The concept of Prana

JAY SHREE POOJYASHREE SHREE AMMA
JAY MAHAN BRAHMASHREE GOPALAVALLIDASAR
JAY SHREE RADHEKRISHNA SATHSANG

Radhekrishna Dear Readers!
Continuing the thread from our previous posting, let us see the meaning and functioning of the five pranas in our body.

The Five Pranas

Pranamaya kosha is composed of the five Pranas. The one primary Prana divides into five types according to its movement and direction. This is an important subject in Ayurvedic medicine as well as Yogic thought.

Prana

Prana, literally the "forward moving air," moves inward and governs reception of all types from the eating of food, drinking of water, and inhalation of air, to the reception of sensory impressions and mental experiences. It is propulsive in nature, setting things in motion and guiding them. It provides the basic energy that drives us in life.

Apana

Apana, literally the "air that moves away," moves downward and outward and governs all forms of elimination and reproduction (which also has a downward movement). It governs the elimination of the stool and the urine, the expelling of semen, menstrual fluid and the fetus, and the elimination of carbon dioxide through the breath. On a deeper level it rules the elimination of negative sensory, emotional and mental experiences. It is the basis of our immune function on all levels.

We will discuss about the remaining three pranas namely Udana, Samana and Vyana in our next article.

Moving to the second section, the herb that we will tell you about in this post is Kattha (Hindi) also called as Catechu in English and Acacia Catechu in Latin.

1. It is the dried juice of Kher tree

2. An essential ingredient of betel leaf more popularly known as Paan

3. It is a contipative agent which stops dysentery

4. It is a good remedy for dry cough when taken with turmeric and sugar candy

5. Equal weights of arecanut and catechu ground fine when rubbed on teeth tend to strengthen them.

6. It cures thrush also.

We will continue the same topic in the next article.
Till then Radhekrishna!

Sarvam Guruvaarpanam

The concept of Prana

JAY SHREE POOJYASHREE SHREE AMMA
JAY MAHAN BRAHMASHREE GOPALAVALLIDASAR
JAY SHREE RADHEKRISHNA SATHSANG

Dear Readers,
Radhekrishna to all of you!!

We concluded our article of the previous forthnight by beginning the concept of ‘Prana’. In this article we will see this concept in detail.

Prana is the universal principle of energy. It is vital force. It is all pervading. It may be either in a static or dynamic state. It is found in all living things from the gigantic to the minutest. It exists in the form of a unicellular amoebae to man and from and ant to the elephant. "It is Prana that shines in your eyes, Prana that the ears hear, the skin feels, the nose smells, the brain and the intellect do their functions. Fire burns, river flows, wind blows, through Prana. The aircraft moves in the air, train and cars move through Prana. Radio wave travel through Prana. Prana is electron. Prana is force. Prana is magnetism and Prana is electricity." Even the sun, moon, the clouds and the very earth we live on is a blessing of Prana. Knowledge is Prana. The whole body works with Prana shakti. Human body derives this Prana through breath. As is common knowledge breath and life are practically synonymous. To breathe is to live and to live is to breathe. Breath is intimately connected with body and mind. It is the bridge permitting access to the nervous system, mind and vital energy (Prana shakti). Breath, body and mind are all energized by the vital life energy. However, this vital energy is itself activated by subtle body (Taijasya Sarira). At the ultimate end of this chain is soul or consciousness. Russian scientist Mr. Acnnyon and Mrs. Valentina Kirlian developed this technique of photographing this energy and it can be seen by anyone in photographs and by electron microscopes.

According to Patanjali founder of yoga science there are five types of Prana :

* Prana Vayu
* Apana Vayu
* Samana Vayu
* Udhana Vayu
* Vayana Vayu

1. Prana Vayu - Prana controls the breathing process taking place inside the chest. In the form of oxygen Prana takes its energy.

2. Apana Vayu controls the excretory organs and the reproductive organs.

3. Samana Vayu helps in the process of digestion and controls hunger.

4. Udhana Vayu controls the vocal chords, this helps in breathing air and eating food.

5. Vayana Vayu governs circulation at all levels.

We will go into more details as regards each type of prana in the subsequent articles.

In our second section the herb about which we are going to tell you is “Kukraunda”; known as Blumea Lacera in Latin.

Some of its features are as follows:

1. It is a herb with leaves resembling those of a tobacco plant and has yellow flowers
2. It is efficacious in bleeding piles
3. It is a killer of intestinal parasites
4. It is a very good remedy for resolving inflammations of all kinds

Sarvam Guruvaarpanam