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Bob G
26 November 2007, 10:20 PM
Prana : Copied From the Atharva Veda., XI, 4.

1. Praise to the Breath of Life!
He rules this world,
master of all things,
on which all things are based.

2. Praise, Breath of Life, to your uproar!
Praise to your thunder!
Praise to your lightning!
Praise, Breath of Life, for your rain!

3. When Breath of Life with his thunder
roars o'er the plants,
then, pregnant with pollen,
the flowers burst forth in abundance.

4. When Breath of Life in due season
roars o'er the plants,
all things on earth
rejoice with great rejoicing.

5. When Breath of Life the broad earth
with rain bedews,
the cattle exult:
"We shall have plenty," they say.

6. The plants converse with this Breath,
drenched by his moisture:
"Our life is prolonged,
for you have made us all fragrant."

7. Praise to you, Breath, when you come
and praise when you go!
When you stand up
and when you sit still, to you praise!

8. Praise to you, Breath of Life, breathing
both in and out!
To your turning this side
and that, to the whole of you, praise!

9. Grant us, O Breath, your dear form
and the one dearer still
that we may live!
Give us your healing power!

10. Breath of Life clothes all beings with care
as a father his son;
master of all things,
whether they breathe or breathe not.

11. Breath of Life is death, is fever,
revered by the Gods.
In the highest world
he sets the man who speaks truth.

12. Breath of Life is Queen, is Guide,
revered by all things;
he is sun, he is moon;
he is also the Father of all.

13. The two breaths are rice and barley,
Breath the ox that pulls.
In barley resides i
inbreath; out-breath is called rice.

14. A man breathes in, he breathes out,
within the womb.
Quickened by you,
to birth he comes once more.

15. The mighty Wind they call him, or Breeze.
The future and the past
exist in him.
On Breath of Life all things are based.

16. When you, Breath of Life, quicken them,
then the plants of the Atharvans and Angirases,
of Gods and of Men, come to birth.

17. When Breath has poured down with the rain
upon the vast earth,
then plants come forth
and herbs of every sort.

18. The one who knows you thus, O Breath,
and that which forms your support,
to him will all offer
tribute in yonder highest heaven.

19. Just as all creatures owe tribute
to you, Breath of Life,
so may they bring it
to the one who hears you, O renowned!

20. He moves among the Gods, an inner seed;
becomes, is, is reborn.
He has entered the son
he, the father, who was, is, and shall be!

21. If the sunbird, rising, extracted
his foot from the sea,
neither today nor tomorrow
would exist, neither night, day, nor dawn.

22. The eight--wheeled moves on one rim,
to and fro, thousand-syllabled.
With one half it engendered
all creation. Of its other half what sign?

23. Of all that is born is he Lord,
of all that moves.
Of swift bow like the rest,
to you, O Breath of Life, homage!

24. Of all that is born is he Lord,
of all that moves.
Untiring he, steadfast;
may my prayer bring Breath to my aid!

25. Erect he keeps watch among the sleeping.
he falls not prone.
None ever heard
that he among the sleepers should slumber.

26. Breath of Life, do not forsake me.
You are, indeed, I.
Like the Embryo of the Waters
I bind you to me that I may live!"

