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Shloka 24

Bhṛgu–Bharadvāja-saṃvāda: Vānaprastha-parivrājaka-ācāra, Abhaya-dharma, and Lokānāṃ Vibhāga (Śānti-parva 185)

प्राणात्‌ प्रणीयते प्राणी व्यानाद्‌ व्यायच्छते तथा । गच्छत्यपानो<5धश्चैव समानो हृद्यवस्थित:,प्राणसे प्राणी चलने-फिरनेका काम करता है, व्यानसे व्यायाम (बलसाध्य उद्यम) करता है, अपान वायु ऊपरसे नीचेकी ओर जाती है, समान वायु हृदयमें स्थित होती है, उदानसे पुरुष उच्छवास लेता है और कण्ठ, तालु आदि स्थानोंके भेदसे शब्दों एवं अक्षरोंका उच्चारण करता है। इस प्रकार ये पाँच वायुके परिणाम हैं, जो शरीरधारीको चेष्टाशील बनाते हैं

bharadvāja uvāca |

prāṇāt praṇīyate prāṇī vyānād vyāyacchate tathā |

gacchaty apāno 'dhaś caiva samāno hṛdy avasthitaḥ ||

بھاردواج نے کہا—پران کے ذریعے جاندار قائم و رواں رہتا ہے؛ ویان کے ذریعے وہ مشقت اور زور آزمائی کرتا ہے۔ اپان وायु نیچے کی طرف جاتی ہے اور سمان وायु دل کے علاقے میں قائم رہتی ہے۔

प्राणात्from prāṇa (vital breath)
प्राणात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootप्राण
FormMasculine, Ablative, Singular
प्रणीयतेis led/impelled
प्रणीयते:
TypeVerb
Rootप्र-नी
FormPresent, Passive, Third, Singular
प्राणीthe living being
प्राणी:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootप्राणिन्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
व्यानात्from vyāna (a vital air)
व्यानात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootव्यान
FormMasculine, Ablative, Singular
व्यायच्छतेexerts/strives
व्यायच्छते:
TypeVerb
Rootवि-आ-यम्
FormPresent, Ātmanepada, Third, Singular
तथाlikewise
तथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा
गच्छतिgoes/moves
गच्छति:
TypeVerb
Rootगम्
FormPresent, Parasmaipada, Third, Singular
अपानःapāna (downward vital air)
अपानः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअपान
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
अधःdownwards
अधः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअधः
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
एवindeed
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
समानःsamāna (balancing vital air)
समानः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootसमान
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
हृदिin the heart
हृदि:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootहृद्
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
अवस्थितःsituated/abiding
अवस्थितः:
TypeAdjective
Rootअव-स्था (क्त)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular

भरद्वाज उवाच

B
Bharadvāja
P
prāṇa
V
vyāna
A
apāna
S
samāna
H
hṛd (heart)

Educational Q&A

The verse explains how distinct vital airs (prāṇa, vyāna, apāna, samāna) govern different bodily functions—sustaining life, enabling exertion, directing downward movement, and balancing within the heart—supporting a broader ethical-philosophical point in Śānti Parva: understanding the body’s workings aids self-mastery and steadiness in dharma.

In Śānti Parva’s instructional setting, the sage Bharadvāja is teaching about the physiology and inner principles of the embodied being. He enumerates the functions of the vital airs to clarify how life operates within the body, as part of a larger discourse on knowledge, discipline, and liberation-oriented understanding.