Upanishads · Yogakuṇḍalinī 1.54
॥
Devanāgarī
प्रथमे दिवसे कार्यं कुम्भकानां चतुष्टयम् । प्रत्येकं दशसङ्ख्याकं द्वितीये पञ्चभिस्तथा
Transliteration (IAST)
prathame divase kāryaṃ kumbhakānāṃ catuṣṭayam | pratyekaṃ daśasaṅkhyākaṃ dvitīye pañcabhistathā
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
प्रथमे दिवसे कार्यंprathame divase kāryaṃon the first day must be done
कुम्भकानां चतुष्टयम्kumbhakānāṃ catuṣṭayamfour holdings
प्रत्येकं दश-सङ्ख्याकंpratyekaṃ daśa-saṅkhyākaṃeach in a count of ten
द्वितीये पञ्चभिः तथाdvitīye pañcabhiḥ tathāon the second, with five [more]
Translation
"On the first day must be done four holdings, each in a count of ten; on the second — with five [more]…"
Version
5ebe25984801 · published Aug 12, 2026, 5:00:00 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
A count is given: on the first day, ten each of the four techniques; on the second, five more; and so on. This count deserves note, because it is the most sober passage in the whole chapter. It says how much and when; and the increment set is small — five a day. That is, in twenty days a man reaches a hundred, and reaches it gradually, without strain.
This dull arithmetic, I think, is a mark that a knowledgeable person wrote it. The book is full of promises; but a count of days and increments is written by one who counted himself. The Vaishnava side holds the same kind of count in her main practice and is not ashamed of it. The number of rounds on the beads is assigned at initiation; a count is kept; and everyone knows how many he has done today and how many he owes. From outside this seems strange — counting a prayer; but in fact it is the only way to tell intention from performance.
It is worth adding that in this count, too, one sees the difference between the two kinds of promise spoken of more than once. Promises are grand and instantaneous; prescriptions are small and gradual. Books of this kind should be read by looking at the prescriptions, for in them one sees what the author actually expects.