142. kAlahantrI

[Ravisankar S. Mayavaram]

142. kAlahantrI

SHE who destroys time. The life span allotted to man is limited.
It is so ordered by the Sun and Moon, as prANa and apAna -
incoming and outgoing breath. This life span runs out in the form
of ajapa which moves 21,600 times a day.  Everyone breathes in
with the sound ha and breathes out with the sound sa. This
normally happens 21,600 times a day. This happens without any
conscious effort.  This mantra which consists of ha and sa, is
called the ha.nsa mantra. Since it is repeated unconsciously, it
it is called ajapa. But if the breath is controlled, life can be
prolonged for a long periods of time like yuga and kalpa. In the
perfect state of samAdhi which is attained by the control of
breath and senses, mind becomes functionless. This results in a
state of mind called manonmanI. In that state, the sense of time
disappears. According svetAshvatara upaniShad,
"pritvyaptejonilakhe samutthite panchamake yogaguNe pravR^itte na
tasya rogo na jara na mR^ityuH prAptasya yogAgnimayam shariram"
which means, when the five elements, Earth, water, fire, air and
space are in a balanced state and in ascendance. That is when the
five fold fire of yoga is active,, the body of yogi is full of
fire and it will be without disease, old age and death [2.12].

[to be continued]

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>From  a translation of
shrI shankara bhAshyam of shrI lalita trishatI