Yoga Sūtra Chapter Three verse 39

उदानजयाअत् जलपण्खकण्टकादिष्वसङ्गोऽत्क्रान्तिश्च ॥३९॥

udāna-jayāt-jala-paṅka-kaṇṭaka-ādiṣu-asaṅgaḥ ukrāntiḥ ca ||39||

From mastery of the upward breath,
a going above and non-association with water, mud, thorns and so forth.

udāna - upward airjaya - mastery; conquest, victory, triumph, winningjala - waterpaṅka - mudkaṇṭaka - thornsādi - in the beginning, at first; beginning, commencement; a firstling, first-fruits; beginning with, and so on; and the rest; etcasaṅga - non-association, non-attachment, non-inclination; having no attachment or inclination for or interest in; free from ties, independent; moving without obstacle;ukrānti - going aboveca - and
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Commentaries and Reflections

Commentary by S Ramaswami:

“Now we come to the Pañca Vāyu or Prāṇa.

Accrding to Vyāsa, Prāṇa. is only one force. It operates in different regions of the body with different names and functions.
The entire body is serviced by the the Prāṇa. All the organs and senses are active because of Prāṇa. If Prāṇa leaves the body then so does life.

The important Prāṇa are:-

  1. Prāṇa. In the heart region. Its movement is through the mouth and nostrils and its action extends up to the heart.
  2. Śamana. In the abdominal area. It distributes (the nourishment from food) to all parts of the body equally and its sphere of action in from diaphragm to the navel or pelvis.
  3. Apāna. In the Pelvic Region and legs. It pushes down and carries the wastes away. It acts from the navel down to the soles of the feet.
  4. Udāna. In the head and neck. It acts and carries upwards from the neck to the entire head.
  5. Vyāna. Pervading all parts of the body. It is spread all over the body, i.e. blood vessels.

So PRA- completely, SAM equally, AP- down, UD- up, VY-everywhere

There are five other minor Pranas.

  • Naga- Vomiting
  • Drvadatta- Yawning
  • Dhanajaya- Disintegration after death
  • Kirkara- Hunger
  • Kūrma- Closing of the eyelids

In addition, Udāna according to Vedantins, takes Jīva to Brahman in sleep or separates the Jīvātman at the time of death.

Out of these Prāṇa by mastery of Udāna, the Yogin gains the power of non-adhesion to or non entanglement with water, mud, thorns etc…

Also at the time of death, the passage of the life force through the right exit and the choice of time of death is assured.
In a normal death the Prāṇa dissipates throught the various apertures in the body.
The worst is the passing of Prāṇa through the anus.

The Brahman Nāḍi goes from the Hṛdaya to the Brahmarandhra.
For the Yogin who has attained Mukta say the Vedantins.
Or by Saṃyama and control over Udāna.
The life force goes up through Brahmarandhra when he dies.
The time of death is also his choice.

From the viewpoint of Haṭha Yoga the practice of Śīrṣāna, gazing, visualisation on Ājñā and Sahasrāra and Prāṇāyāma will be helpful and conducive to bringing this control. Also the use of the Bandha to concentrate energy and reduce the dissipating effects of Apāna etc… can be useful.”