Shloka 16
Pañcahotṛ-Vidhāna and the Dispute of the Five Vāyus (पञ्चहोतृविधानम् — पञ्चवायूनां श्रेष्ठत्वविवादः)
प्रचचार पुनर्व्यान: समान: पुनरब्रवीत् श्रेष्ठो5हमस्मि सर्वेषां श्रूयतां येन हेतुना,यह सुनकर व्यान पूर्ववत् चलने लगा। तब समानने पुनः कहा--“मैं जिस कारणसे सबमें श्रेष्ठ हूँ, वह बताता हूँ सुनो
pracacāra punar vyānaḥ samānaḥ punar abravīt | śreṣṭho’ham asmi sarveṣāṃ śrūyatāṃ yena hetunā ||
L’ayant entendu, Vyāna reprit son mouvement comme auparavant. Alors Samāna parla de nouveau : « Écoutez la raison pour laquelle je suis le premier entre tous. »
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse sets up a didactic comparison among the prāṇas (vital airs), where each function claims primacy. Ethically, it points toward discerning true ‘superiority’ not by assertion but by the indispensable service a faculty renders to the whole.
After hearing Samāna’s earlier words, Vyāna continues moving as usual. Samāna then renews his claim of being the greatest and invites the listener to hear the rationale, signaling an ongoing debate among bodily powers narrated by the Brāhmaṇa.