Most believe that the lifespan is measured in years, however the Yogis maintain that the lifespan is determined by the number of breaths. By mastering the breath the Yogi gains mastery over time/death…

It is experienced by the kootash — I am the time of death — engaged in destroying all. 21,600 is the number of times a person breathes in 24 hours. The yogis expand the time of these breaths by making the breath steady in the form of samadhi from the lower rank to the higher one. Then this steady form super-cedes the engulfing time. Engaged in this act are you — thus none except you will be saved — out of all warriors.

Although time has no boundaries yet when it is embodied it is (timed and) counted. Thus embodied in the body it is counted in the form of breath as 21,600 times during the period of day and night. Time is the killer of people. Unless this breath is held in, none can be left out. Only the yogis can attain a position which can hold time by holding the breath. At the time of samadhi by obstructing the flow of the common breath, the yogi can conquer time (or the time of death particularly, which is known as Kal). At the time of birth all beings get born with a fixed deposit of breath and according to their previous acts, when their credit — account has nil as balance they have to die. By the practice of pranayam — this time of life increases, because during samadhi this credit of breath is not used up, so the longer the stage of samadhi the longer the life. Thus it is said that the steady samadhi is the kal of kal or that which engulfs death itself, that, by which the count of time stops. Excepting those who are involved in such practice, all will have to die. Creation, sustenance and absorption are not only an outer affair, they carry on, in our insides also. Unless they are stopped, we cannot get freed. As long as the breath’s inhalation and exhalation exists, till then genuine knowledge is not achieved, and without it how can a being get liberated? Our present gets lost in the womb of the past, due to the passions which over-power it. So many incidents take place in the past, present and future, but the witness of all, the ‘I’ remains unchanged. Everything gets destroyed, yet the inexhaustible (great) ‘I’ exists.

“Spiritual Gita” chapter XI, Text (32)

Shree Shyamacharan Lahiri Baba

Translation by Shree Bhupendranath Sanyal

 

“Breath control is self-control

Breath mastery is self-mastery

Breathless stage is deathless stage”

– Paramahamsa Hariharananda