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## 5. The Fifth Light
**The Nature of Pranayama** - Salutations to the omniscient Supreme Soul, Lord Jinendra.
Patanjali and other yoga masters have considered Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi as the eight limbs of yoga, which are the limbs of liberation. However, Jain thinkers have not accepted Pranayama as a true means of liberation, as it leads to non-meditation without practice. It is said, "Even one who is attached cannot stop breathing, then how can one who is striving for something else stop breathing?" (Without the practice of Hatha Yoga, one cannot stop breathing). Otherwise, immediate death is possible. Even subtle breathing should be known with effort according to the scriptures. Nevertheless, Pranayama is useful for the health of the body and for the knowledge of time. Therefore, it is described here.
**463.** *Pranayamastatah kaischit, aashrito dhyanasiddhaye | Shakya netartha karthum, manah-pavan-nirjayah ||1||*
**Meaning:** After perfecting the posture, Patanjali and other yoga masters have taken recourse to Pranayama for the perfection of meditation. The air that circulates inside the mouth and nose is called 'Pran', and the control of its circulation is 'Pranayama'. Without Pranayama, the mind and the wind cannot be conquered.
**Here, the question arises, "Pranayama can conquer the wind, but how can it conquer the mind?" The answer is:**
**464.** *Mano yatra marut tatra, marud yatra manastatah | Astatulya-kriyavaite, samvitau ksheeraneeravat ||2||*
**Meaning:** Where the mind is, there is the wind, and where the wind is, there is the mind. Therefore, the mind and the wind, with their similar actions, are intertwined like milk and water.
**The similar action of both is explained:**
**465.** *Ekasya nashe anyasya syannaasho vruttau cha vartanam | Dhvastayorindriyamati-dhvamsanmokshascha jayate ||3||*
**Meaning:** If one of these two, the mind or the wind, is destroyed, the other is also destroyed, and if one is active, the other is also active. When both are destroyed, the activity of the senses and intellect is destroyed, and from the destruction of the senses and intellect, liberation arises.
**Now, the characteristics of Pranayama and its divisions are explained:**
**466.** *Pranayamao gati-chhedah, shwasaprashwasayormatah | Rechakah purakaschaiva, kumbhakascheti sa tridha ||4||*
**Meaning:** Inhaling the external air is called 'shwas'. Exhaling the air that remains in the abdomen is called 'nishwas' or 'prashwas', and stopping the movement of both is called 'Pranayama'. It is of three types: Rechaka, Puraka, and Kumbhaka.
**According to other masters, there are seven divisions of Pranayama, which are explained:**
**467.** *Pratyaharastatha shanta, uttarashchadhara tatha | Ebhirbhedhaischaturbhistu, saptadha kirtyate parai ||5||*
**Meaning:** Along with the aforementioned three, there are four more divisions: Pratyahara, Shanta, Uttara, and Adhara. Combining these four with the previous three, Pranayama becomes seven types, according to other masters.
**Now, the characteristics of each are explained:**
**468.** *Yat kosthadatyanena, nasabrahma-purananai | Bahih prakshepanam vaioh, sa rechak iti smruta ||6||*