One acquires the power of writing poetry by reducing his expiration to 6.75 inches.

When one can reduce his expiration to 6 inches long he acquires the power of foretelling future events.  When one reduces the length of his expiration to 5.25 inches he is blessed with the divine eye.  He sees what is occurring in the distant worlds.

When the inaudible pronunciation of Om reduces the length of the expiration to 4.50 inches it enables its votary to travel to aerial regions.  When the length of expiration becomes 3.75 inches, the votary of Om travels in the twinkling of an eye through the whole world.

When by the inaudible muttering of Om a man reduces his expiration to 3 inches, he acquires ashta Siddhis or consummations (or superhuman powers).  When the expiration is reduced to 2.25 inches, the votary of Om can acquire the nine precious jewels of the world (Nava nidhi).  Such a man can attract the wealth of the world to him.*

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* Supposing he had any care or use for it—­Ed. Theos.
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When the expiration becomes 1.50 inches long from the above practice, he sees the celestial sphere where the Supreme Soul resides.  When the inaudible pronunciation of Om reduces the length of expiration to .75 inch, the votary becomes deified and casts no shadow.

     “Om Amitaya! measure not with words
     The immeasurable; nor sink the string of thought
     Into the Fathomless!  Who asks doth err;
     Who answers errs.  Say nought!”

     “Om mani padma hum.  Om the jewel in the lotus.”

By the muttering of the above formula the Great Buddha freed himself from selfishness, false faith, doubt, hatred, lust, self-praise, error, pride, and attained to Nirvana.

     “And how man hath no fate except past deeds,
     No Hell but what he makes, no Heaven too high
     For those to reach whose passions sleeps subdued.”

According to Siva a man acquires Nirvana when his breathing becomes internal and does not come out of the nostrils.  When the breathing becomes internal—­that is, when it is contained within the nostrils, the Yogi is free from fainting, hunger, thirst, languor, disease and death.  He becomes a divine being, he feels not when he is brought into contact with fire; no air can dry him, no water can putrefy him, no poisonous serpent can inflict a mortal wound.  His body exhales fragrant odours, and can bear the abstinence from air, food, and drink.

When the breathing becomes internal, the Yogi is incapable of committing any sin in deed, thought, and speech, and thereby inherits the Kingdom of Heaven, which is open to sinless souls.

—­N.C.  Paul

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Glossary