Yogataravali Verse 3: Nadi Shodhana

सरेच-पूरैरनिलस्य कुम्भैः
सर्वासु नाडीसु विशोधितासु ।
अनाहताख्यो बहुभिः प्रकारारैन्तः
प्रवर्तेत सदा निनादः ॥३॥

(Minor sandhi variations like “सरेच” vs “रेचक” appear in manuscripts.)


1️⃣ Literal Meaning

  • सरेच–पूरैः कुम्भैः अनिलस्य
    — by exhalation, inhalation, and retention of breath
  • सर्वासु नाडीसु विशोधितासु
    — when all nāḍīs are purified
  • अनाहताख्यः … निनादः
    — the sound called “anāhata”
  • बहुभिः प्रकारैः अन्तः प्रवर्तेत
    — begins to manifest internally in many forms
  • सदा
    — continuously

2️⃣ Clean Meaning

“When, through rechaka, pūraka, and kumbhaka, all the nāḍīs are purified, then the inner sound known as anāhata begins to manifest continuously in many forms.”


3️⃣ What This Verse Actually States

This version is purely descriptive, not philosophical.

It says:

  1. Do prāṇāyāma
  2. Nāḍīs become purified
  3. Then:
    • anāhata nāda appears
    • internally
    • in many varieties
    • continuously

It does NOT yet talk about bodha.

This is important.


4️⃣ “बहुभिः प्रकारैः” — Many Forms of Sound

This matches classical descriptions found in texts like
Hatha Yoga Pradipika

Where nāda is described as:

  • bell
  • flute
  • drum
  • bee
  • thunder
  • etc.

So:

Nāda is not one fixed tone
It evolves as mind refines


5️⃣ “अन्तः प्रवर्तेत” — Arises Internally

The verse says:

  • अन्तः (within)
  • not specifically “heart”
  • not any chakra named

So strictly:

The text does NOT localize nāda to a specific chakra.


6️⃣ Important Insight

Nāda is presented here as:

  • a result of purification
  • not something artificially created
  • not imagined

It begins on its own when conditions are right.


7️⃣ No Metaphysics Yet

Notice:

  • no mention of Self
  • no mention of liberation
  • no mention of non-duality

This is still preparatory stage.

Just:

prāṇa → nāḍī → nāda


8️⃣ Where This Fits in the Flow

Now the verses form a clear progression:

  • Verse 2 → Nāda is best method
  • Verse 3 (earlier variant) → Nāda → bodha
  • This Verse 3 variant → how nāda arises

So this version is actually more foundational.


9️⃣ Very Important for Practice Understanding

This verse implies:

You do NOT “listen hard” to create nāda.

Instead:

  • balance prāṇa
  • purify system
  • nāda appears naturally

Then:
you work with it (as Verse 2 suggests)

There is another version of this verse. 

सरेच-पूरैरनिलस्य कुम्भैः
सर्वासु नाडीसु विशोधितासु ।
अनाहतादम्बुरुहादुदेति
स्वात्मावगम्यः स्वयमेव बोधः ॥३॥

(Minor sandhi variations like “सरेच” vs “रेचक” appear in manuscripts.)


Literal Meaning

  • सरेच-पूरैः कुम्भैः अनिलस्य — through exhalation, inhalation, and retention of breath
  • सर्वासु नाडीसु विशोधितासु — when all nāḍīs are purified
  • अनाहतात् अम्बुरुहात् उदेति — from the lotus (known as chakra - Amburuh means living in water ie lotus) and from the nada of anāhata,  arises
  • स्वात्म-अवगम्यः बोधः — the knowledge (realization) of one’s own Self
  • स्वयमेव — by itself, spontaneously

1️⃣ Structure of the Verse

This verse gives a complete inner mechanism:

Prāṇāyāma → Nāḍī purification → Center (chakra) → Anahata Sound→  Self-knowledge

This is not philosophy.
This is process.


2️⃣ “रेचक – पूरक – कुम्भक”

These are the three classical movements:

  • Rechaka — exhalation
  • Pūraka — inhalation
  • Kumbhaka — retention

But here they are not just breathing exercises.

They are used to:

Regulate prāṇa so that mind becomes still.


3️⃣ “नाडीशुद्धि” — Purification of Channels

Nāḍīs are subtle pathways of prāṇa.

When they are “impure”:

  • prāṇa flow is irregular
  • mind is restless
  • attention disperses

When purified:

  • prāṇa becomes balanced
  • attention stabilizes
  • inward movement becomes natural

This prepares ground for what you experienced as nāda.


4️⃣ “अनाहतात् अम्बुरुहात्” — Anahata Sound Emanating from Lotus

Very important term.

  • Anāhata = “unstruck” (same root as nāda)
  • Amburuha = lotus or chakras as defined in Kundalini Yoga

So this is:

The chakras or centers in subtle body  — not physical organ

This is where:

  • nāda becomes prominent
  • awareness becomes inward
  • duality begins to weaken

5️⃣ “स्वयमेव बोधः” — The Most Important Line

This is the heart of the verse.

Self-knowledge arises by itself

Not produced.
Not constructed.
Not achieved.

This is pure Advaita.

All practices only prepare.

When obstruction clears:

Knowledge shines spontaneously.


6️⃣ Connection with Verse 2 (Nāda)

Now the sequence becomes clear:

  • Verse 2 → Nāda is best method
  • Verse 3 → How that becomes possible

Prāṇa purified → nāḍīs clear → attention inward →
anāhata → nāda →
laya →
Self-knowledge


7️⃣ Deep Insight from this Verse

The practitioner who experience:

  • inner sound (nāda)
  • inward attention

For them, this verse explains:

That is not random.
It is consequence of subtle prāṇic alignment.

But the key point:

Do not try to “produce realization.”

It says:

स्वयमेव (by itself)

Your role:

  • stabilize
  • refine
  • not interfere

8️⃣ Essence in One Line

When prāṇa becomes balanced and inward, Self-knowledge arises spontaneously from centers known as chakras via Anahata nada.

Now Still Question Remains-

How listeing to Anahata Nada reach Self-knowledge?

Please refer this link

https://antaryogi.me/reaching-to-self-knowledge-by-listening-to-anahata-nada/

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