PRĀṆ A-MAYA KOŚA

The second sheath is the prāṇ a-maya-kośa, or sheath of “breath” (prāṇ a), which manifests itself in air and ether, the presiding elements in the Anāhata and Viśuddha-cakras. There are ten vāyus (airs) or inner vital forces of which the first five 2 are the principal—namely, the sapphire prāṇ a; apāna the colour of an evening cloud; the silver vyāna; udāna, the colour of fire; and the milky samāna. These are all aspects of the action of the one Prāṇ a-devata. Kuṇ ḍ alinī is the Mother of prāṇ a, which

̣1 The Prapānca-Sara (chap. ii) gives śukla (semen) instead of māmsa (flesh). 2 See Sārada-tilaka. The Minor vāyus are nāga, kūrma, kṛ karā, deva- ̣ datta, dhanamjayā, producing hiccup, closing and opening eyes, assistance to digestion, yawning, and distension, “which leaves not even the corpse.” She, the Mūla-Prakṛ tī, illumined by the light of the Supreme Ātmā generates. Prāṇ a is vāyu, or the universal force of activity, divided on entering each individual into five-fold function. Specifically considered, prāṇ a is inspiration, which with expiration is from and to a distance of eight and twelve inches respectively. Udāna is the ascending vāyu. Apāna is the downward vāyu, expelling wind, excrement, urine, and semen. The samāna, or collective vāyu, kindles the bodily fire, “conducting equally the food, etc., throughout the body.” Vyāna is the separate vāyu, effecting division and diffusion. These forces cause respiration, excretion, digestion, circulation.