60. The Principal PrANa

Adhyaya 3 Pada 4 AdhikaraNa 4

The Principal PrANa (the Life-Force) Has an Origin


Introduction by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa


In the MuNDaka UpaniShad (2.1.3) it is said:


etasmAj jAyate prANaH


"From Him the prANa (life-force) is born."

Here the word "prANa" means "the principal
prANa".

SaMshaya (doubt): Is the principal prANa (life-force) created
in the same way the individual spirit soul is "created"
or is this prANa created in the same way ether and the other
elements are created?

PUrvapakSha (the opponent speaks): The shruti-shAstra declares:


naiSha prANa udeti nAstam eti


"This prANa is never born and never dies."

The SmR^iti-shAstra also declares:


yat-prAptir yat-parityAga
utpattir maraNaM tathA
tasyotpattir mR^itish caiva
kathaM prANasya yujyate


"Birth and death come and go. How can birth and
death affect the prANa?"

Therefore it is concluded that the principal prANa is
created" in the same way the individual spirit soul is
created".

SiddhAnta (conclusion): In the following words the author of
the sUtras gives His conclusion.


SUtra 8


shreShThash ca

shreShThash - the principal one; ca - also.


The principal one also.

Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa

The principal prANa (life-force) is created in the same way
ether and the other elements are created. This is confirmed in
the words of the MuNDaka UpaniShad (2.1.3):


jAyate prANaH


"The prANa was created."

In its pratij~nA statement the MuNDaka UpaniShad
declares:


sa idaM sarvam asR^ijata


"He created everything."

To avoid contradicting these words it must be accepted that
the principal prANa was also created. For this reason the
scriptural passages stating that the prANa was never created
should be understood allegorically and not literally. One prANa is
called the principal prANa because it maintains the material
body. So its meaning can be carried into the next sUtra, this
sUtra is given separately and not joined to the previous sUtra.