Prana

Created by Jijith Nadumuri at 21 Oct 2011 12:51 and updated at 21 Oct 2011 12:51

BRIHADARANYAKA UPANISHAD NOUN

BrihadArUpa1	3 He Viraj() differentiated himself in three ways, making the Sun the third form, and air the third form. So, this Prana Viraj() is divided in three ways. His head is the east, and his arms that (north east) and that (south east). And his hind part is the west, his hip bones that (north west) and that (south west), his sides the south and north, his back Heaven, his belly the Sky, and his breast this Earth. He rests on water. He who knows (it) thus gets a resting place wherever he goes.
BrihadArUpa1	3 Three he designed for himself means the mind, the organ of speech and the vital force; these he designed for himself. (They say), I was absent minded, I did not see it I was absent minded, I did not hear it It is through the mind that one sees and hears. Desires, resolve, doubt, faith, want of faith, steadiness, unsteadiness, shame, intelligence and fear all these are but the mind. Even if one is touched from behind, one knows it through the mind; therefore (the mind exists). And any kind of sound is but the organ of speech, for it serves to determine a thing, but it cannot itself be revealed. Prana, Apana, Vyana, Udana, Samana and Ana all these are but the vital forces. This body is identified with these with the organ of speech, the mind and the vital force.
BrihadArUpa1	21 Now a consideration of the vow Prajapati projected the organs. These, on being projected, quarrelled with one another. The organ of speech took a vow, I will go on speaking The eye I will see The ear I will hear And so did the other organs according to their functions. Death captured them in the form of fatigue it overtook the, and having overtaken them it controlled them. Therefore the organ of speech invariably gets tired, and so do the eye and the ear. But death did not overtake this vital force in the body. The organs resolved to know it. This is the greatest among us that, when it moves or does not move, feels no pain nor is injured. Well, let us all be of its form. They all assumed its form. Therefore they are called by this name of Prana That family in which a man is born who knows as above, is indeed named after him. And he who competes with one who knows as above shrivels, and after shrivelling dies at the end. This is with reference to the body.
BrihadArUpa1	23 Now there is this verse; The Devas observed the vow of that from which the Sun rises and in which he sets. It is (followed) to day, and it will be (followed) to morrow. The Sun indeed rises from the vital force and also sets in it. What these Devas() observed then, they observe to this day. Therefore a man should observe a single vow do the functions of the Prana and Apana (respiration and excretion), lest the evil of death (fatigue) should overtake him. And if he observes it, he should seek to finish it. Through it he attains identity with this deity, or lives in the same world with it.
BrihadArUpa3	10 Yajnavalkya said he, how many classes of hymns the Udgatir chant in this sacrifice to day Three classes Which are those three The preliminary, the sacrificial, and the eulogistic hymns as the third Which are those that have reference to the body The Prana is the preliminary hymn, the Apana is the sacrificial hymn, and the Vyana is the eulogistic hymn What does he win through them Through the preliminary hymns he wins the Earth, through the sacrificial hymns he wins the Sky, and through the eulogistic hymns he wins Heaven Thereupon the Hotr Asvala kept silent.
BrihadArUpa3	2 The Prana (nose) indeed is the Graha; it is controlled by the Atigraha, the Apana (odour), for one smells odours through the Apana (the air breathed in).
BrihadArUpa3	1 Then Usata, the son of Chakra, asked him. Yajnavalkya said he, explain to me the Brahman that is immediate and direct the self that is within all. This is your self that is within all Which is within all, Yajnavalkya That which breathes through the Prana is your self that is within all. That which moves downwards through the Apana is your self that is within all. That which pervades through the Vyana is your self that is within all. That which goes out through the Udana is your self that is within all. This is your self that is within all.
BrihadArUpa3	26 On what do the body and the heart rest On the Prana On what does the Prana rest On the Apana. On what does the Apana rest On the Vyana. On what does the Vyana rest On the Udana On what does the Udana rest On the Samana This self is That which has been described as Not this, not this It is imperceptible, for it is never perceived; undecaying, for It never decays; unattached, for It is never attached; unfettered It never feels pain, and never suffers injury. These are the eight abodes, the eight instruments of vision, the eight deities and the eight beings. I ask you of that Being who is to be known only from the Upanishads, who definitely projects those beings and withdraws them into Himself, and who is at the same time transcendent. If you cannot clearly tell me of Him, your head shall fall off Sakalya did not know Him; his head fell off; and robbers snatched away his bones, mistaking them for something else.
BrihadArUpa4	7 Regarding this there is this pithy verse When all the desires that dwell in his heart (mind) are gone, then he, having been mortal, becomes immortal, and attains Brahman in this very body Just as the lifeless Slough of a snake is cast off and lies in the ant hill, so does this body lie. Then the self becomes disembodied and immortal, (becomes) the Prana (Supreme Self), Brahman, the Light. I give you a thousand (cows), sir said Janaka, Emperor of Videha.
BrihadArUpa5	3 Prana Apana and Vyana make eight syllables, and the third foot of the Gayatri has eight syllables. So the above three forms of vital force constitute the third foot of the Gayatri. He who knows the third foot of the Gayatri to be such wins all the living beings that are in the universe. Now its Turiya, apparently visible, supramundane foot is indeed this the Sun that shines. Turiya means the fourth. Apparently visible foot because he is seen, as it were. Supramundane because he shines on the whole universe as its overlord. He who knows the fourth foot of the Gayatri to be such shines in the same way with splendour and fame.
BrihadArUpa6	12 If a man s Wife has a lover whom he wishes to injure, he should put the fire in an unbaked earthen Vessel, spread stalks of reed and Kusa grass in an inverse way, and offer the reed tips, soaked in clarified Butter, in the fire in an inverse way, saying, Thou hast sacrificed in my kindled fire, I take away thy Prana and Apana such and such. Thou hast sacrificed in my kindled fire, I take away thy sons and animals such and such. Thou hast sacrificed in my kindled fire, I take away thy Vedic rites and those done according to the Smriti such and such. Thou hast sacrificed in my kindled fire, I take away thy hopes and expectations such and such The man whom a Brahmana with knowledge of this ceremony curses, departs from this world emasculated and shorn of his merits. Therefore one should not wish even to cut jokes with the Wife of a Vedic scholar who knows this ceremony, for he who has such knowledge becomes an enemy.

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