Question
Do humans breathe 21600 times in a day according to Yoga sastra?
Answer
Hamsa Upanishad, Yoga Upanishad which belongs to Shukla Yajurveda, mentions that.
अथ हंस ऋषिः ।
अव्यक्ता गायत्री छन्दः ।
परमहंसो देवता ।
अहमिति बीजम् ।
स इति शक्तिः । सोऽहमिति कीलकम् ।
षट् सङ्ख्यया अहोरात्रयोरेकविंशतिसहस्राणि षट् शतान्यधिकानि भवन्ति ।
English Translation by K. Narayanasvami Aiyar:
(Here the performance of Ajapā Gāyaṭrī is given).
"Now Hamsa is the ṛshi; the metre is Avyakṭā Gāyaṭrī; Paramahamsa is the ḍevaṭā (or presiding deity) 'Ham' is the bīja; 'Sa' is the śakṭī; So’ham is the kīlaka. Thus there are six. There are 21, 600 Hamsas (or breaths) in a day and night.
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