Essentials of Hinduism

Essentials of Hinduism

Prana Vidya

Among all the Vidyas a Man has to Learn, Prana Vidya is one of the most important ones to be learned. Prana Vidya has more Strength and the Prana Vidya Strength is a Real Pride. The first Mantra of this Sukta talks about the Lord Parameswara’s Life Energy. The Entire Universe is contained in this Energy. This is how the World is in Action.

Prana is foremost for all kinds of Bodies. Among all the organs of a Body, Prana is the God, because, all these organs are dependent on Prana for their survival. That is the reason, why we should bring Prana under our control. Let us attempt to see if this is possible.

Our body continues to inhale the breath and exhale the breath until the death of the Body. The Body stays alive only due to this Prana. That is why I like to Worship the Prana and I like to control the Prana. I will achieve this by performing the Pranayama and then control the Prana. Once the Prana is in control, it will Act according to my Desire. That is, when I Desire that the Prana should leave my Body, only then, it should leave.

Prana is known as Mahadeva, Rudra, and Chambu. Prana is the most precious organ inside the Body. Prana is known as the Deva. By doing the Pranayama, we Worship the Prana. Due to this Satya Nishta our Mind Strength increases. When these two Strengths increases, a Man achieves unusual Strength. By some means or the other, we have to Worship the Prana. The Pranayama is the basis for this Worship. We must be aware that even for the Animals, Prana is needed. Therefore, for all the Prana Strengths, the Paramatma is the basis. Due to this reason, in the Vedas, Paramatma is known as Prajapati and Pranapati.

Even inside the Womb the Prana and Apana do their Job and keeps the baby alive. When the Mother gives the signal that it is time to come out, the baby is born. Then there is a Sloka, Punarapi Janana – Born again and again. The Previous Birth, This Birth and the Next Birth all happens only because of the Prana only. Depending on our Life’s performance in Each Birth, along with the Prana, the Prana decides about the Next Birth.

Due to the performance of the Pranayama, by his own efforts, the Person brings the Prana under his control and his Fame spreads in all respects. The Person who takes pain and effort to perform Pranayama, that Person is respected by others. The Mind of the Yogi who performs Pranayama regularly is stable and does not waver (not indecisive). In one Mantra, the Prana is known as Hamsa. The breath goes in, a sound of “Sa” is heard. When the breath goes out, a sound of “Ham” is heard. The Sa and Ha together denote Prana. Another image associated with these is “A-Hums-Sohum”. Here “Humsa” is important. With Humsum if we join Om, comes “Soham”. We are looking at – Sa Ha Om Somam Hamsaha. Now, stretching our imagination even further - Om refers to Atma, Hamsa refers to Atma, we have to associate Atma with Prana.

Atma refers to Brahma, Brahma’s vehicle is Anna (swan). The Puranas also describe the connection between the Atma and the Prana. We are familiar that the Atma’s location is in the Lotus of our Heart. The inhaling breath sound of Sa and the exhaling sound of Hum, together consist of the Upasana Mantra for the Prana, eventually became, Hamsah-Soham. Thus the methodology for the Prana-Upasana is Humsum-Soham.

All the organs of the Body take rest and relax and sleep, but not the Prana, that never stops working. It safeguards this Body-Temple at all times. The Prana does not sleep, it does not rest, it does not stop from doing its duty. So, we are Praying to Prana, not to leave the Body, because, I will Live Long, Live for 100 years, and even beyond. Therefore, do not leave me. Therefore, due to the Upasana (Practice) of the Pranayama, if we have a Firm Faith that the Prana will stay in the Body, the thought of Pre-Mature-Death will never come. Even singing extends the Life of Prana.

Uchishta: –

What is the meaning of Uchishta? “What is remaining in the Upper Part”- Whatever is the remainder after the Creation of the Universe is known as Uchishta. Those who chant the Purusha Sukta during their Daily Prayers are familiar with this Sloka - “Tri-Pada-Urdva Udait Purushaha; Pado Syehabhavat punaha” – Only One of His part is this Universe – it gets Created, it gets Destroyed. However, that Tri-Pada Purusha lives in the part that still remains. He still remains Full and Complete. Thus, it is clear that the Universe is created from a portion of His Body only.