yajvan
27 November 2007, 11:04 AM
Hari Om
~~~~~~




Prana : Copied From the Atharva Veda., XI, 4.

1. Praise to the Breath of Life! He rules this world, master of all things,
on which all things are based.

Namaste BG,
thank you for the slokas on prana.... if its okay, I thought to extend the idea a bit if I may.

IN the Chandogya Upanishad (5.2.1) Prana asks "What will be my food?" This is the question prana sets before the other sense organs ( seeing, smelling, tasting, touching, thinking, speaking, etc).

This prana is the force of life, more then just breath. As breath is the carrier of this life-force. It is from an or breathing or living + pra or properly. It is also ana or food , or sustenance, that which one depends on for life to occur.

If we take this 'an' and add prefixes to it we get the 5 prana's that we exercise daily:
Pra+ana - properly moving; or forward moving; or to breathe forth
Ap+ana - or downward ( 'a' for not or opposite)
Sam+ana - sam or even-ness , balanced
Vy+ana - outward moving
Ud+ana - upward moving
Now when things are eaten and understood, then the following gets established ( so says the Chandogya Upanishad in Chapter 5).

This prana has an external signification, that is, within us and outside of us ( the individual) at the same time:

Prana - is connected with the eyes. The eyes are connected / influenced by the sun for light to see. When there is contentment of the eyes, the sun too is content by what is 'eaten'. The whole atmosphere is satisfied, the individual and the atmosphere, as sun rules here.

Apana - is connected to speech. It is said vac ( speech) is ruled by agni. Agni is the ruler over earth. Mar's plays a key role with agni. When this speech and agni are satisfied, this earth is then satisfied. We as inhabitants are then too satisfied.

Samana - is connected to the mind. The divine mind is Indra. He is owner of lightening and rain. The moon is the graha connected with the mind. When the mind is satisfied, it brings sama, balance. The ultimate balance is yoga.

Vyana - is connected with the ears. Vayu allows sound to be carried and from all directions ( the 4 cardinal directions) that resides in space ( akaska) - as does all things. This Vayu is connected to Sani (Saturn).
When the ears are satisfied, then all good comes from all directions and there is 'plenty' for the native.

Udana - is connected to air and touch. This air (Vayu's) abode is that of akasha where all things reside. This akasha is connected to Guru, or Jupiter who brings blessings and expansion. When satisfaction arrives here, then all things are satisfied as all things reside in akasha.

So, what will be prana's food? What ever is eaten ( seen, viewed, touched, tasted, smelled, thought of, etc) from all the other senses, is the 'food' of prana. Then He too Vaishvanara, which is also the eater of food, and is satisfied.

So, as prana goes, so do the senses. He or she that manages/ befriends prana is able to manage and control the various dimensions of prana - the mind, taste, touch, etc. This is the principle behind pranayam and the key tenets we find in the Vijanana Bhairrava Tanta verses (karikas) on using the breath as a upaya [ techniques , method, vehicle] for sadhana.


thank you again for shaing thoughts on prana

prana-ms,

sarabhanga
27 November 2007, 06:07 PM
Namaste Yajvan,

an means "to breathe", ana is "breath", Ana is "breathing", and annam is "food".

yajvan
27 November 2007, 07:29 PM
Namaste Yajvan,

an means "to breathe", ana is "breath", Ana is "breathing", and annam is "food".


beautiful~!

yajvan
29 November 2007, 03:27 PM
Hari Om
~~~~~


If we take this 'an' and add prefixes to it we get the 5 prana's that we exercise daily:
Pra+ana - properly moving; or forward moving; or to breathe forth
Ap+ana - or downward ( 'a' for not or opposite)
Sam+ana - sam or even-ness , balanced
Vy+ana - outward moving
Ud+ana - upward moving


from sarabhanga
an means "to breathe", ana is "breath", Ana is "breathing", and annam is "food".

Namaste,
As we are talking prana...
Pranayama (prāṇāyāma) - we know as the regulation of the breath.
Prana + yama - Prana is the life force we have discussed in this string and several other places.
Yama from the root 'yam' यम् - to sustain , hold up , support or to hold or keep in , hold back , restrain , check , curb , govern , subdue , control.
So in pranayam one is controling or regulating the breath; Yet if we take yam and add the A to it, Ayam we now have to stretch (like a bow) , to grow long ,to lengthen or extend.

So this word prāṇāyāma gets interesting. It is a method to control the breath/life force, but at the same time āyāma, to extend it. The ulimate extention is perfect balance, the center or madhya, of breath-and-no-breath.

Where else is this madhya or centering discussed? We had a discussion on several HDF postings¹ reviewing Vijnana Bhairava Tantra. But is there another reference?

If one looks to the Bhagavad Gita Chapt 4.29 , Krsna talks of the sadhu that practices pranayama and the result therein. Where else do we find this?
In Patanjali's Yoga Sutras , Chapt 2.29 as the 4th limb of Yoga (yama,niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana and samadhi)Other places? Hatha Yoga sees it as a cleansing process and another place of balance . I think one technique is called Ujjayi breathing , as I am not conversant on this, perhaps someone else can discuss this.

Maybe sarabhanga can provide us the etymology of Ha+tha.

This pranayama becomes a central theme or technique that is of great value to the sadhu's development. What I find appealing is something that we do thousnds of times a day without noticing much, can be used as part of ones sadhana.

1. This is the discussion on the HDF Posting: Vijnana Bhairava Tantra and Breath post (http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2323)

Pr-ana-ms

sarabhanga
29 November 2007, 05:35 PM
Namaste Yajvan,

haTha indicates “violence, force, obstinacy, pertinacity or persistency”, “oppression or suppression”, and “absolute or inevitable necessity (especially as the cause of existence and activity)”.

haThayoga is “a kind of forced yoga or abstract meditation (forcing the mind to withdraw from external objects) performed with tapas”.

