prana

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Pranams. Jaya Prabhupada!

 

On 16 Dec 1999, Dvarakadhisa das wrote:

> Dear devotees

> PAMHO

> Can somebody explain to me knowledge about prana - life air. If you have

any extra informations, i would be grateful. You may send it in private

letters.

 

This may not exactly be what you're looking for, but Prana is also one of the

names of the Lord. It's mentioned thrice in the Vishnu-sahasra-nama (21, 48,

57). Kushakratha Prabhu trabslates these references as the "life force"

which maintains the living entities as the Paramatman, "object of pure love of

the residents of Vraja," and "dear as life for the devotees." I'm not sure

what the basis of the above interpretations is (but cf. Bhagavatam, 7.2.9, for

the last one), as Shri Baladeva Vidyabhushana Prabhu seems silent in each

reference. But the name of Prana also appears in Kathpanishad, 6.2, in which

He is identified with Vishnu, at least in Karnamrita Prabhu's commentary,

which largely follows Madhvacharya. In this verse it is said that this Prana

is like an upraised thunderbolt weapon, terrifying everyone in the

universe--one who knows this attains immortality.

 

MDd