== MESSENGER TO THE MIND ==
Namaskar,
In our Marga Baba has blessed us with a comprehensive spiritual-cum-socio
philosophy that covers every breath of life-- both literally and
figuratively. There is not one piece of anything which Baba has not
described; everything He has touched.
Naturally then for us, it is not a small task to be well-versed in each and
every aspect of His philosophy. So here in our unit, we formed a study
group and engaged in a series of discussions about the 10 vayus-- the
collection of which is called: pra'n'a. Here following is the second half
of our report. And we would certainly appreciate hearing the thoughts,
feedback, and opinion of any and all family members.
THE TEN VAYUS
As Baba tells us, the 10 vayus-- i.e. pra'n'a-- are the internal and
external vital airs of the body. And they are best regulated & controlled
through our practice of pranayama.
While the internal vayus are mostly related with the inner organs of the
body such as the lungs and heart etc, the external vayus relate more with
our movements and interaction with the expressed world.
SPECIFICS ABOUT THE EXTERNAL VAYUS
Here following Baba names all 10 vayus and then specifically describes
about the 5 external vayus.
Baba says, "The internal vayus are prana, apana, samana, udana, and
vyana...The five external vayus are:
(1) Na'ga: It resides in the joints. This na'ga vayu helps with jumping and
extending the body."
(2) Ku'rma: It is found in the different glands of the body. Kurma vayu
helps with the action of contraction. The way a turtle contracts by
withdrawing its limbs into its body is called kurmabhava. since this va'yu
help in effecting ku'rmabhava, it is called ku'rma vayu."
(3) Krkara: Krkara vayu is scattered throughout the body. It expresses
itself in the increase or decrease of air pressure. Krkara va'yu help in
yawning and stretching. Ordinarily, yawning happens right before falling
asleep and stretching, right after waking up."
(4) Devadatta: The devadatta vayu bases its action on the increased or
decreased pressure of food and water in the stomach. Devadatta va'yu rouses
thirst and hunger.
(5) Dhanainjaya: As a result of internal or external labour, the body feels
the need for sleep. The feeling of sleep or drowsiness comes from this
dhaninjaya va'yu which pervades the body, and so the living being drowses
or falls asleep." (SC-1, p. 48)
So the external vayus control many of our bodily actions and functions with
the external world. And here below Baba explains more about this:
Baba says, "The five efferent airs, viz,. Naga, Kurma, Krkara, Devadatta
and Dhanainjaya, control expansion and contraction, yawning and hiccup,
hunger and thirst, sleep and drowsiness." (SS-2)
THE ROLE OF THE INTERNAL VAYUS
Regarding the functioning of the internal vayus Baba gives the following
guideline:
Baba says, "The vital energy is generated in the unit-body through the
media of five afferent airs and five efferent airs. Of the five afferent
airs, viz, Prana, Apana, Samana, Udana and Vyana, the Prana, situated
between the navel and the throat controls the functions of lungs, heart
etc; the Apana, situated below the navel (i.e., between the navel and the
anus) controls the excreta like stools, urine etc.; the Samana, situated
within the navel, keeps the equilibrium of Prana and Apana; the Undana,
situated in the throat, controls the vocal chord (power of speech) and the
Vyana, permeating through the entire body, does the office of circulation
of blood, secretions etc" (SS-2)
So in total the internal and external collection of vital airs or vayus
play a tremendous role in the overall function of the body.
RELAY POINT TO THE MIND
One special aspect the vayus play is their irreplaceable role of carrying
the message & feelings from the motor and sensory organs to the mind.
Baba says, "The organs have their expressions, when Prana (the collection
of the ten vayus) comes into contact with the mind."
HOW THE VAYUS PRACTICALLY FUNCTION
Here Baba describes in detail the special way that the prana or vital airs
function within the human structure. In particular Baba describes the
unique way these vayus bring the feelings to the mind. As we all know, the
organs (indriyas) basically receive stimuli from the environment etc, and
it is the role of the vayus to carry the essence of those stimuli to the
mind. So while some may think that vayus are just an esoteric aspect of our
spiritual philosophy but in reality they perform a tremendous part in the
overall day to day functioning of the human body and mind.
Baba says, "According to the five functional distinctions of speech,
action, movement, excretion and procreation we determine the individual
characteristic of the motor organs. There are functional distinctions among
the sensory organs also: the ear receives sounds, the subtlest of the
tanma'tras, and so it imbibes the greatest amount of sattvagu'na. The nose
is tamogu'nii in the highest degree. The ear and the skin are sattvagunii
and the tongue and nose tamogu'nii..."
"The greater the control one has over this vital principle of pra'n'a,
the stronger is one's power to accept or reject sam'ska'ras. These acquired
sam'ska'ras are perceived in the mind during the still condition of the
pra'n'a' wherein it finds it fulfillment. You are taking pra'n'a's help
every moment of your daily life. Just as you feel the heat or coldness of
things through tactual inference or sparsha-tanma'tra, similarly you know
their hardness and softness through pra'n'a. Suppose there is cotton and
gold of equal temperature. The eye sensory organ will see them, the skin
sensory organ will feel their hotness or coldness and the pra'n'a will feel
the hardness of the gold and the softness of the cotton. The ear sensory
organ will hear the song and the pra'n'a will appreciate its melody. The
ears will hear the scandal and the pra'n'a will receive its harshness and
severity; and thus hearing will become hurt and feel pain--it will hold
anguish (dha'rya) in the mind. This capacity of the pra'n'a to hold
feelings we call the vital core or marma." (SS-4)
Would welcome hearing everyone's thoughts on this unique-- yet sometimes
overlooked-- topic.
Namaskar,
Satiish
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