Prana Sukta

The term Prana refers to the all-pervasive life force ("vital air") that sustains and enlivens all things in creation. Although Prana is all-pervasive, it is especially associated with the breath, as breath is associated with and indicates life. A fundamental part of yoga disciplines taught by all branches of yoga is the regulation of prana (pranayama), by means of regulating breathing. It is taught that mastery of prana is a key requisite toward self-realization through yogic samadhi.

In the theology of the Vedas, one finds Prana (Mahaprana) personified as the “first born” of the Supreme Being, and referred to as Prajapati (Lord of creatures), Sutratman (String-Soul) and Hiranyagarbha (Golden-germ). He is the foremost among the Devas; He is the Sustainer and Support of all beings in the physical world. All beings in existence are strung onto the thread of Mahaprana.

The Prana Sukta of Atharvaveda sings of this mighty Prana in the grandest of manners:

As all these creatures, O Prana, offer Thee tribute, so they shall offer tribute (in yonder world) to Him who hears Thee, o far-famed One!

He moves as an embryo within the Devas; having arrived and being in existence, He is born again. Having arisen He enters with His mights, the present and the future, as a father (goes to) his son.

When as a swan He rises from the water, he does not withdraw His one foot. If in truth He were to withdraw it, there would be neither today nor tomorrow, no night and no day, never would the dawn appear. 

With either wheels, and one felloe He moves, containing a Thousand sounds (elements), upward in the east, downward in the west. With (His) half He produced the whole world: what is the visible sign of His (other) half? 

He who rules over all this derived from every source, and over everything that moves; Reverence to Thee, O Prana, that wieldest a swift bow against others! 

May Prana, who rules over this (all) derived from every source, and over everything that moves, (may He) unwearied, strong through the Brahmâ, adhere to me! 

Erect He watches in those that sleep, nor does lie down across. No one had heard of His sleeping in those that sleep. 

O Prana, be not turned away from me, Thou shalt not be other than myself! As the embryo of the Waters, Thee, O Prana, do bind to me, that I may live.  

Atharvaveda Samhita XI.4.19-26

Prana is identified as the Sustainer of all beings, all life forms, the Ruler of the physical world. Prana is the embryo (child) of the Waters (the Supreme Being). He, whom the Vedas personify and glorify as Mahaprana, is none other than the Son of Shiva, the Son of the Supreme Being, known by many names and forms.

While Prana is one unitary principle, in the living body Prana is divided into five forces (vital airs) known as prana, apana, vyana, samana and udana, according to their functions. These five pranas within the body are responsible for vital functions such as inhalation, exhalation, hunger, thirst, circulation, distribution, transformation, digestion, absorption, elimination, expulsion, excretion, sleepiness, speech, motion, stillness, control of limbs, etc. These five vital airs work within the subtle body to enliven and maintain the physical body, which is the outermost shell of our being. The five faces of Sons of Shiva, in fact, are nothing but representations of these five pranas, which they rule over. Just as the five pranas are simply divisions of one unitary Prana, so the five faces are simple divided visions of one Being.

Homage to Him, the Mahaprana, whom we regard as the Son of Shiva, the first born, the Ruler of the physical plane, the panchamukhi, the shanmukhi.

Aum Namah Shivaya.
आश्विन शु. १, संवत् २०७४

Ancient Shiva temple found in India

Tuesday, 24 Feb 2009 15:57:07 GMT

The Shiva temple unearthed by a team from Lucknow University's ancient Indian history and archaeology department.

A team of Indian archeologists has unearthed a 2,000-year-old Shiva temple complex in the Unnao district of Uttar Pradesh state.

The five-temple site was found during excavations conducted by Lucknow University's department of ancient Indian history and archaeology.

“While four temples belong to the Kushana period (2,000 years ago), it appears that the primary temple was constructed during the Sunga period (2,200 years ago),” said Professor D.P. Tewari of Lucknow University.

Spanning an area of 600 acres, the brick temple has been constructed in an 'apsidal' (semi-circular or u-shaped) form, the Times of India reported.

Archeologists also found a number of artifacts that they believe are evidence of the temple being used for the worship of the Hindu God, Lord Shiva.

Source: http://www.presstv.ir
Also see: Times of India article

'Infertile' woman gives birth after visit to Hindu God Shiva

A woman who thought she had been left infertile by chemotherapy gave birth after visiting a statue of the Hindu God Shiva.

By Matthew Moore
Last Updated: 9:52AM GMT 13 Feb 2009

Doctors told Clare McVerry that she would never get pregnant because the breast cancer drugs she was taking could damage a child in the womb.

Her early-onset arthritis and a car crash she suffered in her 20s that left her with a weak spine should also have left her unable to carry a baby, according to The Sun newspaper.

But after visiting a statue of Shiva [...] while on holiday in India with her partner Tony Clarke, the 41-year-old gave birth to a son Mitchell.

"After I saw Shiva I was filled with a powerful feeling. I bought a model statue for my mantelpiece," she told the newspaper.

"When Mitchell grows up I will tell him how special the statue turned out to be."

Ms McVerry, from Sutton Coldfield in the West Midlands, stopped taking her cancer drug Tamoxifen during pregnancy to give her baby a better chance.

He was born a healthy 7lb 10 oz in December 2007 and is still doing well.

Her consultant Dr Simon Bowman told The Sun: "He really is a miracle baby."

Source: The Telegraph

Shiva's Muslim Devotees Carry Kanwars

Indore, Aug 12 :

As lakhs of Kanwarias, the Lord Shiva devotees, offered the holy water of River Ganges at Shiva temples in their hometowns in north India, a group of Muslims in Madhya Pradesh also offered the holy water at the Ujjain Mahakaleshwar Temple.

The group comprising 30 Muslims covered a distance of 80 kilometres from Sirpur to the Ujjain Mahakaleshwar Temple, on foot. They were accompanied by 1,200 other Hindu devotees carrying "Kanwars" or, the pots balancing on a bamboo pole to the temple.

Clad in saffron dresses, just like other Hindu brethrens, these devotees known as "Kanwarias" or, the carriers of "Kanwars", kept singing hymns and shouting "Bol Bum" in the praise of Lord Shiva.

Everyone stayed on a vegetarian diet and followed strict religious guidelines through out their pilgrimage.

Abdul Ismail Chishti, a Muslim devotee, said: "This Kanwar pilgrimage has been going out of this city for the last ten years. There are about 30 to 35 Muslims who participate in this annual pilgrimage. Nobody can differentiate (between the Hindus and the Muslims) since everyone participates with equal religious fervour. All of them greet the pilgrimage with brotherhood and peace,"

The gesture of Muslim devotees of Lord Shiva on Saturday fascinated a lot of attention of other pilgrims in the State.

Hindus in the city say the pilgrimage proved a good occasion to strengthen communal harmony here. Bholu Agnihotri, the organiser of a camp set up for the Kanwarias' stopover, said: "People from all religions participate in this pilgrimage in some way or the other. Whether they are Hindu, Muslim, Sikhs or Christians- they all serve with equal fervour."

Many Muslims in other parts of the country are known for making "Kanwars" for the Shiva devotees who carry them on shoulders, travelling long stretches to offer holy water at Shiva temples during the auspicious Monsoon month as per Hindu calendar. About eight lakh Kanwarias take on the pilgrimage during Shravan month.

Source: http://www.dailyindia.com/