Literally means ‘Bellows’ as used by a black or gold smith to heat metal.
अथ भस्त्रिका ऊर्वोरुपरि संस्थाप्य शुभे पाद-तले उभे |
पद्मासनं भवेदेतत्सर्व-पाप-परणाशनम || ५९ ||सम्यक्पद्मासनं बद्ध्वा सम-गरीवोदरः सुधीः |
मुखं संयम्य यत्नेन पराणं घराणेन रेछयेत || ६० ||यथा लगति हॄत-कण्ठे कपालावधि स-सवनम |
वेगेन पूरयेछ्छापि हॄत-पद्मावधि मारुतम || ६१ ||पुनर्विरेछयेत्तद्वत्पूरयेछ्छ पुनः पुनः |
यथैव लोहकारेण भस्त्रा वेगेन छाल्यते || ६२ ||
atha bhastrikā
ūrvorupari saṃsthāpya śubhe pāda-tale ubhe |
padmāsanaṃ bhavedetatsarva-pāpa-praṇāśanam || 59 ||amyakpadmāsanaṃ baddhvā sama-ghrīvodaraḥ sudhīḥ |
mukhaṃ saṃyamya yatnena prāṇaṃ ghrāṇena rechayet || 60 ||yathā laghati hṝt-kaṇṭhe kapālāvadhi sa-svanam |
veghena pūrayechchāpi hṝt-padmāvadhi mārutam || 61 ||punarvirechayettadvatpūrayechcha punaḥ punaḥ |
yathaiva lohakāreṇa bhastrā veghena chālyate || 62 ||
The Padma Asana consists in crossing the feet and placing them on both the thighs; it is the destroyer of all sins.
Binding the Padma-Asana and keeping the body straight, closing the mouth carefully let the air be expelled through the nose.
It should be filled up to the lotus of the heart, by drawing it in with force, making noise and touching the throat, the chest and the head.
It should be expelled again and filled again and again as before, just as a pair of bellows of the blacksmith is worked.
Bhastrika should be performed after asana and nadi shodhana pranayama, but before cooling pranayama.
Technique 1: sit in any meditative posture keeping your spine, neck and head in one line with hands in chin mudra and keeping eyes closed. Take a deep breath in and forcefully exhale through nose. Immediately breath in and out with the same force for 10-20 counts this is 1 set. (3-5 sets)
Technique 2: sit in any meditative posture keeping your spine, neck and head in one line with hands in chin mudra and keeping eyes closed.
With Nasagra mudra close right nostril and breathe in slowly through left and forcefully exhale through left for 10-20 breath last exhalations should be slightly forceful with prolonged.
Close the left nostril and open the right breath in slowly and deeply with right and forceful exhalation through right only for 10-20 breaths and last exhalation should be slightly forceful with prolonged.
Release Nasagra mudra and place hands on knees in chin mudra. Repeat the same process of forceful inhalation and exhalation with both nostril this becomes 1 set practice 3-5 set.
Technique 2: Same as technique 2 with Kumbhaka and Bandha.
Benefits:
- Most important physiological effect is on the brain and heart
- Cleares the excess mucus.
- Builds up resistence to cold.
- Increases digestive fire and Improves digestion.
- Useful in yogic management of sinusitis, asthama, bronchitis
- Increases the apetite and accelerates metabolism.
- Helps to loosen the granthis (psychic knots).
- Purifies and forges the mind and nervous system by process of oxygenation.
- Makes mind introverted and one pointed so it is very useful if practiced before meditation.
Limitation
- Circulatory problems like High blood pressure.
- coronary or respiratory ailments.
- Brain tumour.
- Vertigo, epilepsy.
- Intestinal ulcers, glacoma.
- Dysentery and diarrhoea.