प्रच्छर्दनविधारणाभ्यां वा प्राणस्य ॥३४॥
पदविभाग: प्रच्छर्दन-विधारणाभ्याम्, वा, प्राणस्य।
अन्वय: वा प्राणस्य प्रच्छर्दनविधारणाभ्याम् ।
प्रतिपदार्थ: प्रच्छर्दन = by the prolonged exhalation / expulsion, विधारणाभ्याम् = and by the retention / suspension, वा = or (as an alternative method), प्राणस्य = of the breath / of the vital energy.
तात्पर्यम्: Or, (the mind can be pacified) by the prolonged exhalation and retention of the breath.
Further context on the 34th Sutra from Patanjali’s Yogasutras
Prana is the sum total of all the energy displayed across the universe. Samkhya philosophy believes in endless cycles of creation and destruction. Before the universe begins, Prana remains in a completely motionless, unmanifested state known as avyakta. Once this cosmic motion is set, Prana manifests itself in everything. It is the thought I am thinking, the physical breath I take, the movement of my hands typing these words, and absolutely any motion performed by a being.
This verse talks about throwing out and restraining the breath, serving as a formal introduction to the practice of Pranayama. However, it is crucial to understand that Prana is not the breath itself. It is the subtle energy that actually causes the motion of the breath. Swami Vivekananda explains that Prana is the force causing this motion, yet it is not entirely the physical force itself, since physical force is merely a gross manifestation of it. Even the Chitta, our very mind stuff, emerges directly from this Prana.
Patanjali does not give any highly specific methods to practice Pranayama in this verse. He introduces the general practice of throwing out the air, breathing in for a while, and holding it for some time. By doing this, the mind naturally becomes calmer and grounded.
Modern physiology explains the exact mechanism behind this ancient practice. Inhalation is directly linked to the sympathetic nervous system, which acts as the gas pedal that increases your heart rate. Exhalation is linked to the parasympathetic nervous system, which acts as the brake pedal via the vagus nerve.
By intentionally extending your exhalation and holding the lungs empty, you manually flood your nervous system with inhibitory signals. This forcibly shuts down the physiological symptoms of anxiety and leads to a much stabilized state of mind. No wonder the strong emphasis on breathwork in Yogic/Indic practices.
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