Shanaiḥ Shanaiḥ

Slowly Slowly Hatha Yoga Pradipika 2:15 or 2:16

यथा सिंहो गजो व्याघ्रो भवेद्वश्यः शनैः शनैः। तथैव सेवितो वायुरन्यथा हन्ति साधकम्॥

yathā siṃho gajo vyāghro bhavedbashyaḥ shanaiḥ shanaiḥ | tathaiva sevito vāyuranyathā hanti sādhakam ||

Just as a trainer tames a wild lion, elephant or tiger gradually, so should the practitioner control the prana cautiously by the practice of kumbhaka, or else it might kill him. Swami Muktibodhananda translation (Bihar School of Yoga)

Just as a lion, an elephant or a tiger is tamed gradually, so should the breath be brought under control [gradually], otherwise it might kill the practitioner. Mallinson and Singleton (Roots of Yoga, 2017)

The key phrase "shanaiḥ shanaiḥ" (शनैः शनैः) means "slowly, slowly" or "gradually, gradually," emphasizing the cautious approach required. The warning "anyathā hanti sādhakam" (अन्यथा हन्ति साधकम्) translates to "otherwise it kills the practitioner," which is a fairly strong caution against rushing pranayama practice.

This verse is one of the most frequently cited warnings in traditional yoga texts about the potential dangers of improper pranayama practice. It appears in the section where Svatmarama (the author) is introducing pranayama techniques, deliberately placing this caution before teaching the specific practices.