Shloka 35
प्राणिनां सर्वतो वायुश्रैष्टां वर्तयते पृथक् । प्राणनाच्चैव भूतानां प्राण इत्यभिधीयते,*वायुदेव प्राणियोंकी पृथक्ू-पृथक् समस्त चेष्टाओंका सम्पादन करते हैं तथा सम्पूर्ण भूतोंको अनुप्राणित (जीवित) रखते हैं, इसलिये “प्राण” कहलाते हैं
prāṇināṁ sarvato vāyuḥ śraiṣṭhāṁ vartayate pṛthak | prāṇanāc caiva bhūtānāṁ prāṇa ity abhidhīyate ||
Bhīṣma said: The Wind, moving everywhere, separately sets in motion the various excellent functions of living beings; and because it vitalizes all creatures by sustaining their breathing and life, it is therefore called “Prāṇa,” the life-breath.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
That the all-pervading Vāyu functions as the vital force (prāṇa): it animates and sustains the diverse activities of beings, so ‘prāṇa’ is named from its role in keeping creatures alive. Ethically, it points to a shared life-principle in all beings, supporting reverence and restraint.
In the Śānti Parva instruction, Bhīṣma explains a doctrinal point about the life-breath: how Vāyu operates within living beings to sustain their functions and life, clarifying why it is termed ‘prāṇa.’