Shloka 8
Pañcahotṛ-Vidhāna and the Dispute of the Five Vāyus (पञ्चहोतृविधानम् — पञ्चवायूनां श्रेष्ठत्वविवादः)
प्राण उवाच मयि प्रलीने प्रलयं व्रजन्ति सर्वे प्राणा: प्राणभूतां शरीरे । मयि प्रचीर्णे च पुनश्चरन्ति श्रेष्ठो हाहं पश्यत मां प्रलीनम्
prāṇa uvāca mayi pralīne pralayaṁ vrajanti sarve prāṇāḥ prāṇabhūtāṁ śarīre | mayi pracīrṇe ca punaś caranti śreṣṭho hy ahaṁ paśyata māṁ pralīnam ||
பிராணன் கூறினான்—நான் லயமடைந்தால் உயிர்களின் உடலில் உள்ள எல்லாப் பிராணச் செயல்களும் லயமடைகின்றன; நான் இயங்கினால் அவை அனைத்தும் மீண்டும் இயங்குகின்றன. ஆகவே நானே முதன்மை. பாருங்கள்—இப்போது நான் என்னுள் ஒடுங்குகிறேன்.
प्राण उवाच
Educational Q&A
Prāṇa asserts primacy among the life-functions: when prāṇa withdraws, the other vital operations cease; when it moves, they revive. The ethical implication is humility and discernment—recognizing the central support that enables all activity, and the dependence of subsidiary powers on a sustaining principle.
In a disputation among the vital airs about superiority, Prāṇa demonstrates its dominance by ‘withdrawing’ (pralīna). As prāṇa subsides, the other prāṇas are said to collapse; when it circulates again, they function. This serves as a proof by demonstration within the dialogue.