Ujjayi Kumbhaka

Description

The Ujjayi Kumbhaka - Easy technique to relieve your cold!

Shastra Pramana

Śāstra Pramāṇa - शास्त्र प्रमाण

Yoga Kundali-Upanishad I 26-29

"मुखं संयम्य नाडीभ्यामाकृष्य पवनं शन्ऐः ॥ २६ ॥ यथा लगति कण्ठात्तु हृदयावधि सस्वनम् । पूर्ववत् कुम्भयेत् प्राणं रेचयेदिडया ततः ॥ २७ ॥ शीर्षोदितानलहरं गलश्लेष्महरं परम् । सर्वरोगहरं पुण्यं देहानलविवर्धनम् ॥ २८ ॥ नाडीजलोदरं धातुगतदोषविनाशनम् । गच्छतस्तिष्ठतः कार्यमुज्जाय्याख्यं तु कुम्भकम् ॥ २९ ॥

mukhaṃ saṃyamya nāḍībhyāmākṛṣya pavanaṃ śanaiḥ ॥ 26 ॥ yathā lagati kaṇṭhāttu hṛdayāvadhi sasvanam | pūrvavat kumbhayet prāṇaṃ recayediḍayā tataḥ ॥ 27 ॥ śīrṣoditānalaharaṃ galaśleṣmaharaṃ param | sarvarogaharaṃ puṇyaṃ dehānalavivardhanam ॥ 28 ॥ nāḍījalodaraṃ dhātugatadoṣavināśanam | gacchatastiṣṭhataḥ kāryamujjāyyākhyaṃ tu Kumbhakam ॥ 29 ॥

Shastra Pramana Translation

With the mouth well under control, slowly drawing the air through the two Nadis (Ida and Pingala) in such a way that it may occupy the space from the throat up to the heart, making a noise, one should hold the vital air as before and then expel it through the Ida. This meritorious and excellent practice removes the heat produced in the head, and phlegm of the neck and further, drives away all diseases and raises the warmth of the body; and destroys the dropsy of the Nadis and the disorders affecting the humours. This should be performed by one while moving and standing and is known as the Kumbhaka called Ujjayi.

Additional Sources

Sandilyopanishad 6.13-2

Kumbhaka Paddadhi 131-132

मुखं नियम्य नाडीभ्याम्-आकृष्यासुं नियोजयेत् | कुण्डलि-पार्श्वयोः पश्चात् कुम्भयेद्-उदर-स्थितम् | १३१ | रेचयेद्-इडया वायुं गच्छन्-तिष्ठन्-यदा चरेत् | उज्जायी-कुम्भकः प्रोक्तः शिवेनाखिलवेदिना ॥ १३२ ॥

mukhaṃ niyamya nāḍībhyām-ākṛṣyāsuṃ niyojayet | kuṇḍali-pārśvayoḥ paścāt kumbhayed-udara-sthitam | 131 | recayed-iḍayā vāyuṃ gacchan-tiṣṭhan-yadā caret | ujjāyī-Kumbhakaḥ proktaḥ śivenākhilavedinā ॥ 132 ॥

Translation

Closing the mouth one should inhale air through both the nostrils while holding it along the Kundalini and exhale through the left nostril. This is ujjayi-Kumbhaka stated by Shiva, which should be practiced all the time. 131 This practice removes disorders of phlegm, dropsy, morbidity of the nadis and vitiation of the humours in the dhātus (bodily constituents), phlegmatic disorders of the throat and increased bodily fire and luster.132