Yet, the remainder still stays as His Complete Body. This is known as “Uchishta”. Note: All the Living Creatures, those that have the Vision Capacity, all these have the connection with the Uchishta-Brahman. These are not separate from Brahmam.

In the Mathas (institutions where Vedas are taught to Brahmacharis throughout India), the Food is prepared for the Acharya (Guru) Very-Carefully-in-Cleanliness (prepared with Achara or Sanctity); the Matha calls the Left-Over-Food prepared for the Acharya as Uchishta.

Miracle of the Sunlight: –

Veda says: With wide-open-eyes, if a Person watches straight the early Morning-Sun and the Evening-Setting-Sun, then, that Person will never get any disease(s) related to the eyes. The Sun’s rays have such a Power.

Gayatri Mantra: –

By chanting the Gayatri Mantra a Person Truly performs the Sun Worship. Tatsavitur Varenyam, Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi, Diyoyonaha Pra-chothayat – This is the Gayatri Mantra. This Gayatri Mantra is Too Powerful, because, in the midst of the Sun, lies Narayana – the Brahmam is there. The Paramatma is inside the Sun and He has close relationship with the Sun. The Sun is Paramatma’s end and Paramatma’s beginning. The brightness inside the Sun and the brightness inside the Heart are the same. The Sun is the Brahmam. In the middle of the Sun is the Paramatma.

Twashta’s decision: –

Twashta is the representative of Brahma. Twashta decides who will be the Husband for a Particular Girl. The Twashta Mantra says: as soon as a Boy and a Girl are Born, Twashta decides, these two will live as Husband and Wife. That is the Marriage that is Pre-Determined. It happens for Sure.

Taking care of the Guests: –

In those Vedic days, the visiting Guests should be treated with highest regard. We have to bestow (give) respect to the guest. The host has to consider the Guest as God’s gift. Some of the ways to treat the Guest(s) are: provide him water to drink; make sure his Children provide all Amenities (facilities) and satisfy the Guest. Tell him that whatever happens will be according to his Wishes. We should never ask a Guest how long he will stay with us. We should consider the Guest as one with Knowledge; consider him as Indra, Soma, Varuna, shines as Agni, Prajapati, and, holding a High Position.

Bhadram Karnebi Srunuyama Devaha...: –

God has provided ears to hear Good Things only – this is emphasized in Rig Veda too. A Person’s Personality is reflected even from the dreams he gets – is he a nice person, a thief, a sick person, does he think only good things at all times. This Veda says to stay away from undesirable person.

Pitrus: –

This is the place the People that are dead in the past go to, called Pitruloka. Whenever we offer Sacrifice, the Agni will deliver our offerings to the Pitrus. If we do not perform such Sacrifices, the Pitrus go hungry and may even curse us. The Agni travels from Prithivi (Earth) through the Antariksha (Atmosphere) along the Sun’s rays to the Pitruloka. We may not realize, but if we take care of them, the Pitrus (dead Parents and Ancestors) help us in many ways in our Everyday Life – protect us from our enemies (if we have them), protect us from poisonous creatures like Snakes, protect us from accidents, bring Sun’s rays to us, do good things for us, Long Life, even save us from death sometimes. We have to Pray to them Everyday, perform Tharpana (Sacrifice) on Amavasya Days (New Moon Days), perform Brahma Yajna (this is a Nitya Karma to be performed with Water) and so on.

Yama: –

Yama is the Devata for death. After death every Person has to go to Yama’s place first, no escape. If anyone performed Gho Dana (Giving a Cow as a Gift to some one) in his Life Time, such Person will not be mistreated in the Yama’s World. The Clothings and Sesame Seeds should be offered to the Yamaloka. Yama lives in the South Direction. Yama’s important task is to take the Life away from a dead Person. It is said that our dreams originate from Yama. The dreams originate in the Yamaloka and enter our Body. Extremely bad dreams can even result in death.

This article is a snippet from the Book Essentials of Hinduism, Authored by G.S Nilakantan. Hinduism for All is available online at www.giri.in and across Giri Trading Agency Private Limited, A chain of Speciality Stores dealing in all kinds of products needed in Indian Culture and Tradition.