Meaning
What is Klesha Nashana Kriya?
Klesha is the Sanskrit word for the afflictions of the mind, and nashana means the removal or destruction of them. Klesha Nashana Kriya is therefore a cleansing practice — a preparatory Kriya taught in the lineage of Mahavatar Babaji, Lahiri Mahasaya, and Paramahamsa Prajnanananda — designed to loosen the grip of the five root afflictions before the deeper techniques of Kriya Yoga are practised.
Patanjali names the five kleshas in the Yoga Sutras as avidya (ignorance of one's true nature), asmita (ego identification), raga (attachment), dwesha (aversion), and abhinivesha (clinging to bodily life). Every restlessness of the mind can be traced to one of these five. Klesha Nashana Kriya works at the level of breath, awareness, and inner attention to gradually weaken their hold.
Practice
How the practice works
In the Prajnana Mission tradition Klesha Nashana Kriya is transmitted by a realised teacher during initiation. The technique combines a gentle inhalation and exhalation with focused inner attention on specific centres along the spine, together with a silent invocation. Practised with sincerity, it purifies the nervous system, calms the emotions, and prepares the practitioner for the higher techniques of Kriya Pranayama, Omkar Kriya, and Thokar Kriya.
The technique is not meant to be learned from a book or a video. Its power lies in the transmission from Guru to disciple, so that the practitioner receives both the method and the living current of the lineage.
Benefits
Benefits of regular practice
- Loosens compulsive thought patterns rooted in the five kleshas.
- Steadies breath, heart-rate, and nervous system throughout the day.
- Softens attachment and aversion, giving room for equanimity.
- Purifies the subtle body and prepares it for deeper meditation.
- Deepens receptivity to the grace of the Guru and the lineage.
Lineage
Within the Prajnana Mission tradition
Klesha Nashana Kriya is one of several preparatory Kriyas offered by the Prajnana Mission alongside the main Kriya Yoga initiation. It is a practical, universal technique open to sincere seekers of any faith or background who wish to still the mind and awaken to their true nature.
Kriya Yoga initiation in Colombo on 31 October and 1 November 2026 with Paramahamsa Prajnanananda includes personal guidance in the preparatory Kriyas.