Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 50

बाह्याभ्यन्तरस्थम्भ वृत्तिः देशकालसन्ख्याभिः परिदृष्टो दीर्घसूक्ष्मः ॥५०॥

bāhya-ābhyantara-stambha-vṛttiḥ deṣa-kāla-saṃkhyābhiḥ paridṛṣṭaḥ dīrgha-sūkṣmaḥ ||50||

The external, internal and suspension fluctuations
are seen to be long and subtle
through place, time and number.

bāhya - external; being outside, situated without, outer, exterior; diverging from, conflicting with, opposed to, having nothing to do with; not belonging to the family or country, strange, foreign; excluded from caste or the community, an out-casteābhyantara - internal, being inside, interior, innerstambha - suspension; stoppage, obstruction, suppressionvṛtti - fluctuation; modification; turning; set in motion, course of action, behaviour, movement; activity, function; profession, mode of life or conduct, course of action, behaviourdeśa - place, point, region, spotkāla - time, a period of time; time of the world; season, the proper time or season for; black or dark-blue colour; time (as destroying all things); time of death; death by agesāṃkhya - enumeration; a numberparidṛṣṭa - seen to be, seen, beheld, perceived, learntdīrgha - length, long, for a long time; a long vowelsūkṣma - minute, small, fine, thin; acute, subtle, keen; an atom, intangible matter; the subtle all-pervading spirit, Supreme Soul
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Commentaries and Reflections

Commentary by T Krishnamacharya:

Commentary by TKV Desikachar:

Commentary by S Ramaswami:

“Thus the breath can be observed in different parts of the body.
Such as direction of Prāṇa into the Cakra or else the use of the Bandha to draw or lock the Prāṇa into a particular area or where the control of the breath is, such as nostrils, tongue, throat, etc…
By choosing a place in the body where we can feel or hear.
Thus the breath is completely experienced by the mind in different parts of the body.

The time taken is for the length of the inhalation, exhalation or holding of the breath.
Thus the ratio used.

The count is the number of breaths.
So depending on space or place, time and count you have different types of Prānāyāma.
They are given as a result of space, time and number.

Thus in two Sūtra we have been given the definition and benefits and parameters used in Prānāyāma.

What is the purpose of Prānāyāma?”

Commentary by Paul Harvey:

“Within the practice guidelines for Prāṇāyāma
Length and Subtlety are the fruits of a process,
they are not tools for use within this process.
The tools here are Deśa, Kāla and Sāṃkhya.
By these the breath becomes Dīrgha and Sūkṣma,
in other words the breath becomes Long and Subtle.”

“Some Prāṇāyāma Techniques prioritise Length.
Other Prāṇāyāma Techniques prioritise Subtlety.
While yet other Prāṇāyāma Techniques prioritise Both.”

“When working with the Breath in Āsana,
it’s perhaps less appealing initially,
but ultimately more attractive, satisfactory
and effective, to integrate a Bhāvana on
the Samāpatti of Śaithilya and Ananta,
within a developmental Prāṇāyāma Sādhana,
focused towards the Siddhi of Dīrgha or Length,
supported by its counterpoint, Sūkṣma or Subtlety.”