See: haTha yoga (http://www.geocities.com/sarabhanga/hatha.html)

Eastern Mind
30 November 2007, 05:57 PM
We eat with our fingers because of prana... we take back in our own prana, life force seething out the fingers. /EM

yajvan
30 November 2007, 07:12 PM
Hari Om
~~~~~




haTha indicates “violence, force, obstinacy, pertinacity or persistency”, “oppression or suppression”, and “absolute or inevitable necessity (especially as the cause of existence and activity)”.


Namaste sarabhanga (et.al)
Yes , this etymology of this word is interesting... If one were talking to a Hatha Yoga sadhu and asked what they're doing, they may answer 'finding balance' or 'working with and balancing the sun and moon forces'. Now how can we get to this notion offered by the sadhu from this word hatha?

We know if we look at some of the roots it may help us:
ham हम् an exclamation expressive of anger or courtesy or respect.
We then can see where some of this force & obstinacy may come from, from this root; yet lets also consider the following:
haT हट् - to shine , be bright
Tha ठ - the moon's disk, a disk

We can see where this notion of sun ( bright) and moon (disk) may have its origin.

Why sun and moon? From a Jyotish perspective, Sun is Atman, moon is mind, home of the senses. It is the notion of the co-operation of the mind-body-atma working in concert that brings harmony and health to ones body.

Sun and moon are sometimes viewed as day and night, opposites. Hatha is designed to integrate night and dark (opposites) to the benefit of the practitioner.

More on this...
The sun and moon divide time into day and night and only meet during the twilight known as sandhya (gap),where we are able to take advantage of not-sun , not-moon , but that wonderful gap in time. The harmonizing time for meditation.

Yet when one does Hatha Yoga, each pose is held for a few moments, some for minutes... that is the grooming of sandhya in that pose; to bring balance to the mind-body-atman and perhaps to easily allow haTha “violence, force, obstinacy, pertinacity or persistency" to dissipate.

As we are influenced by the sun-moon's movements [ they are considered the creative principle in Jyotish] this stimulates the human biological system to the cycles of the sun and moon. Hatha is designed to harmonize these influences for the benefit of the sadhu and sadhu-ette!


pranams,

syvedi40
31 March 2008, 11:17 AM
Respected Sir,

Learned Sarabanga writes "haTha indicates “violence, force, obstinacy, pertinacity or persistency”, “oppression or suppression”, and “absolute or inevitable necessity (especially as the cause of existence and activity)”.

As a practitioner of Hatha Yoga I would like to add that each pose of any asana is an unnatural position restraining a particular part of the body i.e. "oppressing" it so that certain internal organs get more blood. Example is Sirasana which is an inverted which is an abnormal pose designed for blood to flow into the head. Once a pose is reached one is supposed to remain in that position for some seconds/minutes achieving "balance" in that pose. Apart from the physical act, mentally the practitioner is supposed to think of the deity for that pose and some times observe a specific mudra. Most of the asanas require breathing in, holding breadth and also exhaling. Thus all the expressions mentioned above by the learned Sarabanga is practically achieved in Hatha Yoga!

yajvan
31 March 2008, 01:19 PM
Hari Om
~~~~~


As a practitioner of Hatha Yoga I would like to add that each pose of any asana is an unnatural position restraining a particular part of the body i.e. "oppressing" it so that certain internal organs get more blood. Example is Sirasana which is an inverted which is an abnormal pose designed for blood to flow into the head. Once a pose is reached one is supposed to remain in that position for some seconds/minutes achieving "balance" in that pose. Apart from the physical act, mentally the practitioner is supposed to think of the deity for that pose and some times observe a specific mudra. Most of the asanas require breathing in, holding breadth and also exhaling. Thus all the expressions mentioned above by the learned Sarabanga is practically achieved in Hatha Yoga!

Namate syvedi
Thank you for your post... this notion in Hatha Yoga for balance and centering is most welcomed. That is, mAdhya ( माध्य ) or middlemost , intermediate , central, standing between two , impartial , neutral.

What is one between or in-between? The in-and-out breath that is calm. Over time it blossoms to turiya.

