Shloka 96

Devanagari script

प्राणो ऽपानस्तथा व्यानो रजः सत्त्वं तमः (५९०)शरत् / उदानश्च समानश्च भेषजं च भिषक् तथा

Transliteration

prāṇo 'pānastathā vyāno rajaḥ sattvaṃ tamaḥ (590)śarat / udānaśca samānaśca bheṣajaṃ ca bhiṣak tathā

Translation

അവൻ തന്നേ പ്രാണൻ, അപാനൻ, വ്യാനൻ; അവൻ തന്നേ രജസ്, സത്ത്വം, തമസ്; അവൻ തന്നേ ശരദൃതു; കൂടാതെ ഉദാനൻ, സമാനൻ—അവൻ തന്നേ ഔഷധവും വൈദ്യനും ആകുന്നു।

Word by Word

• प्राणः: prāṇa (vital breath)
• प्राणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अपानः: apāna (downward breath)
• अपानः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

• व्यानः: vyāna (pervading breath)
• व्यानः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• रजः: rajas (activity/energy)
• रजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सत्त्वम्: sattva (purity/balance)
• सत्त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तमः: tamas (darkness/inertia)
• तमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शरत्: autumn season
• शरत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (ऋतुवाचकः)

• उदानः: udāna (upward breath)
• उदानः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• समानः: samāna (balancing breath)
• समानः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• भेषजम्: medicine; remedy
• भेषजम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भेषज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• भिषक्: physician
• भिषक्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भिषज्/भिषक् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; हलन्त-प्रातिपदिक (भिषक्)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Lord pervades as vital airs, guṇas, and the rhythms of time/season; He is both the means (medicine) and the agent (physician) of restoration.

Vedantic Theme: Antaryāmin doctrine: the one Self/Īśvara functioning as all operations; unity of cause, instrument, and effect.

Application: Mindfully regulate prāṇa (breath), cultivate sattva, and align lifestyle with seasonal rhythms; see healing as sacred service.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: inner landscape (body-mind)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.15 (names identifying Vishnu with prāṇa/guṇa/ṛtu)

FAQs

What is the importance of the five prāṇas in the Garuda Purana?

This verse lists key vital airs (prāṇa, apāna, vyāna, udāna, samāna) as core operating forces of embodied life, indicating that life, digestion, circulation, elimination, and upward movement are governed by subtle prāṇic functions.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By highlighting udāna among the vital airs, the verse points to the prāṇic force traditionally associated with upward movement and the moment of departure, linking bodily functioning to the subtle mechanics involved at death and transition.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate sattva (clarity) through disciplined living, breath-awareness, and ethical habits; and treat health as sacred by respecting both remedies (bheṣaja) and qualified healers (bhiṣak).