय-जयान्वितः |

आणिमादि-गुणैर्-युक्तो जरया रहितो भवेत् ॥ १५० ॥

खेचर्यङ्गमिदं प्राह कृपालुः परमेश्वरः ॥ १५१ ॥

श्रद्धालु-सुकुम्भकाश्-च क्षुत्-तृडादि-विनाशिनः |

सर्व-सौभाग्य-धातारो विज्ञेयाः गुरु-वाक्यतः ॥ १५२ ॥ "

Transliteration：

"dvijair-dvijān pīḍya vāyuṃ kākacañcvā pibec-chanaiḥ |

ūrdhva-jihvaḥ kumbhakāro recayed ghrāna-vartmanā ॥

kākacañcuḥ kumbha uktaḥ kenāyaṃ kākudaśravāḥ ॥ 148 ॥

āvatsarārdham-abhyāsaṃ pratyahaṃ yaḥ samācaret |

sarva-roga-vinirmukto vatsarān mṛtyu-jid bhavet ॥ 149 ॥

tri-varṣe śivatāṃ yāti bhūtendriya-jayānvitaḥ |

āṇimādi-guṇair-yukto jarayā rahito bhavet ॥ 150 ॥

khecaryaṅgamidaṃ prāha kṛpāluḥ parameśvaraḥ ॥ 151 ॥

śraddhālu-sukumbhakāś-ca kṣut-tṛḍādi-vināśinaḥ |

sarva-saubhāgya-dhātāro vijñeyāḥ Guru-vākyataḥ ॥ 152 ॥"

Translation：

"By pressing the teeth together, one should take the air in slowly through the mouth and holding the breath with upturned tongue, exhale through the passage of nose. According to Kākudaśravā this is kāka-cañcu-Kumbhaka. By daily practice of this Kumbhaka for half a year one completely gets rid of the diseases and after a year (of practice) one controls (premature) death. Having controlled all the senses and accomplishing siddhis like Aṇimā, etc. one overcomes signs of old age and attains Śiva-hood after three years. It is the means leading to Khecarī, (an undisturbed state of consciousness), as narrated by Parameśvara the merciful. Kumbhakas practiced with devotion remove hunger and thirst and contribute to all fortunes, which should be learnt from the Guru."

Sitkara Kumbhaka

Technique & Benefits

PRAMANA：Āpta Pramāṇa - आप्त प्रमाण

Apta Pramana Source：Hathatatvakaumudi (Chapter 10, Verse 10-11)

Original Verse：

"सीत्कां दद्यान् मुखेन प्रथममनुविजृंभां च नासापुटाभ्यां निथाभ्यासप्रयोगादिति भवति नरः कामदेवो द्वितीयः ॥

निद्रालस्यक्षुधातृट्रहित इह चरेद्योगिनीचक्रसेव्यः सृष्टेः संहारकारी विहरति स सदोपद्रवो पृथिव्याम् ॥ १० ॥

सुधास्रावि शिरारन्ध्रतालु स्पृष्त्वामृतं मरुत् |

हिमो जिह्वाग्रयुक् शीतलेय्व सीत्कार्यऽतोऽरुजा ॥ ११ ॥ "

Transliteration：

"sītkāṃ dadyān mukhena prathamamanuvijṛṃbhāṃ ca nāsāpuṭābhyāṃ nithābhyāsaprayogāditi bhavati naraḥ kāmadevo dvitīyaḥ ॥

nidrālasyakṣudhātṛṭrahita iha caredYoginīcakrasevyaḥ sṛṣṭeḥ saṃhārakārī viharati sa sadopadravo pṛthivyām ॥ 10 ॥

sudhāsrāvi śirārandhratālu spṛṣtvāmṛtaṃ marut |

himo jihvāgrayuk śītaleyva sītkārya'to'rujā ॥ 11 ॥ "

Translation：

"One sucks the air through the mouth making a hissing sound (sit) and thereafter exhales through the nostrils. A regular practice makes a man second to Cupid. It removes sleep, lethargy, hunger and thirst. He is favoured by the group of Yoginis (deities), becomes a creator and destroyer and moves on the Earth without trouble. As the prana touches the aperture above the upper palate, the ambrosia secretes from the siras (tubular vessels). The tongue turns cool. The practice of Sitkari is like Sitali which brings wellness. "

Kakacancu

Technique & Benefits

PRAMANA：Āpta Pramāṇa - आप्त प्रमाण

Apta Pramana Source：Hathatatvakaumudi (Chapter 12, Verse 8-10)

Original Verse：

"द्विजैर्द्विजान् पीड्य वायुम् काकचङ्च्व पिबेच्छनैः |

ऊर्ध्वजिह्वः कुम्भकारो रेचयेद् घ्राणवर्त्मना ॥ ८ ॥

काकचञ्चुः कुम्भ उक्तो केनायं काकुदश्रवा ॥ ९ ॥

आवत्सरार्धमभ्यासात् प्रत्यहं यः समाचरेत् |

सर्वरोगविनिर्मुक्तो वत्सरान् मृत्युजिद् भवेत् ॥ १० ॥"

Transliteration：

"dvijairdvijān pīḍya vāyum kākacaṅcva pibecchanaiḥ |

ūrdhvajihvaḥ kumbhakāro recayed ghrāṇavartmanā ॥ 8 ॥

kākacañcuḥ kumbha ukto kenāyaṃ kākudaśravā ॥ 9 ॥

āvatsarārdhamabhyāsāt pratyahaṃ yaḥ samācaret |

sarvarogavinirmukto vatsarān mṛtyujid bhavet ॥ 10 ॥"

Translation：

"By pressing the teeth together, one should take the air in slowly through the mouth, and after holding the breath with upturned tongue, exhale through the passage of nose. This Kumbhaka has been called kakacancu by one kakudasrava. By daily practice of this Kumbhaka for half a year one completely gets rid of all the diseases and after a year overcomes (premature) death."