When the breath is unsteady, the mind is unsteady. When the breath is steady, the mind becomes steady. The yogi attains stillness. Therefore, one should control the breath.

This verse is one of the most quoted from the Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā because it reveals the fundamental relationship between breath and mind. Svātmārāma establishes here the principle that justifies the entire science of prāṇāyāma: the bidirectional connection between vāyu (breath/vital air) and citta (mind).

The term cala means “moving” or “unstable,” while niścala means “motionless” or “stable.” The verse’s structure is deliberately symmetric: when one moves, the other moves; when one stills, the other stills. This reciprocity implies we can access the mind through the body.

Sthāṇutva means “immobility” or “steadfastness like a pillar.” The yogi who masters their breath attains an inner stability that cannot be disturbed by external circumstances. This state is a precursor to deep meditation.

The practical instruction is clear: vāyuṃ nirodhayet — “one should control the breath.” Nirodha is the same term Patañjali uses in the Yoga Sūtra (yogaś citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ), suggesting that prāṇa control is a direct path to yoga’s goal.