We can find this in Hatha and other sadhanas, and is the blessing found in the practice.

pranams

soham3
31 March 2008, 11:00 PM
Prana is a subtle energy beyond the ken or realm of physics & chemistry. We have air prana, sun prana et cetera. Mind is higher than prana. If one does pranayama mechanically, he won't get much benefit. But if pranayama is done with mental awareness, benefits accrue.

yajvan
01 April 2008, 03:12 PM
Hari Om
~~~~~

Namaste,


From the Chandogya Upanishad 1.2.10:

The ṛṣi (rishi) Aṇgiras meditatively adored this (prāṇa) as udgītha³.
This prāṇa is thus considered itself Aṇgiras, because it is the essence (rasa¹) of the limbs (aṇga²)

What is to be taken from this?
The ṛṣi Aṇgiras meditatively adored this prāṇa as Brahman and the fruit of his adoration became the essense ( the rasa) of prāṇa, Brahman. His name depicts his achievement anga+rasa. The finest essense of anything ( ultimately) is Brahman.


1. rasa - best or finest or prime part of anything , the essence
2. anga – is the limb or part
3. udgītha – is the singing/chanting of the sama veda; And the essence (rasa) of udgītha is Om ॐ.
4. FYI that has been mentioned before and fits quite nicely with prANa here is aN अण् - to breathe

pr-aN-ams

soham3
01 April 2008, 10:54 PM
There are 5 koshas - anna, prana, monomaya, vigyana and ananda. Beyond ananda is Chit & Sat. So prana is second from bottom.

yajvan
02 April 2008, 02:32 PM
Hari Om
~~~~~




From the Chandogya Upanishad 1.2.10:

The ṛṣi (rishi) Aṇgiras meditatively adored this (prāṇa) as udgītha³.
This prāṇa is thus considered itself Aṇgiras, because it is the essence (rasa¹) of the limbs (aṇga²)

What is to be taken from this?
The ṛṣi Aṇgiras meditatively adored this prāṇa as Brahman and the fruit of his adoration became the essense ( the rasa) of prāṇa, Brahman. His name depicts his achievement anga+rasa. The finest essense of anything ( ultimately) is Brahman.


1. rasa - best or finest or prime part of anything , the essence
2. anga – is the limb or part
3. udgītha – is the singing/chanting of the sama veda; And the essence (rasa) of udgītha is Om ॐ.
4. FYI that has been mentioned before and fits quite nicely with prANa here is aN अण् - to breathe

Namaste,
Relevent to this conversation, I submit the following for the readers consideration, Brahma Sutras¹ 1.1.22 & 1.1.23

Sutra 22
Akasastallingat
Akasah: ākāśa ; tad: His, of Brahman; lingat: because of characteristic mark. The word akasa (ākāśa) must be understood as Brahman

Reference to a Upanishad
In the Chandogya Upanishad Chapt 1.9, the following verse is spoken : What is the origin of this world? 'ākāśa'
'PrravahAnah replied. 'Because all these beings take their origin from the ākāśa only, and return into the ākāśa .

** Sutra 22 above was necessary to allow prāṇa to be discussed next. **


Sutra 23
Ata eva Pranah
Ata eva: for the same reason ( this refers to sutra 22) ; Pranah: the breath (also refers to Brahman).
As prāṇa is described as the cause of the world, such a description can apply to Brahman alone. The word ‘prāṇa' must be understood as Brahman.


Reference to a Upanishad
In the Chandogya Upanishad, Chapt 1.11.4-5, the following is reviewed: Which then is that deity? - ‘prāṇa' he (Urasti) said. 'All beings here enter prāṇa alone in every manner and they originate as well from prāṇa. Had you sung this without knowing this³ your head would fall off'


1. My References: The Brahma Sutras by Svami Sivananda, The Divine Life Society, Sivananda Ashram, Rishikesh
And The Brahma Sutras, Commentary According to Adi Shankara, by Svami Viresvarananda, Advidya ashram
2. Akasa (आकाश ākāśa , my favorite ) pervades everything as the foundation for the material universe and frankly for chit and cidakasa , the space of consciousness we employ
3. prastAva or प्रस्ताव - introductory eulogy , the introduction or prelude; regarding the udgitha it is said ‘prastotri’ that devata which belongs to/associated with the prastāva.


pr-aN-ams

soham3
02 April 2008, 10:47 PM
Akasha is fifth chakra from bottom. Its symbol is HAM. Brahaman may mean either unconditioned absolute Brahman or All That Is which is the fifth brahma vakya ' SARVAM KHALVIDAM BRAHMAN '.

