Now kapālabhāti: rapid exhalation and inhalation like the bellows of a blacksmith — this is known as kapālabhāti, which dries up kapha disorders.

This verse describes kapālabhāti, whose name means “skull shining” or “cranial radiance.” The technique is compared to the bellows (bhastrā) of a blacksmith (lohakāra), indicating rapid and vigorous respirations.

Sasaṃbhramau suggests that the respirations are “hurried” or rapid. In kapālabhāti, the emphasis is on the active and forced exhalation, while the inhalation is passive and automatic. This creates a rapid rhythm that cleanses the nasal passages and stimulates the brain.

The principal benefit is kaphadoṣaviśoṣaṇī — “drying up kapha disorders.” Excess phlegm in the nasal sinuses and respiratory tract is vigorously eliminated. Additionally, the increased blood flow to the brain produces the “shining” that gives the practice its name, manifesting as mental clarity and facial luminosity.