HINDU ENCYCLOPEDIA

सनातन धर्म भूमिका

Meaning of "Prana"

Word

Prana

Sanskrit

प्राण

IAST

prāṇa

In General

The chief power which control life of all living being is called Prana. When a person dies, we say that Prana has left him/her. Prana is a cosmic power, but act uniquely in each body. The Prana is also an individual power in him/her uniquely.

The study of prana which is part of Yoga doctrine is called Pranayama. In pranayama the prana is taken as, existing in each individual uniquely for practical purpose. Though all the varistha prana(vital energy) together is simply called as prana in some occasion, one of the component of Varista prana is also called as prana in detailed pranayama study ( the other four being Apana, Udana, Samana and Vyana). Prana according to pranayama is the vital energy that control breathing. The air that functions in the body from the throat to the heart is prana. Prana govern the sense of seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling and breathing. Prana activate and energize the nasal passage, throat, larynx, tongue, esophagus, lungs and heart.

Veda

Prana is a cosmic power, but act uniquely in each body. The Prana in an individual power him her uniquely. Prana pervade in all animate and inanimate being. The power which motivates and activates Akasha (as omnipotent reality) into creating and dissolving the Universe is called Prana. Everything in the physical universe which has energy, force, motion etc manifests Prana.

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