yajvan
03 April 2008, 12:31 PM
Hari Om
~~~~~


Namaste,
I rest my position on this matter and look to the Brahma Sutras and the Chandogya Upanishad ( and a few others) as my guidence.

pranams

yajvan
14 April 2008, 10:53 AM
Hari Om
~~~~~




If we take this 'an' and add prefixes to it we get the 5 prana's that we exercise daily:
Pra+ana - properly moving; or forward moving; or to breathe forth
Ap+ana - or downward ( 'a' for not or opposite)
Sam+ana - sam or even-ness , balanced
Vy+ana - outward moving
Ud+ana - upward moving

This prana has an external signification, that is, within us and outside of us ( the individual) at the same time:

Prana - is connected with the eyes. The eyes are connected / influenced by the sun for light to see. When there is contentment of the eyes, the sun too is content by what is 'eaten'. The whole atmosphere is satisfied, the individual and the atmosphere, as sun rules here.

Apana - is connected to speech. It is said vac ( speech) is ruled by agni. Agni is the ruler over earth. Mar's plays a key role with agni. When this speech and agni are satisfied, this earth is then satisfied. We as inhabitants are then too satisfied.

Samana - is connected to the mind. The divine mind is Indra. He is owner of lightening and rain. The moon is the graha connected with the mind. When the mind is satisfied, it brings sama, balance. The ultimate balance is yoga.

Vyana - is connected with the ears. Vayu allows sound to be carried and from all directions ( the 4 cardinal directions) that resides in space ( akaska) - as does all things. This Vayu is connected to Sani (Saturn).
When the ears are satisfied, then all good comes from all directions and there is 'plenty' for the native.

Udana - is connected to air and touch. This air (Vayu's) abode is that of akasha where all things reside. This akasha is connected to Guru, or Jupiter who brings blessings and expansion. When satisfaction arrives here, then all things are satisfied as all things reside in akasha.


Namaste ,
I was just thinking about this prana today... especially as prana ( Some like to write prANa) becomes apana and connected to speech. It is said that this is owned by agni. This agni is most important , yes? The rishi's give their adoration to agni in the first line of the Rig Veda¹.

Agni is also known as Dhumaketu (whose sign is smoke), Saptajihva (seven-tongued), Hutasa (devourer of offerings) and Rohitashva ( red-horsed.)

We find him called as jAtavedas: jAta or जात born , brought into existence; grown , produced , arisen , caused , or appeared so.
This jAtavedas जातवेदस् is having whatever is born or created as his property, all-possessor of all created beings. He is considered the first born and he presides over the world of matter ( creation).

This notion of voice of vak, is also supported in the Aitareya Upanisad...
It says in the 2nd khanda, agnir vagbhutva , or agni becoming speech entered the mouth ( mukham¹).

It is with the vak that one offers mantras, slokas, etc. via yajya¹. It is via the yajya that carries ones desires, adoration, mantra , hymns and puja upwords¹ and one chooses to invoke the devata for worship and perhaps favor. It is the vedic approach to consider the devata can be invoked by uttering (manAmahe or devotion , attachment , zeal , eagerness ) their auspicious (charu or cha - pure , clean ) names (nAma).

Yet is it not agni devata giving ItSelf back to ItSelf in a different form?

So this voice, this agni is of key import, and we can find within our voice, as it is mixed , part and parcel with the other pranas mentioned above. And it is part of the Divine found in us, used everyday. Perhaps this is way speech is so important a tool, and why sweet words should accompany ones vak, as adoration to agni in use.

http://bp3.blogger.com/_poozp2TeXhg/SAN7zP7qbXI/AAAAAAAABH0/KXYpmDllECQ/s320/Puja-1.jpg (http://bp3.blogger.com/_poozp2TeXhg/SAN7zP7qbXI/AAAAAAAABH0/KXYpmDllECQ/s1600-h/Puja-1.jpg)



prana-ams

1. Words and References

agnimilie purohitm yajnasya devam rtvijam
hotaram ratna dhatamam Rig Ved 1.1.1
agnim ile... agni I adore.

mukha मुख the mouth or embouchure; the beak of a bird , snout or muzzle of an animal; Svami Sivananda calls mukham the tongue

yAjyA याज्या - we know as fire sacrifice ; and the fire is agni, Saptajihva as mentioned above.

agne yam yajnam adhvaram vishvatah paribhuh asi Rig Ved 1.1.4
this adhvara makes a path for the yajamana or the sacrificer, and agni is the guide on this journey.