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tional form of nadi shodhana - alternate nostril breathing with internal retention, and recommends that it be practised four times a day, gradually increasing the retention to 80 counts.
Dattatreya's Yoga Shastra equates pranayama with the practice of nadi shodhana and lists this pranayama alone, describing its successive higher stages. He recommends that at the beginning it be practised four times a day for 20 counts with retention to the best of one's ability. If practised in this way for three months, it will purify all the nadis (v. 131-132):
कुर्यादेवं चतुर्वारमनालस्यो दिने दिने ।
एवं मासत्रयं कुर्यान्नाडीशुद्धिस्ततो भवेत् ॥ This (nadi shodhana) should be performed four times a day every day without sloth. This will bring about nadi shuddhi in three months.
The same assertion has been made in the Shiva Samhita (3:25):
इत्थं मासत्रयं कुर्यादनालस्यो दिने दिने ।
ततो नाडीविशुद्धिः स्यादविलम्बेन निश्चितम् ॥ When this (nadi shodhana to 20 counts four times a day) has been practised every day for three months, without sloth, the nadis will surely be purified without delay.
The Shiva Samhita describes the signs of nadi purification as a harmonized body, emitting a pleasant scent and a sweet voice (23:31). Dattatreya's Yoga Shastra ascribes the attributes of a light, bright, lean and thin body to nadi purification (v. 135-136). However, to achieve this, the texts say that discipline and balance in food, cravings, sensory experiences, physical activity, company, thought, behaviour and speech are essential, along with the practice (SS 3:33, YSD v. 137140). If all the rules are followed, nadi purification itself leads the practitioner to experience kevala kumbhaka for as long as desired.
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