785. Praanaroopini

 

Praana is Parabrahma. It is said like this in Brihadaaranyaka upanishath

Both Devatas and Rakshasas are born to Prajapathi. Rakshasas outnumber Devatas. These two represent Dharma and Adharma. Justice and injustice. Truth and Ignorance. Hence those having qualities like goodness, compassion, righteousness became Devatas. Those who lack these qualities became Rakshasas. They fight with each other always. Once Devatas devised a strategy to triumph over Rakshasas. They determined to practice 'Om'. They thought this will give them enough strength to win over Rakshasas.

Devatas approached faculty of speech to help in practicing 'Om'. It agreed. It split the results of this into two parts. It kept the part that gives flawless pronunciation to itself and gave the rest to Devatas. Rakshasas feared that Devatas would triumph with this power. So they maligned speech with impurity of sin. Due this speech lost its purity. It started pronouncing incorrectly. It started uttering bad words. As a result, the power it used to give to Devatas weakened. 

Then Devatas approached faculty of sight. It agreed. It also split the results into two parts. It kept the power of vision to itself and gave the remaining to Devatas. Again, Rakshasa feared of this. So, they maligned sight with impurity of sin. Then eyes started seeing bad things. It lost its purity. Then the power it used to give to Devatas weakened. This repeated with all senses and mind.

Then Devatas approached Praana. It agreed. Praana gave all the results to Devatas. It did not keep a part for itself. Those Rakshasas who tried to malign Praana with sin failed and died miserably. Then Devatas triumphed over Rakshasas

This Praana is the force(rasa) behind all organs. That organ (anga) which does not have Prana in it does not function. Hence Praana is called Angirasa. Praana is Brahmnaspathi. Because Praana is the Lord of Yajas. Prana is Saama. Like this, Praana is para brahma. Hence Divine mother is called Praana roopini.

There are two types of vayus in the body:

1. Pradhaana Vayu. These are five types: 1. Praana, 2. Apaana, 3. Vyana, 4. Udaana 5. Samaana 

2. Upa vaayu. These are five types: 1. Naaga, 2. Koorma, 3. Krukara, 4. Dhananjaya, 5. Devadatta.

The body functions because of these Vayus. All these are forms of Praana.