BHASTRIKA
On Breathing Techniques: Bhastrika Kumbhaka
Technique
PRAMANA：Śāstra Pramāṇa - शास्त्र प्रमाण
Source：Yoga-Sikhopanishad 96 - 100
Original Verse：
"स्तनयोरथ भस्त्रेव लोहकारस्य वेगतः ॥ ९६ ॥
रेचयेत् पूरयेद्वायुमाश्रमं देहगं धिया ।
यथा श्रमो भवेद्देहे तथा सूर्येण पूरयेत् ॥ ९७ ॥
कण्ठसंकोचनं कृत्वा पुनश्चन्द्रेण रेचयेत् ।
वातपित्तश्लेष्महरं शरीराग्निविवर्धनम् ॥ ९८ ॥
कुण्डलीबोधकं वक्त्रदोषघ्न शुभदं सुखम् ।
ब्रह्मनाडीमुखान्तःस्थकफाद्यर्गलनाशनम् ॥ ९९ ॥
सम्यग्बन्धसमुद्भूतं ग्रन्थित्रयविभेदकम् ।
विशेषेण्ऐव कर्तव्यं भस्त्राख्यं कुम्भकं त्विदम् ॥ १०० ॥"
Transliteration：
"stanayoratha bhastreva lohakārasya vegataḥ ॥ 96 ॥
recayet pūrayedvāyumāśramaṃ dehagaṃ dhiyā |
yathā śramo bhaveddehe tathā sūryeṇa pūrayet ॥ 97 ॥
kaṇṭhasaṃkocanaṃ kṛtvā punaścandreṇa recayet |
vātapittaśleṣmaharaṃ śarīrāgnivivardhanam ॥ 98 ॥
kuṇḍalībodhakaṃ vaktradoṣaghna śubhadaṃ sukham |
brahmanāḍīmukhāntaḥsthakaphādyargalanāśanam ॥ 99 ॥
samyagbandhasamudbhūtaṃ granthitrayavibhedakam |
viśeṣeṇaiva kartavyaṃ bhastrākhyaṃ Kumbhakaṃ tvidam ॥ 100 ॥"
Translation：
"(The practitioner) should intelligently expel with speed the air in the body, out of the two breasts and fill (it) in (likewise), till he is overcome with fatigue, as with a blacksmith's pair of bellows. When fatigue comes on in the body, then should he fill in through the Solar (Nadi) and after constricting the throat, should expel (it) again through the Lunar (Nadi). (This Kumbhaka) removes (the excess of) the mind, bile and phlegm, raises the temperature of the body, rouses the Kundall, removes defects in the mouth, bestows auspiciousness, is wholesome, removes impediments, such as phlegm remaining in the interior of the opening of the Brahma-nadl and is capable of bursting through the three knots as the result of effectively practising the Bandhas. This Kumbhaka is known as the Bhastra and should be specially practised."
The Bhastrika Kumbhaka - Spark the inner fire of health!
Technique
PRAMANA：Śāstra Pramāṇa - शास्त्र प्रमाण
Source：Yoga Kundali-Upanishad I 32 - 39
Original Verse：
"मुखं संयम्य यत्नेन प्राणं घ्राणेन रेचयेत् ॥ ३२ ॥
यथा लगति कण्ठात्तु कपाले सस्वनं ततः ।
वेगेन पूरयेत् किंचिद्धृत्पद्मावधि मारुतम् ॥ ३३ ॥
पुनर्विरेचयेत् तद्वत् पूरयेच्च पुनः पुनः ।
यथ्ऐव लोहकाराणां भस्त्रावेगेन चाल्यते ॥ ३४ ॥
तथ्ऐव स्वशरीरस्थं चालयेत् पवनं शन्ऐः ।
यथा श्रमो भवेद्देहे तथा सूर्येण रेचयेत् ॥ ३५ ॥
यथोदरं भवेत् पूर्णं पवनेन तथा लघु ।
धारयन्नासिकामध्यं तर्जनीभ्यां विना दृढम् ॥ ३६ ॥
कुम्भकं पूर्ववत् कृत्वा रेचयेदिडयानिलम् ।
कण्ठोत्थितानलहरं शरीराग्निविवर्धनम् ॥ ३७ ॥
कुण्डलीबोधकं पुण्यं पापघ्नं शुभद सुखम् ।
ब्रह्मनाडीमुखान्तस्थकफाद्यर्गलनाशनम् ॥ ३८ ॥
गुणत्रयसमुद्भूतग्रन्थित्रयविभेदकम् ।
विशेषेण्ऐव कर्तव्यं भस्त्राख्यं कुम्भकं त्विदम् ॥ ३९ ॥"
Transliteration：
mukhaṃ saṃyamya yatnena prāṇaṃ ghrāṇena recayet ॥ 32 ॥
yathā lagati kaṇṭhāttu kapāle sasvanaṃ tataḥ |
vegena pūrayet kiṃciddhṛtpadmāvadhi mārutam ॥ 33 ॥
punarvirecayet tadvat pūrayecca punaḥ punaḥ |
