Ida And Pingala Nadis
Ida and Pingala Nadis are not the gross sympathetic chains. These are the subtle Nadis that carry the Sukshma Prana. In the physical body these tentatively correspond to the right and left sympathetic chains.
Ida starts from the right testicle and Pingala from the left testicle. They meet with Sushumna Nadi at the Muladhara Chakra and make a knot there. This junction of three Nadis at the Muladhara Chakra is known as Mukta Triveni. Ganga, Yamuna and Sarasvati dwell in Pingala, Ida and Sushumna Nadis respectively. This meeting place is called Brahma Granthi. Again these meet at the Anahata and Ajna Chakra. In the macrocosm also you have a Triveni at Prayag where the three rivers Ganga, Yamuna and Sarasvati meet.
Ida flows through the left nostril and Pingala through the right nostril. Ida is also called Chandra Nadi (moon) and Pingala as Surya Nadi (sun). Ida is cooling and Pingala is heating. Pingala digests the food. Ida is of pale, Sakti Rupa. It is the great nourisher of the world. Pingala is of fiery red, Rudra Rupa. Ida and Pingala indicate Kala (time) and Sushumna swallows time. The Yogi knows the time of his death; takes his Prana into Sushumna; keeps it in Brahmarandra, and defies time (Kala—death). The famous Yogi Sri Chang Dev of Maharashtra fought against death several times by taking the Prana into Sushumna. He was a contemporary of Sri Jnanadev of Alandi, near Poona. It was he who had Bhuta Siddhi, control over wild animals, through his Yogic practices. He came on the back of a tiger to see Sri Jnanadev.
Chakras Padmas, Lotuses of the Astral body | Muladhara or Adhara Chakra |
Swadhishthana | Manipura | Anahata | Vishuddha | Ajna |
Sahasra |
Corresponding nerve plexuses in the physical body |
(Sacral) Sacro-Coccygeal Plexus |
Prostatic Plexus |
Solar Plexus |
Cardiac Plexus |
(Pharyngeal) Laryngeal Plexus |
Cavernous Plexus |
Pineal Gland |
Location or Position |
Just below Kanda, between the root of reproductory organ and anus. At the base of spinal column |
At the Linga or the origin of the reproductory organ. Between Muladhara and Manipura Chakras |
Navel of Nabhi Sthana |
Heart | At the base of the throat of Kantha-Mula Sthana |
At the space between the two eyebrows or Bhru-Madhya |
|
Petals or number of Yoga Nadis |
4 | 6 | 10 | 12 | 16 | 2 | |
Letters on the petals or the vibrations of the Yoga Nadis |
v:ö S:ö \:ö s:ö |
b:ö B:ö m:ö y:ö rö l:ö |
Rö Zö N:ö t:ö T:ödö D:ö n:ö p:ö Pö |
kö K:ö g:ö G:ö {ö c:öCö j:ö J:ö W:ö Xö Yö |
Aö A:ö Eö Iö uö Uö ?ö @ö;ö =ö Oö Oðö A:ðö A:òö Aö AH |
höx:ö | |
Mandala or the region of Tattva |
Prithvi or Bhumandal. Region of the Earth | Apas or Jala Mandal. Region of the water |
Tejas or Agni Mandal. Region of Fire |
Vayu Mandal. Region of Air |
Akasa Mandal. Region of Ether |
Avyakta Ahankara Manas Tattva. Region of Mind |
|
Shape of Mandala |
Square | Crescent moon |
Triangle | Hexagonal | Round | Round | |
Colour of Tattvas |
Yellow | White | Red | Smoky | Blue | ||
Function of Tattva |
Gandha or smell |
Rasa or taste |
Rupa or sight |
Sparsha or touch |
Shabda or hearing |
Sankalpa Vikalpa |
|
Presiding Deity |
Ganesha (Brahma 4 faced) |
Brahma (Narayana four handed) |
Shankara three eyed (Vishnu) |
Shankara three eyed (Siva) |
Maheswara Sadasiva as Bindurupa |
Sadasiva or Shambhu Nada |
|
Goddess | Dakini | Rakini | Lakini | Kakini | Shakini | Hakini | |
Deva or Tattva |
Prithvi | Varuna | Agni | Vayu | Akasa | Manas | |
Bija Akshara |
l:ö | v:ö | rö | y:ö | hö | ! | |
Corresponding Lokas |
Bhu Loka |
Bhuvar Loka |
Swah or Swarga Loka |
Mahar Loka |
Janah or Janar Loka |
Tapo Loka |
|
Granthi Sthana |
Brahma Granthi |
– | – | Vishnu | – | Rudra |
Svara Sadhana, practice of breath, is the revealer of Satya, Brahman and bestower of the Supreme Knowledge and Bliss. Perform calm acts during the flow of Ida and harsh acts during the flow of Pingala. Do acts resulting in the attainment of psychic powers, Yoga, meditation, etc., during the flow of the Sushumna. If the breath rises by Ida (moon) at sunrise and flows throughout the day, and Pingala (sun) rises at sunset and flows throughout the night it confers considerable good results. Let the breath flow through Ida the whole day and through Pingala the whole night. He who practises thus is verily a great Yogi.
How To Change The Flow In Nadis
The following exercises are for changing the flow from Ida to Pingala. Select any one of the methods that suits you best. For changing the flow from Pingala to Ida, just do the same exercise on the opposite side:
1. Plug the left nostril with a small piece of cotton or fine cloth for a few minutes.
2. Lie down on the left side for ten minutes.
3. Sit erect. Draw the left knee up and keep the left heel near the left buttock. Now press the left arm-pit, Axilla, on the knee. In a few seconds the flow will be through Pingala.
4. Keep the two heels together near the right buttock. The right knee will be over the left knee. Keep the left palm on the ground a foot away and let the weight of the trunk rest on the left hand. Do not bend at the elbow. Turn the head also towards the left side. This is an effective method. Catch hold of the left ankle with the right hand.
5. The flow of breath can be changed by Nauli Kriya also.
6. There are some who are able to change the flow by will.
7. Place the Yoga Danda or Hamsa Danda (a wooden stick of about 2 feet in length with a rest of the shape of U at one end) at the left arm-pit and lean on it by the left side.
8. The most effective and instantaneous result is produced in changing the flow through Khechari Mudra. The Yogi turns the tongue inside and blocks the air passage by the tip of the tongue.
The above exercise is intended for general regulation of breath. Many other special exercises for the purification of Nadis and awakening Kundalini will be given in the subsequent chapters. A knowledge more secret than the science of breath, a friend more true than the science of breath, has never been seen or heard of. Friends are brought together by the power of breath. Wealth is obtained with comfort and reputation through the power of breath. The knowledge of the past, present and the future and all other Siddhis are acquired and a man reaches the highest state, by the power of breath.
I want you to practise every day the Svara Sadhana systematically and regularly, that is, to allow the flow of breath through the left nostril throughout the day and through the right nostril throughout the night. This will, doubtless, bestow on you wonderful benefits. Wrong Svara is the cause of a host of ailments. Observance of right Svara as described above leads to health and long life. Verily, verily, I say this unto you, my dear children! Practise this. Practise this from today. Shake off your habitual sloth, indolence and inertia. Leave off your idle talk. Do something practical. Before you begin the practice, pray to Lord Siva, who is the giver of this wonderful science by uttering Om Namah Sivaya and Sri Ganesha, the remover of all obstacles.