Chapter-II

After hearing the above, Bhargava, hailing from the land of Vidharba (an ascendant of bhrigu family) asked him : “O Sir! How many deities help the people and protect them ? how many give life to the body? Of these , which one is the best?”

To him the sage replied thus: “the deities performing such functions are sky, air, fire, water, earth, the mind, eyes, ears and the speech. They expressed their powers and proclaimed that they are the ones who protect and support the body.”

The life-breath, the praana, told them (the above referred deities) thus: “do not get carried away. Indeed, it is me, having divided myself into the five controlling forces, who supports and protects the body.”

To illustrate and drive home his point, the life-breath, the praana, started out of the body. As it started out, the other five sensory forces started moving out of the body. And they all returned with their power and potency as soon as the praana entered the body again. This movement can be likened to the behavior of a swarm of bees, which follow the movement of their king. The bees stay only if the king stays and they move, if the king moves. Having learnt by experience and understood the importance of the praana over themselves, the five sensory forces started accepting, appreciating and praising the praana with full heart and mind.

It is this praana, which burns as the fire. That verily, is the Sun. That is the cloud. That is the Indra, (the lord of devas). That is the air; the earth; the moon. That essentially, is the one that is present, and the one that is not present. That itself is the immortal supreme.

Every force is set and established in praana and controlled by the praana. This is comparable to the spokes of a wheel which is centrally controlled by one spike at the middle.

“Thou (the praana) art the one who enters and stays in the womb; who is born therefrom; O Praana! To thou, seated in all beings in various forms and controlling all sensory forces, all the people bring various forms of offerings.”

“You are the best one to carry the sacrificial offering to the Devas! You are the one who carries the food submitted to the forefathers (presented as “swatha” in naandhee sraadham). You are also the prime source of food for them. You are verily the prime source of operating power for all the sensory forces.”

“O Praana! You are the Indra (the lord of Devas); by brilliance and majesty, you are the Rudra; you are the protector; you are the Sun, enlightening the world by sheer presence. You verily are the king of light.”

“O Praana! These beings, awaiting your kindness and blessings, are enchanted with joy and pleasure about the production and accumulation of food, only when you decide and bring about rain and water to them.”

“O Praana! You are called as “vraatya” since you are the first one to be born and you had no one to carry out the samskaaras (rituals) for you. You are indeed the eka-rishi, of fame in Atharva Veda (or Agni, the god of fire). You are the in taker of all the sacrificial offerings given in homa and yajna. You are the leader of this true and material world. We are the ones to offer you the sacrificial offerings for you to intake. Being the father of Vayu, the Air, you are the father of the entire world as well.”

“O Praana! Please bless and purify that part of your force which is residing and performing functions in all the sensory organs of our bodies, and raise their efficiency to the maximum and for good. Do not leave them and go out of this body.”

“O Praana! This (all that is there in this earth), and that (all that is there in the Heavens) – all are in your exclusive control. We pray you to save us like a caring mother who will guard and save her children with utmost care. Bless us and furnish us with good friends, relations and wealth.”

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