The three gunas from the Bhagavad Gita

Know thou Rajas to be of the nature of passion, the source of thirst (for sensual

enjoyment) and attachment; it binds fast, O Arjuna, the embodied one by attachment to action!

But know thou Tamas to be born of ignorance, deluding all embodied beings; it binds fast,

O Arjuna, by heedlessness, sleep and indolence!

Sattwa attaches to happiness, Rajas to action, O Arjuna, while Tamas, shrouding

knowledge, attaches to heedlessness only!

Now Sattwa prevails, O Arjuna, having overpowered Rajas and Tamas; now Rajas,

having overpowered Sattwa and Tamas; and now Tamas, having overpowered Sattwa and Rajas!

When, through every gate (sense) in this body, the wisdom-light shines, then it may be

known that Sattwa is predominant.

Greed, activity, the undertaking of actions, restlessness, longing—these arise when

Rajas is predominant, O Arjuna!

Darkness, inertness, heedlessness and delusion—these arise when Tamas is

predominant, O Arjuna!

Pranayama chant from Bhagavad Gita

APANE’ JUHVATI PRANAM PRANE-PANAM TATHAPARE
PRANAPANA-GATI RUDDHVA PRANAYAMA-PARAYANAHA.
Others offer as sacrifice the out-going breath in the incoming, and the incoming in outgoing, restraining the sources of the outgoing and incoming breaths, solely absorbed in
the restraint of breath.
This Sloka is about breath control. It is a specialist subject and the sincere seeker should consult a proper expert in this field. It is my sincere request that the novices should refrain from
such practices.
A properly measured breathing, according to the medical experts is one more tool for healthy
living. This technique is known as “Pranayama.”
Normally the breathing is an involuntary act. An average adult breathes between 14-16 times
per minute. It involves three stages of breathing in, holding the breath and breathing out. We
take the oxygen in and breathe out the carbon dioxide.
Depending upon the impulses received from the external world, our breathing pattern changes. Anger, hatred, fear, lust disturb the mind and this in turns alters the breathing pattern.
The faster we breath, greater will be the disturbance on the mind. This is because the brain

receives less oxygen and retains more of carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide dulls the mind whereas oxygen activates the mind.
Rhythmic breathing is seen during states of calmness of the mind. By practices of control over
the senses, one could control the breathing. Properly controlled breathing by voluntary methods benefits the mind. The ancient seers of India, the masters in the development of the Hindu
culture realised this truth and developed the technique of Pranayama.
Prana: the incoming breath.
Apana: the outgoing breath.
The three stages of breathing:
Puraka: steady intake of breath.
Kumbhaka: holding on to the breathed in air.
Rechaka: breathing out.
Repeating the three stages of the cycle of breathing, with correct time for each of three stages,
accompanied by the chanting of the sacred syllable “Om” constitutes the technique of Pranayama. Breathing not only regulates the respiratory system but directly or indirectly regulates all
other bodily functions which also come under the word “Prana.” In a broad sense, Pranayama
is control of all bodily functions. We are told in this Sloka that even this control of breath
should be in the form of a sacrifice.

Newsletter on Bhagavad Gita by Dr. P.V. Nath (Copyright Dr. Nath, 2009) sent out week 50 in 2009

Pranayama in the Bhagavad Gita (Pranayama the breath of yoga Gregor Maehle)

The Bhagavad Gita is the most influential of the Indian scriptures.
Containing the teachings of Lord Krishna, it defines pranayama in
two ways.16 Firstly it says that some practice pranayama by offering
apana (vital down-current) into prana (vital up-current) and prana
into apana, and thus arrest the breath. The Gita uses the term prana
apana gati. Frana gati is the inner down movement, which is contained
in the rising inhalation. Apana gati is the inner rising, which
is contained in the descending exhalation. This implies the profound
teaching that each force in the universe contains its own counterforce.
The pranic movement here is stopped by focusing on the gati,
which is the inner opposite of the apparent outer force. Apana gati,
the inner upward movement contained in the exhalation, is one of

the main motors to drive Kundalini (the coiled life force propelling
spiritual liberation) upwards.
The second definition of pranayama mentioned in the Gita is the
sacrifice of the senses into prana. During the movement of prana, i.e.
inhalation and exhalation, the senses reach out and attach themselves
to various objects of desire or aversion. During kumbhaka the
senses are naturally drawn inwards and the yogi supports this by
focusing on the Divine at the time of kumbhaka. The yogi forsakes
and surrenders the normal outgoing activity of the senses and thus
'offers' it to the prana suspended and arrested through kumbhaka.
Hence, like the Yoga Sutra, the Gita sees pranayama both as perfecting
the process of inhalation and exhalation and as mental operations
performed during the time of kumbhaka (breath retention).