Merucalan
Merucalana: asanan
PRAMANA：Āpta Pramāṇa - आप्त प्रमाण
Apta Pramana Source： Hathatatvakaumudi Ch.9.1-4
Original Verse：
"स्थित्वा सिद्धे स्वस्तिके वा सक्थियुग्मे करद्वयम् ॥
संस्थाप्य पृष्ठदण्डं स्वं विधाय प्रोन्नतं समम् ॥ १ ॥
तिर्यङ् मन्यामधः कृत्वा प्रम्र्ज्य स्कन्धयुग्मकम् नेत्रे निमील्य वदनमामुद्य प्राक् सुसाधकः ॥ २ ॥
ग्रीवां किण्चित् कण्ठसक्तां जालबन्धवदानताम् |
कृत्वाऽसकृद्दक्षभागे चालयेत्तां भृशं दृढम् ॥ ३ ॥
पञ्चाशद्वारकं दक्षे वामभागेऽनु चालयेत् |
आनाभ्युरःपृष्ठकटितुन्दचालो यथा भवेत् ॥
तथाभिचालयेद् ग्रीवां मेरुचालोऽयमीरितः ॥ ४ ॥"
Transliteration：
"sthitvā siddhe svastike vā sakthiyugme karadvayam ॥
saṃsthāpya pṛṣṭhadaṇḍaṃ svaṃ vidhāya pronnataṃ samam ॥ 1 ॥
tiryaṅ manyāmadhaḥ kṛtvā pramrjya skandhayugmakam
netre nimīlya vadanamāmudya prāk susādhakaḥ ॥ 2 ॥
grīvāṃ kiṇcit kaṇṭhasaktāṃ jālabandhavadānatām |
kṛtvā'sakṛddakṣabhāge cālayettāṃ bhṛśaṃ dṛḍham ॥ 3 ॥
pañcāśadvārakaṃ dakṣe vāmabhāge'nu cālayet |
ānābhyuraḥpṛṣṭhakaṭitundacālo yathā bhavet ॥
tathābhicālayed grīvāṃ merucālo'yamīritaḥ ॥ 4 ॥"
Translation：
"Assume siddha or svastika posture. Place the pair of hands on the thighs. Keep the backbone upright and well aligned.
Bend the neck downwards by adjusting the shoulders. Sadhaka keeps the eyes closed and face composed.
Bend the neck against the throat like one does in jalandhara-bandha.
Then move (the neck) firmly for 50 times on the right and then 50 times on the left in such a manner that upto navel including back,
waist and abdomen would shake well. Similarly, rotate the neck. This is called meruchalana"
Preparation to Merucalan
PRAMANA：Āpta Pramāṇa - आप्त प्रमाण
Apta Pramana Source： Hathatatvakaumudi Ch.35.7
Original Verse：
"नत्वा गुरुं प्रागुपविश्य चासने कृत्वाऽसकृअन्मेरुविचालनादिकम् ॥ विश्रम्य सुस्वस्थमना विरिच्य प्राणं पुराथो विधिवत् प्रपूरयेत् ॥ ७ ॥"
Transliteration：
"natvā Guruṃ prāgupaviśya cāsane kṛtvā'sakṛanmeruvicālanādikam ॥ viśramya susvasthamanā viricya prāṇaṃ purātho vidhivat prapūrayet ॥ 7 ॥"
Translation：
After paying obeisance to the Guru, one should sit on a seat and undertake repeatedly the practice of merucalana etc. After taking rest and with a poised mind he should exhale followed by inhalation in the prescribed manner.
On Merucalana
PRAMANA：Āpta Pramāṇa - आप्त प्रमाण
Apta Pramana Source：Hathatatvakaumudi Ch.35.8
Original Verse：
"क्रमेण दीर्घं प्रविधाय सावधो विरेचयेद्वायुमथोऽतिमन्दम् ॥ यथा तनौ व्याकुलता न चित्ते भवेन् मनीषी विजनेऽस्तचिन्तः ॥ ८ ॥"
Transliteration：
"krameṇa dīrghaṃ pravidhāya sāvadho virecayedvāyumatho'timandam ॥ yathā tanau vyākulatā na citte bhaven manīṣī vijane'stacintaḥ ॥ 8 ॥"
Translation：
After holding for long he should exhale the vayu extremely slowly in such a manner that he does not experience discomfort in the body or in the mind. A wise remains in a desolate place removing all worries.
(Benefits)
PRAMANA： Āpta Pramāṇa - आप्त प्रमाण
Apta Pramana Source：Hathatatvakaumudi Ch.9.5-6
Original Verse：
"कटिपृष्ठसमीरघ्नः कण्ठस्थअकफनाशनः |
कोष्ठवक्षोगतं मरुत् कफरोगहरः परम् ॥ ५ ॥
सुषुणा ऋजुतां धत्ते कुण्डलीक्षोभदस्तत्ःआ |
नाडीसङ्घश्लथकरं आश्रमान्तं भजेदमुम् ॥ ६ ॥"
Transliteration "kaṭipṛṣṭhasamīraghnaḥ kaṇṭhasthaakaphanāśanaḥ |
koṣṭhavakṣogataṃ marut kapharogaharaḥ param ॥ 5 ॥
suṣuṇā ṛjutāṃ dhatte kuṇḍalīkṣobhadastatḥā |
nāḍīsaṅghaślathakaraṃ āśramāntaṃ bhajedamum ॥ 6 ॥"
Translation "This removes the air (vata disorders) from the waist and back and phlegmatic disorders from the intestines and the chest. It entirely cures the phlegmatic disorders.
Sushumna becomes straight, kundalini is stimulated and the entire network of the nadis is stirred. One should practice this till one gets tired."