Prashnopanishad - Question 2 - Grantha

The second question of 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌶𑍍𑌨𑍋𑌪𑌨𑌿𑌷𑌦𑍍 asks which powers sustain the person and which among them is supreme. Pippalada answers through a vivid teaching: the senses, mind, speech, fire, sun, and other powers all have their place, but 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌣 is the central life-force on which they depend.

This question belongs to the Atharva Veda's contemplative style, where physiological, cosmic, and spiritual meanings are woven together. Prana is not treated merely as breathing air; it is the organizing vitality that allows the senses, mind, and body to function. When prana prepares to depart, all other faculties weaken.

𑌦𑍍𑌵𑌿𑌤𑍀𑌯𑌃 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌶𑍍𑌨𑌃

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
This title announces the second question of the Prashna Upanishad.

𑌅𑌥 𑌹𑍈𑌨𑌂 𑌭𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌗𑌵𑍋 𑌵𑍈𑌦𑌰𑍍𑌭𑌿𑌃 𑌪𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌚𑍍𑌛।
𑌭𑌗𑌵𑌨𑍍 𑌕𑌤𑍍𑌯𑍇𑌵 𑌦𑍇𑌵𑌾𑌃 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌜𑌾𑌂 𑌵𑌿𑌧𑌾𑌰𑌯𑌂𑌤𑍇 𑌕𑌤𑌰 𑌏𑌤𑌤𑍍𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌕𑌾𑌶𑌯𑌂𑌤𑍇 𑌕𑌃 𑌪𑍁𑌨𑌰𑍇𑌷𑌾𑌂 𑌵𑌰𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌠𑌃 𑌇𑌤𑌿 ॥1॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
Bhargava asks how many deities uphold a person, which illumine the body, and which among them is supreme.

𑌤𑌸𑍍𑌮𑍈 𑌸 𑌹𑍋𑌵𑌾𑌚𑌾𑌕𑌾𑌶𑍋 𑌹 𑌵𑌾 𑌏𑌷 𑌦𑍇𑌵𑍋 𑌵𑌾𑌯𑍁𑌰𑌗𑍍𑌨𑌿𑌰𑌾𑌪𑌃 𑌪𑍃𑌥𑌿𑌵𑍀 𑌵𑌾𑌙𑍍𑌮𑌨𑌶𑍍𑌚𑌕𑍍𑌷𑍁𑌃 𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍋𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌂 𑌚।
𑌤𑍇 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌕𑌾𑌶𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌭𑌿𑌵𑌦𑌂𑌤𑌿 𑌵𑌯𑌮𑍇𑌤𑌦𑍍𑌬𑌾𑌣𑌮𑌵𑌷𑍍𑌟𑌭𑍍𑌯 𑌵𑌿𑌧𑌾𑌰𑌯𑌾𑌮𑌃 ॥2॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
Pippalada lists space, air, fire, water, earth, speech, mind, sight, and hearing as powers that claim to support the body.

𑌤𑌾𑌨𑍍 𑌵𑌰𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌠𑌃 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌣 𑌉𑌵𑌾𑌚।
𑌮𑌾 𑌮𑍋𑌹𑌮𑌾𑌪𑌦𑍍𑌯𑌥 𑌅𑌹𑌮𑍇𑌵𑍈𑌤𑌤𑍍𑌪𑌂𑌚𑌧𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌾𑌨𑌂 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌵𑌿𑌭𑌜𑍍𑌯𑍈𑌤𑌦𑍍𑌬𑌾𑌣𑌮𑌵𑌷𑍍𑌟𑌭𑍍𑌯 𑌵𑌿𑌧𑌾𑌰𑌯𑌾𑌮𑍀𑌤𑌿 𑌤𑍇𑌽𑌶𑍍𑌰𑌦𑍍𑌦𑌧𑌾𑌨𑌾 𑌬𑌭𑍂𑌵𑍁𑌃 ॥3॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
Prana, the chief life-force, tells them not to fall into delusion, for he supports the body by dividing himself fivefold.

