Seated in padmāsana, the yogi should inhale through the lunar channel, retain according to capacity, and then exhale through the solar channel.

This verse describes the fundamental technique of nāḍī śodhana prāṇāyāma (alternate nostril breathing for channel purification). Svātmārāma uses traditional terminology: candra (moon) refers to iḍā nāḍī (left nostril), and sūrya (sun) to piṅgalā nāḍī (right nostril).

Baddha-padmāsana is the bound lotus posture, a variant of padmāsana where the arms cross behind the back to hold the feet. This posture creates a closed energy circuit. For practitioners who cannot adopt it, simple padmāsana or siddhāsana are acceptable alternatives.

The sequence described is: pūraka (inhalation) through the left, kumbhaka (retention) according to capacity (yathā-śakti), and recaka (exhalation) through the right. The phrase yathā-śakti is significant: retention must be adjusted to individual capacity, without forcing.

This is the half-cycle of nāḍī śodhana. The next verse completes the cycle in the opposite direction. The practice balances solar and lunar energies, preparing the system for more advanced practices.