Navama-prakaraṇam (Samādhi) · Verse 18

इडायां वायुमारोप्य पिङ्गलायां तथैव च । मध्यमां सुषुम्नां प्राप्य ब्रह्मस्थानं प्रयाति सः ॥

iḍāyāṃ vāyumāropya piṅgalāyāṃ tathaiva ca | madhyamāṃ suṣumnāṃ prāpya brahmasthānaṃ prayāti saḥ ||

This verse outlines a specific, potent method for achieving a state of profound realization, directly linked to the manipulation of prāṇa. The yogī is instructed to elevate the vāyu (a specific vital breath) within the iḍā channel – the channel associated with lunar energy – with equal effort within the piṅgalā channel, which corresponds to solar energy. This simultaneous and balanced practice culminates in a focused ascent towards the central suṣumnā channel, a conduit believed to be the most refined path for prāṇa flow. The attainment of ‘brahma-sthana’ – a locus described as the place of Brahman – signifies a dissolution of the individual self into the ultimate reality, a state of pure awareness and liberation. This approach mirrors the Upaniṣadic emphasis on harnessing prāṇa as the instrument for realizing the underlying unity of all things, a theme also echoed in later yogic systems, particularly in the refinement of prāṇāyāma.