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| '''Prāṇa''' (प्राण) is the [[Sanskrit]] word for "vital life" (from the root ''prā''). In [[Vedanta|Vedantic]] philosophy, prana is the notion of a vital, life-sustaining force of living beings and vital energy, comparable to the Chinese notion of Qi. In human beings, it flows through a network of fine subtle channels called [[nāḍi|nāḍis]].
| | #REDIRECT [[Prana]] |
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| In the [[Theosophy|Theosophical]] literature prāṇa is the third (sometimes second) [[principle]] of human beings, usually referred as "life principle" or "vital principle."
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| == In Hinduism ==
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| According to Hindu philosophy there are five pranas or ''vital currents'' that sustain physiological processes.<ref>Rammurti S. Mishra, ''Yoga Sutras: The Textbook of Yoga Psychology'' (New York: The Julian Press Inc., 1987), 272-273</ref> They are:
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| {| class="wikitable"
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| |+Prāṇas
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| !Prāṇa
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| !Function
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| | Prāṇa
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| | Beating of the heart and breathing. Prana enters the body through the breath and is sent to every cell through the circulatory system.
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| | Apāna
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| | Elimination of waste products from the body through the lungs and excretory systems.
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| | Uḍāna
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| | Sound production through the vocal apparatus, as in speaking, singing, laughing, and crying.
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| |Samāna
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| | All metabolic processes from digestion of food to cell metabolism. Samana also includes the heat regulating processes of the body.
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| |Vyāna
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| | Expansion and contraction of cardio-vascular system and muscles in general.
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| |}
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| == In Theosophy ==
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| [[Helena Petrovna Blavatsky|Mme. Blavatsky]] defines prāṇa as follows:
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| <blockquote>"Prana," or "Life," is, strictly speaking, the radiating force or Energy of Atma -- as the Universal Life and the ONE SELF, -- ITS lower or rather (in its effects) more physical, because manifesting, aspect. Prana or Life permeates the whole being of the objective Universe; and is called a "principle" only because it is an indispensable factor and the deus ex machina of the living man.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Key to Theosophy'' (), ???</ref></blockquote>
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| == Notes ==
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| <references/>
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| [[Category:Sanskrit terms]]
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| [[Category:Theosophical terms]]
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| [[Category:Hindu terms]]
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