yathaiva lohakārāṇāṃ bhastrāvegena cālyate ॥ 34 ॥
tathaiva svaśarīrasthaṃ cālayet pavanaṃ śanaiḥ |
yathā śramo bhaveddehe tathā sūryeṇa recayet ॥ 35 ॥
yathodaraṃ bhavet pūrṇaṃ pavanena tathā laghu |
dhārayannāsikāmadhyaṃ tarjanībhyāṃ vinā dṛḍham ॥ 36 ॥
Kumbhakaṃ pūrvavat kṛtvā recayediḍayānilam |
kaṇṭhotthitānalaharaṃ śarīrāgnivivardhanam ॥ 37 ॥
kuṇḍalībodhakaṃ puṇyaṃ pāpaghnaṃ śubhada sukham |
brahmanāḍīmukhāntasthakaphādyargalanāśanam ॥ 38 ॥
guṇatrayasamudbhūtagranthitrayavibhedakam |
viśeṣeṇaiva kartavyaṃ bhastrākhyaṃ Kumbhakaṃ tvidam ॥ 39 ॥
Translation：
"The man of clear intellect, after assuming the Padmasana posture, and keeping his neck and belly in a line, controlling well the mouth with effort, should expel the vital air through the nose, in such a way that it occupies with a noise the cranium from the throat. He should fill in a little air up to the lotus of the heart. He should again expel it as before and fill it in, again and again.
Even as the pair of bellows of blacksmiths is blown in quick succession, in the same manner should he cause the air in the body to move slowly. Until fatigue is experienced by the body, he should expel the air through the Solar Nadi until the belly becomes filled with the air, lightly holding the middle of the nose with the two forefingers, but not tightly, performing Kumbhaka as before, he should expel the air through the Ida. This, which takes away the heat produced in the throat, raises the warmth of the body, kindles the Kundali, is endowed with good qualities and kills sin, is auspicious and health-giving, destroys the phlegm and other obstruction in the interior of the mouth of the Brahma-nadi, breaks through the three kinds of swelling brought about by the operation of the three Guna's, should be specially performed. This is known as the Kumbhaka called the Bhastra."
Bhastrika awakens Kundalini
PRAMANA：Āpta Pramāṇa - आप्त प्रमाण
Apta Pramana Source：Haṭhapradīpikā of Svātmārāma (Chapter 5, Verse 173)
Original Verse：
"वज्रासनस्थितो योगी चालयित्वा तु कुण्डलीम् ॥
कुर्यादनन्तरं भस्त्रीं कुन्ण्डलीम् आशु बोधयेत् ॥ १७३ ॥"
Transliteration：
"vajrāsanasthito yogī cālayitvā tu kuṇḍalīm ll
kuryādanantaraṃ bhastrīṃ kunṇḍalīm āśu bodhayet ll 173 ll"
Translation：
"A Yogī, sitting in vajrāsana should activate kuṇḍalī and thereafter, should practice bhastrikā. Thus, kuṇḍalī is easily awakened. 173"
Bhastrika to overcome premature death
PRAMANA：Āpta Pramāṇa - आप्त प्रमाण
Apta Pramana Source："Haṭhapradīpikā of Svātmārāma (Chapter 5, Verse 176)"
Original Verse：
"कुण्डलीं चालयित्वा तु कुर्याद् भस्त्रीं विशेषतः ॥
एवमभ्यसतो नित्यं यमिनः शङ्कते यमः ॥ १७६ ॥ "
Transliteration：
"kuṇḍalīṃ cālayitvā tu kuryād bhastrīṃ viśeṣataḥ ll
evamabhyasato nityaṃ yaminaḥ śaṅkate yamaḥ ll 176 ll"
Translation：
"Activate kuṇḍalī followed by special practice of bhastrikā. With this practice, a Yogī can control premature death. 176 "