Or through the deliberate exhalation and retention of the breath.

The first mention of breath work in the Sutras, and it is offered as one option among several for clearing the mind. Note the emphasis: the exhale and the pause after it, not the big inhale.

This verse sits behind every "lengthen your out-breath" instruction in modern practice — including the extended-exhale work in our breathing section.

It is sometimes cited as proof that Patanjali taught elaborate pranayama. He does not describe technique here; the detailed methods come from the later hatha texts.