Yoga Sutras of Patanjali translated by Yogi Kalinath - Chapter 3, Verse 39

Pada 3, Sutra 39

Sanskrit Verse

Udaana-jayaaj jala-panka-kantakaadisvasanga utkraantish ca

Translation

Through mastery of Udaana, the upward flowing air, one is not affected by and rises above water, mud, thorns, etc...

Interpretation

Udana, the upward flowing Prana, is one of the 5 vital Pranas within our somapsychic vehicle.

Udana raises our internal Prana from the base of the spine to the brain cavity. Its main center of operation is the throat or Vishuddhi Chakra.

There are two aspects to gaining mastery of Udana. One, the ability to make one’s body so light as to suspend gravity itself with the concomitant Siddhi of walking on water, mud, thorns etc…

The second, on a more subtle level, is the access to the mind’s deep unconscious due to this Prana’s destination at the Crown of the Head or Sahasrara Chakra. With increasing awareness and expansion at the Sahasrara Chakra, one is gradually erasing the grooves of the Samskaras (mental grooves impressed on one’s consciousness) and paving instead the Path of Liberation after death.

Reflection

The ‘twilight’ aspect of the scriptures signify that quite often there is both an external and internal interpretation to its Sutras or Verses. The ‘revelation’ is exactly at that juncture, straddling both worlds—the inner and outer.

When one gains mastery of Udana, the upward flowing Prana, one rises above and is no longer affected (unbalanced) by the water of the emotions, the mud of our erroneous perception and thinking, and the thorns of uncontrolled desires.