Upanishads · Jābāladarśana 6.18
॥
Devanāgarī
देहश्चोत्तिष्ठते तेन किंचिज्ज्ञानाद्विमुक्तता । रेचकं पूरकं मुक्त्वा कुम्भकं नित्यमभ्यसेत्
Transliteration (IAST)
dehaścottiṣṭhate tena kiṃcijjñānādvimuktatā | recakaṃ pūrakaṃ muktvā kumbhakaṃ nityamabhyaset
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
देहः च उत्तिष्ठते तेनdehaḥ ca uttiṣṭhate tenaand the body rises by that
किंचित् ज्ञानात् विमुक्तताkiṃcit jñānāt vimuktatāsomewhat from knowledge — liberation
रेचकं पूरकं मुक्त्वाrecakaṃ pūrakaṃ muktvāhaving abandoned emptying and filling
कुम्भकं नित्यम् अभ्यसेत्kumbhakaṃ nityam abhyasetlet him always practice retention
Translation
"And by that the body rises; somewhat from knowledge — liberation. Having abandoned emptying and filling, let him always practice retention alone."
Version
e51e11640297 · published Aug 12, 2026, 5:00:00 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Kevala-kumbhaka, "retention alone," is prescribed — that is, retention without counting the inhale and exhale. This is held, in books on breath, to be the highest rung: first all three actions are measured, then only a pause remains, coming of itself. Worth noting is the very structure: a technique carried to its end stops being a technique. One does not count, does not measure, does not watch — breath stops of itself.
This trait is general in matters of this kind, and deserves stating. Every skill passes through three periods: first one does it by rule and with difficulty; then by rule and with ease; then without rule. The Vaishnava side follows the same pattern in its chief means, and distinguishes two periods of repetition. The first — vaidhi, "by injunction": one repeats the set number, by beads, watching oneself. The second — raga-anuga, "by inclination": one repeats because one cannot help repeating, and the count becomes unnecessary.
The order here is strict and admits no reversal. One begins with injunction; one who begins with an inclination that does not exist simply does nothing at all, and calls his idleness the higher rung. Hence its teachers warn most sharply against imitating the higher. The mark of the true second period is not that a person has abandoned counting, but that counting has become too small for him.