prana

[Guest guest]

> > 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.

 

Suhotra Swami once explained: "Prana floats in prana in the heart cavity

[Katha Up. 1.3.1]; prana is one but acts in different ways, movement of prana

leads to identification with the body [sB 4.29.71], lower pranas control the

senses and are under the control of main prana controlled by the Supersoul acc

to desire and karma of the soul. Consciousness is spread all over the body

through blood (also moves thanks to prana). Soul controls the pranas in a

sense that he enjoys their movements."

 

--

 

Prasna Upanisad, Third Question: (there are further quotes in the rest of the

Upanisad)

 

Then Kaushalya Ashvalayana asked him [sage Pippalada], "Sir,

from where is this life-breath born?

How does it come into this body?

How does it dividing the soul become established?

By what does it depart?

How does it relate to the external and to the soul inside?"

 

The seer answered him, "You are asking much,

but because you are very holy, I will tell you.

The life-breath is born from the soul.

As a shadow is cast by a person,

so is this life-breath extended by the soul,

and for the perfection of the mind it comes into this body.

As a ruler commands the officials,

saying, 'Govern these villages,'

so this life-breath rules the other breaths.

The out-breath is in the organs of excretion and generation;

the life-breath itself is in the eyes, ears, mouth and nose;

while the equalizing breath is in the middle,

for it equally distributes the offering of food.

>From this arise the seven flames.

 

"The soul lives in the heart.

Here there are one hundred and one channels.

Each of these has one hundred smaller channels.

Each of these has seventy-two thousand branching channels.

Within these moves the diffused breath.

Rising upward through one of these,

the up-breath leads by virtue to the heaven of virtue,

by sin to the hell of sin,

and by both back to the human world.

 

"The sun rises externally as the life-breath,

for it helps the life-breath in the eye.

The goddess of the earth supports a person's outbreath.

What is between, namely space, is the equalizing breath.

Air is the diffused breath.

Heat is the up-breath.

Therefore one whose heat has ceased goes to rebirth

with the senses sunk in the mind.

 

"Whatever is one's consciousness,

with that one enters into the life-breath.

The life-breath joined to the heat together with the soul

lead to whatever world has been imagined.

The wise who know the life-breath thus

do not lose their offspring and become immortal.

As to this there is this verse:

 

'The source, its coming, its staying,

its fivefold division,

and the relation of the soul to the life-breath---

by knowing these one enjoys immortality.

By knowing these one enjoys immortality.'"

 

--

 

The Hebrew word for 'spirit' is 'ruach'. From its description it seems to me

that it actually means prana. If you have any supporting quotes kindly offer

them.

[Guest guest]

On Sun, 26 Dec 1999, COM: (Bhakta) Jan Mares (NE-BBT Czech) wrote:

> > > 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.

Bhagavatam, 3.6.7 is a nice reference, though not very detailed.

 

MDd