Dictionary of all Scriptures & Myths

PRÂNA (BREATH OR LIFE)

A symbol of the Higher Self or Divine Life in all things.

"In the Upanishads we frequently meet with the explanation that Brahman, whose nature it is sought to ascertain, is the prâna, the breath of life that pervades both the universe and the human body." - DEUSSEN, Phil. of Upanishads, p. 110.

"When a man sleeps, his speech, eye, manas, and ear enter into the prâna ; and when he awakes, from the prâna they are reborn. Thus far in relation to the self. Next in relation to the gods. In truth, Agni is that which this speech is here, yonder Aditya is this eye, yonder moon this manas, and the heavenly regions this ear. But yonder vâyu (wind), which purifies there as it blows, is this prâna (breath). When now the fire (agni) is extinguished, it is blown out in the wind. And when the sun (âditya) sets, it enters into the wind; and similarly the moon and the heavenly regions are dependent on the wind; and from the wind they are reborn. He, therefore, who departs from this world knowing this, enters with his speech into the fire, with his eye into the sun, with his manas into the moon, with his ear into the heavenly regions, with his prâna into vâyu; for from them he has arisen, and from these divinities, whom he ever loves, united to them he finds rest." - Sata. Bráh., X. 3, 3, 5-8.

This is an explanation of the correspondences of manifestation of the individual ego, the higher qualities, and the Higher Self.

When an ego indraws his life forces, then his outward mental expresssion or action (speech), his perceptive ability or consciousness, (eye), his mental faculty (manas), and his receptive capacity or intuition (ear), are withdrawn into the Divine Life (prâna); and when subsequently he outpours his life forces (awakes), then from latency in the Divine Life these qualities reappear in actuality. This is in relation to the individual ego manifesting in the lower nature. Next in relation to the higher qualities (gods) on higher planes. The life force of the Self (Agni) is, in truth, his action or mental expression; the ray of the Self (Aditya), the consciousness or perceptive ability; the intuition, the mental faculty; and the buddhic nature the receptive capacity. But the spiritual energy (vâyu), which purifies the qualities as it manifests in them, is the same Divine Life as through all. When now the life force (agni) subsides outwardly, it is absorbed into the indrawing Spirit. And when the Self (sun) withdraws (sets) from manifestation, it also is absorbed into the unmanifest. And in like manner the higher planes are absorbed, to reappear subsequently.

The spiritual ego, who is liberated from the lower nature, thereby knows the truth and advances to higher states of consciousness; his mental expression is spiritualised, his perceptive ability merges in the Self; his mental ability becomes intuition, his receptive capacity wisdom, and his soul-life (prâna) the life and love of the Spirit. For from the higher qualities he has arisen, and to them, whom he ever loves, he returns for reunion with them in immortal bliss.

"To our instructed hopes there is a certain future on which we can build, far more glorious, far more beautiful, than anything in the past. 'We know that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him.' We have a future which is an object, not of dim expectation and trembling hope, but of knowledge. Our word is not 'it may be,' but it will be.' We have a certainty. Hope is truer than history." - A. MACLAREN, Sermons, 2nd Series, p. 46.

“Can it really be true that God not merely indwells man but is the very basis of his being, in such a way that to arrive at what one fundamentally is is to come upon the eternally perfect and divine ? This is a solemn thing to say, and traditional Christianity shrinks from affirming it. But I ask again, is it true? For if it be true, its realization is of far more importance to the future of mankind than any of the ephemeral questions of the hour with which we are busying ourselves so greatly; indeed, without the one how can we rightly understand the other? Yes, it is true, gloriously true, sweetly true, consolingly true, redeemingly true. God is our life, and apart from God there is no man. Within us all, the very centre and core of our being, is a reality which is older than creation itself, for it has never had any beginning at all, and will never have an end. That is the true you, the true me, the true self in everybody, the universal life individualised in human souls." - R. J. CAMPBELL, Serm., God's Life in Man.

See Also

ADITYA
AGNI
AIR
AMITAUGAS
AтомS (perm.)
BREATH (divine)
EAR
EYE
GODS
FIRE
LIBERATION
MANAS
MOON
PRALAYA
SPEECH
SUN
TRANSMUTATION
VAYU