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VITAL POINTS AND PRATY{H{RA

Introduction: We find the description of 18 ( Eighteen ) vital points in the human body with reference to the practice of Pratyhra. We find various methods of Pratyhra described in Vasi>+ha Samhit ( III \ 56 64 ) and Yoga Yajnavalkya (VII \ 28 ) besides the popular Pratyahara available in Patanjali. These Pratyaharas are as under :1. Withdrawal of sense organs from their respective sense objects. 2. Considering every object as Atman within oneself.
3. Performance of obligatory duties mentally without any

external means.
4. Holding the vayu successively on each vital point.

Here the fourth Pratyahara is purely Hathayogic. It is interesting to mention here that Pure Hathayogic Pratyahara is also of two types :1. One variety has already been mentioned under the technique no. 4 above.
2. The second variety of Hathayogic pratyhra is in

Goraksha Shatakam. According to Goraksha withdrawal of nectar ( continuously oozing from the moon ) from being swallowed by the sun at the navel is also called Pratyahara and it is done through the practice of Viparita Karani. However in the later hathayogic literature,

we do not find its description under pratyahara and they have included the technique of Viparitakarani under mudra. Marmasthana or Vital Points In yogic literature, we find the statements like every person is 96 fingers from ones own finger ( Gh.S. V \ 81 ) . We undoubtedly differ in our height but each person is of 96 fingers from his own fingers. ( And therefore we must not convert the measurement of fingers into inches or centimeters, this will make each person of the same height . ) While talking about marmasthanas , our ancient sages have also justified the length measuring 96 fingers. While giving the location of each point, they have also discussed its distance from the preceding point starting from toe to top of the head.

Application of the concept of Marmasthanas This practice has been described after Pranayama and since Pratyahara comes after Pranayama according to the scheme of Yoga available in Vasishtha Samhita and Yoga

Yajnavlkya, this practice contains the practice of pranayama as well. One is supposed to hold the Pr;a inside and then mentally applying pr;a on each vital point starting from toe and then withdrawing pr;a from there and hold it on succeeding vital point and in this way one supposed to hold pr; on each and every vital point. Since the pr; is withdrawn from one point it is called pratyhra.

Location of Marmasthna

Sr. No . 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10 . 11 . 12 . 13 . 14 . 15 . 16 . 17 . 18.

Name of the point Pdngu>+ha Gulpha ja;ghmadhya Citim%la Jnu Urumadhya Pyum%la Dehamadhya Medhra Nbhi H&daya Ka;+hak%pa Tlum%la or Jihvm%la Nsm%la Ak>ima;*ala Bhr%madhya Lal+a M%rddh

Distance from the preceding point 0 4 Fingers 10 Fingers 11 Fingers 2 Fingers 9 Fingers 9 Fingers 2 Fingers 2 Fingers 10 Fingers 14 fingers 6 Fingers 4 Fingers 4 Fingers Finger Finger 2 Fingers

Ref. Yoga Yj_avalk ya 7\12 7\12 7\12 7\13 7\13 7\14 7\14 7\15 7\15 7\16 7\16 7\17 7\17 7\18 7\19 7\19 7\19

Ref. Vasi>+haSam hit

3 Fingers

7\20

Technique1. On each point one has to place pr;a and hold it.. 2. It is to be done mentally 3. Mentally one has to place Pr;a on one point and hold it and then withdraw it i.e Pr;a from there and then place and hold it on the succeeding point. 4. One has to start in ascending order i.e. starting from toe and then also in descending order after reaching M%rddh. Effect 1. Capable of removing all diseases 2. Yoga is accomplished through this method 3. All sins are removed 4. Attains life span till there are stars and moon in the sky i.e. attains a very long life.