Hold on to "I"

Sri Ramana Maharshi

Mr. G. D. asked: Is it necessary to control one’s breath? What becomes of the man who has not practised breath-control?

M.: Breath-control is only an aid for diving deep. One may as well dive down by control of mind. On the mind being controlled, the breath becomes controlled automatically. One need not attempt breath-control; mind-control is enough. Breath-control is recommended for the man who cannot control his mind straightaway.

Naham - I am not this - corresponds to rechaka

Koham - Who am I? (search for the I) - corresponds to puraka

Soham - He am I; (The Self alone) - corresponds to kumbhaka.

So these are the functions of pranayama.

Again the three formulae are:

Na - Aham (Not - I).

Ka - Aham (Who - I).

Sa - Aham (He - I).

Delete the prefixes and hold on to the common factor in all of them. That is Aham-’I’, that is the gist of the whole matter. 

Later on Sri Bhagavan referred to the songs and said: Tyagaraja says well. The mind should be controlled. The question arises “What is mind?” He himself answers in the next couplet, saying that it is the “I-am-the-body” idea. The next question is how the control is effected. He answers again, saying “By complete surrender. Realise that I am not and that all is He.” The song is fine and compact. He also mentions the other method, namely, control of breath.