Just as the lion, the elephant, and the tiger are tamed very gradually, so too must prāṇa be controlled; otherwise it destroys the practitioner.

This verse appears in other positions in the text according to different manuscripts, indicating its fundamental importance. The comparison of prāṇa with powerful wild animals is one of the most memorable metaphors of the Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā.

The lion (siṃha), the elephant (gaja), and the tiger (vyāghra) represent natural forces of enormous power. They can be tamed, but only through a gradual and respectful process. Attempting to force them results in destruction for the one who tries.

The repetition śanaiḥ śanaiḥ (very slowly, step by step) emphasizes the absolute necessity of gradual progression. The warning anyathā hanti sādhakam (otherwise it destroys the practitioner) is direct and unambiguous. Traditional masters insist that impatience is the greatest obstacle — and danger — on the path of prāṇāyāma.