Praana Sthatthaanugamaath

(Praana is Brahman, because it is comprehended as such.)

Praana meaning the vital breath or air, refers not to the ordinary sense of the word, but to Brahman only. That word is also often taken to mean the deities presiding over the Breath and Vital Airs, like Indra, Rudra, Vaayu etc. Even that meaning is inapplicable.

On one occasion, a seeker named Pratardana approached Indra, the Lord of the abode of Gods, and prayed to be instructed about what can endow man with that which is most beneficial to him. Indra directed him to know Him as life and meditate on Him as "Praana".

Defining Praana and elaborating on its Glory, Indra told him: "This Praana is identified with consciousness" (Sa Esha Praana Prajnaatma). "It is Bliss, Ageless, Deathless" (Anando-Ajaro-Amrithah). That is to say Praana is the very embodiment of Bliss (Anandaswaroop), it has no decline or diminution (A-Jara), it is immortal (A-Mrita). That is the teaching. These characteristics belong to Brahman alone, not to Praana as commonly understood. "Praana" is only a symbol to bring Brahman to mind and not any other entity.

The question was about the most beneficial, the most essential entity, which man has to know and possess. Brahman alone is the source, substance and sustenance. So, "Praana", the word used by Indra, can mean only Brahman and nothing else. The gross meaning of the word has to be discarded and the subtle meaning accepted. Men, generally speaking, consider wealth, power and fame as most essential and pursue these goals through every possible means. In this struggle man is wasting invaluable human qualities with which he is endowed. Besides this waste of allotted years of life, he plunges deeper and deeper into the darkness of ignorance (Ajnaana). He ignores and loses the awareness of his real nature (Swa-Swaroopa).