(continued from previous issue)

Panchakosakavivekah
(Hillahi Suryanarayana Nagendra Bhat, Mysore)

Brahmavalli dwitiyah anuvakah: Purusa

(2) Pranmaya Kosa

It is known as pranamaya body. This gross body is wholly permeated by that pranamaya body. Being subtler in comparision of the gross, it permeates each particles of the gross body. This pranamaya body also is identical in shape and size with the gross body. The gross body made of anna is like purusa in shape and since pranamaya body permeated the Annamaya body it is also know as having the shape of purusa. That is imagined in the form of a bird. It is like this - prana is its head because as head is the superiormost among the bodily limbs so is prana among all the five pranas. Vyana is right wing and Apana the left. Samana is atman because it nourishes the pranamaya body by supplying the elixir equally to all limbs and just as the wind pervades the sky everywhere so the same way meceeve samana pervades the whole body. Its place is the middle portion of the body and it is associated with the outer sky. This fact is also stated in the fifth and eight Mantras of the third question in Prashnopanisat, The earth is its tail and support also as the Adhidaivik power of the earth is the base of pranamaya purusa as it is the earth which withholds the Apana. This also is stated in Prashnopanisat question third, Mantra eight. About the glory of Prana there is coming slokah

Pranam deva anu prannti. Manusyah pasavasca ye. Prano hi bhutanamayuh. Tasmatsarvayusamuccyate. Sarvameva ta ayuryanti. Ye pranam brahmopasate. Prano hi bhutanamayuh. Tasmatsarvayusamuccyate iti. Tasyaisa eva sarèra atma. Yah purvasya.

Wm- whatever gods, men and animals are there; they live and make active movements on account of prana alone; because prana alone is life; therefore, it is called sarvayusa (the life of all); taking as such whosoever worship prana as ye´neved brahman; they get all life; this very prana is his Atman dwelling in the body; it is the same Atman which use to dwell in the gross body made of food sap.

Exp- In this first portion of third Anuvaka, Prana is eulogized and the concerned Sruti is mentioned. Then the indwelling Paramatman of pranamaya body has been hinted at. It means that whatever body-holding gods, men or animals are there, they all are alive only on account of prana without which the gross body cannot stand because Prana is the life of all. This is why it is known as sarvayusa. The strivers who take this Prana to be life of all creatures and worship it, they attain the full length of life. Prashnopanisat also tells that the knowers of Pranatattva become immortal and the chain of their progeny is never broken. The same Paratman who is indwelling Atman if the gross body built of the sap of food, is also the indwelling Atman of pranamaya Body.

(3) Manomayakosa
Tasmadva etasmatpranamayat. Anye'ntara atma manomayah. Tenaisa purnah. Sa va esa purusavidha eva. Tasya purusavidhatam. Anvayam purusavidhah. Tasya yajureva sirah. Rgdakhinah paksah. Samottarah paksah. Adesa atma. Atharvangirasah pucham pratistha. Tadapyesa sloko bhavati.

(to be continued in next issue)