Sushumna is another Nadi which is also misunderstood as rising from the anus region and proceeding up along the spine to the Brahma's seat inside the head. This Nadi is also called Saraswathi. Sushumna is known in Dravidian as Chuzhimunai which means the whorl point or the point of coiled energy. The word Saraswathi is a mystic word with two concepts, viz., Saram meaning the breath of life and Swathi or jothi meaning light. Saraswathi therefore means the seat of Divine Light from which breath of life emanates. In Tamil there is a saying "Saram Parpon Param Parka Koodum" meaning 'He who takes care of his breath will be able to attain the Infinite. Saraswathi is described as an underground river. This is indicative of the fact that the Sushumna Nadi functions inside the brain and could be located as the source of the Holy Breath of life. Sarawathi is also personified as a Goddess carrying a Veena (musical instrument). The Veena in her hand is the symbol of Nada Brahmam or the creative force. It should be noted that Sushumna is a psychic force in man of supreme importance and Ida and Pingala are only its two aspects. They are not three separate forces which function along side of the spine.

The realisation of Saraswathi is through Saranagathi. Saranagathi is a contraction of Sara-Vana-Gathi. Sara meaning the breath of life, Vana meaning the light and Gathi meaning path. This is the Savya path of light extolled by sages, the path of Pranayam or the path of yoga to become one with God.

Speaking about Saraswathi, Bhagavan Sathya Sai Baba has expounded that she has for her carrier the Hamsa or the Breath of Life, the stoppage of which would mean the disappearance of Saraswathi who is regarded as one that could lead us from death to immortality. The prayer 'Mrithyorma amritham Gamaya' meaning 'from death lead me to immortality' is an invocation to her so that the jeevi the embodied soul may escape the thraldom of rebirth. It may be noted that Sharada meaning that which moves Saram is another name for Saraswathi meaning the Saram that is light, based on the core word saram denoting the holy breath of life the moving symbol of God in all living beings.