Q. Tell me more about the Prana?

A. No one can finish talking about Prana in his lifetime. Who can ever estimate in how many millions of ways this Prana, which plays about easily in this world, is carrying on its Leela. This Prana is holding together this body in the form of Prana, Apana, Samana, Vyana and Udana. The Apana form of Prana is present in speech, the speech-sense, earth and fire. The Vyana form of Prana is present in ears, the sense of hearing, the moon and the sky. The Prana form of Prana is present in the eyes, the sense of sight, in intellect, food and in the sun. The Samana form of Prana is present in the mind, the sense of mind and in all the Bhutas. The Udana form of Prana is present in all the material bodies in this world. Whatever objects of enjoyment there are in this world and in heaven they are all under the control of Prana.

Q. We are then lying immersed in the ocean of Prana?

A. Yes, of course; Yajnavalkya told Raja Janaka:

The jnani in whom the Jyotirmai Omkar is all the time playing upwards in the form of Nada, has his eastern Prana in the east, his western Prana in the west, southern Prana in the south, northern Prana in the north, the top Prana up and above, the lower Prana below and all Pranas on all sides. He is what has been called Neti, Neti – Not This, Not This: he is this Atma.

Q. Is there any difference between those who are born of Para Atma and those born of Paramatma?

A. As in the case of the sun and its rays, the sea and its waves, there is some difference and also there is no difference.

Q. Does it mean that one’s relatives, friends, foes, tigers, bears, etc. are all the different aspects of Prana?

A. Yes, it is so.

Just as the spokes of a wheel are properly fixed in its hub, so in the Prana the whole universe is fixed. Prana moves with the help of Prana, Prana gives Prana with the help of Prana, Prana is father and mother, Prana is brother and sister, Prana is the Acarya and Prana is the Brahman.

Q. Over and above these, all are the different forms of Prana; are they not?

A. If anyone talks rudely or insultingly to one’s father, mother, brother, sister, Acarya or Brahman, then people say ‘shame on you, you are the murderer of your father, your mother, your brother and sister, of your Guru and the Brahman. But when the Prana leaves the body, if someone cuts the dead body into pieces and burns them, no one will accuse him of being a murderer of his father or his mother.

Prana has transformed itself into this whole universe.

Q. I am fully satisfied hearing so much about Prana.

A. Prana is intellect and intellect is Prana. This Prana is Prajnatma, Ananda, invariable and immortal. It is not affected by either good or bad deeds. If Prana wants to give Mukti to someone, it makes that person do good deeds but, if it wants to send someone to hell, it makes him commit sinful acts. Prana is Lokpal (the sustainer of all lokas), Lokadhipati (the ruler of all lokas), Prana is the the Lord of the entire universe. Prana is verily the Atma.

The birth, the coming, the abode, the five-fold over lordship and the nature of being, the self, knowing these about life, one attains the immortal, knowing these, one attains the immortal.

Q. Please explain to me further about birth etc.

A. Prana comes from the Paramatma. Due to the conflict of dharma and its opposite, it takes a body. It divides itself into five parts Prana, Apana, Samana, Vyana and Udana. It establishes Apana in the lower part, Prana in the eyes, ears etc., Samana in the naval, Vyana in the millions of veins in the body and Udana in the Sushumna vein. With the help of Udana, it leaves the body. In the form of the sun, Prana holds the Prana in the body, as the earth it holds the Apana, as the sky it holds the Vyana, as the air it holds the Samana and as the fire it holds Udana in the body. It is Prana which holds all the five senses of hearing, sight, smell, taste and touch.

Q. Then the whole world consists only of Prana? There is nothing but Prana? Whatever a person sees or hears or smells is all Prana?

A. Yes, the Sabda-Brahma Omkar is this Prana. The Purusha indicated by U-kar is Vishnu. Narayana Prana, the Purusha indicated by M-kar is Maheshwar Sabda (sound) Nada.

Prana goes by the same route which is taken by Nada. If a person can hold on to Prana, he can become devoid of fear.

Q. Well, this breath that is coming out is that Prana, is it not?

A. Yes

Q. It is in the Prana that the Atma and Paramatma exist – is it not? In that case, I have always got Bhagawan with me. Bhagawan is playing in every incoming and outgoing breath. He exists both inside and outside the body. Well, well, in that case, why do I not get Him though he is so near. Why does the ache of my heart not go?

A. Because the Prana is restless, so it is the same whether one gets it or does not. All the sadhan, bhajan, yoga, puja, tapasya is for making the Prana steady or undisturbed. As soon as the Prana becomes steady, the Prana-maya Purusha appears as the Jyotirmaya.

Q. How can one still the Prana?

A. If one does the japa of Narayana Naam, Prana will become steady automatically. One need not do any other sadhan in any other form. Everything will be achieved by the japa of Narayana, Narayana.

Q. Who is this Narayana?

A. Narayana, who stays in the lotus of the heart of every living creature, is the the Karana Purusha and the Purusha without any cause is Param Brahma OM.

Q. How can I get Narayana?

A. Take Naam in any way possible. Its result does not depend on the mode of saying Naam; chant Naam sitting, standing, eating, walking or lying down. Naam is all purifying and makes everything white.

You sing Naam with prema; you dance whilst doing Naam kirtan. By this alone you will cross this samsara, you will certainly cross it. There is no doubt in this. So, sing Naam, sing Naam.

Narayana, Narayana, Narayana,
Narayana, Narayana, Narayana.