𑌸𑍋𑌽𑌭𑌿𑌮𑌾𑌨𑌾𑌦𑍂𑌰𑍍𑌧𑍍𑌵𑌮𑍁𑌤𑍍𑌕𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌮𑌤 𑌇𑌵 𑌤𑌸𑍍𑌮𑌿𑌨𑍍𑌨𑍁𑌤𑍍𑌕𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌮𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌥𑍇𑌤𑌰𑍇 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵 𑌏𑌵𑍋𑌤𑍍𑌕𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌮𑌂𑌤𑍇 𑌤𑌸𑍍𑌮𑌿𑌂𑌶𑍍𑌚 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌤𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌠𑌮𑌾𑌨𑍇 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵 𑌏𑌵 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌤𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌠𑌂𑌤𑍇।
𑌤𑌦𑍍𑌯𑌥𑌾 𑌮𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌿𑌕𑌾 𑌮𑌧𑍁𑌕𑌰𑌰𑌾𑌜𑌾𑌨𑌮𑍁𑌤𑍍𑌕𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌮𑌂𑌤𑌂 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵 𑌏𑌵𑍋𑌤𑍍𑌕𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌮𑌂𑌤𑍇 𑌤𑌸𑍍𑌮𑌿𑌂𑌶𑍍𑌚 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌤𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌠𑌮𑌾𑌨𑍇 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵 𑌏𑌵 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌤𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌟𑌂𑌤 𑌏𑌵𑌂 𑌵𑌾𑌙𑍍𑌮𑌨𑌷𑍍𑌚𑌕𑍍𑌷𑍁𑌃 𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍋𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌂 𑌚 𑌤𑍇 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌤𑌾𑌃 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌣𑌂 𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍁𑌨𑍍𑌵𑌂𑌤𑌿 ॥4॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
The other powers do not believe him, so prana prepares to depart; as he rises, all the others rise like bees following their queen.

𑌏𑌷𑍋𑌽𑌗𑍍𑌨𑌿𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌪𑌤𑍍𑌯𑍇𑌷 𑌸𑍂𑌰𑍍𑌯 𑌏𑌷 𑌪𑌰𑍍𑌜𑌨𑍍𑌯𑍋 𑌮𑌘𑌵𑌾𑌨𑍇𑌷 𑌵𑌾𑌯𑍁𑌃।
𑌏𑌷 𑌪𑍃𑌥𑌿𑌵𑍀 𑌰𑌯𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌦𑍇𑌵𑌃 𑌸𑌦𑌸𑌚𑍍𑌚𑌾𑌮𑍃𑌤𑌂 𑌚 𑌯𑌤𑍍 ॥5॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
Convinced, the powers praise prana as fire, sun, rain, Indra, wind, earth, matter, deity, being, and non-being.

𑌅𑌰𑌾 𑌇𑌵 𑌰𑌥𑌨𑌾𑌭𑍌 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌣𑍇 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌂 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌤𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌠𑌿𑌤𑌮𑍍।
𑌋𑌚𑍋 𑌯𑌜𑍂𑌷𑌿 𑌸𑌾𑌮𑌾𑌨𑌿 𑌯𑌜𑍍𑌞𑌃 𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌂 𑌬𑍍𑌰𑌹𑍍𑌮 𑌚 ॥6॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
They praise prana as the hub in which the Vedas, sacrifice, priestly power, and warrior power are established.

𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌜𑌾𑌪𑌤𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌚𑌰𑌸𑌿 𑌗𑌰𑍍𑌭𑍇 𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌮𑍇𑌵 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌤𑌿𑌜𑌾𑌯𑌸𑍇।
𑌤𑍁𑌭𑍍𑌯𑌂 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌣 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌜𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌿𑌮𑌾 𑌬𑌲𑌿𑌂 𑌹𑌰𑌂𑌤𑌿 𑌯𑌃 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌣𑍈𑌃 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌤𑌿𑌤𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌠𑌸𑌿 ॥𑍭॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
Prana is praised as Prajapati moving in the womb, born as beings, and receiving offerings through the senses.

𑌦𑍇𑌵𑌾𑌨𑌾𑌮𑌸𑌿 𑌵𑌹𑍍𑌨𑌿𑌤𑌮𑌃 𑌪𑌿𑌤𑍃𑌣𑌾𑌂 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌥𑌮𑌾 𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌧𑌾।
𑌋𑌷𑍀𑌣𑌾𑌂 𑌚𑌰𑌿𑌤𑌂 𑌸𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌮𑌥𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌂𑌗𑌿𑌰𑌸𑌾𑌮𑌸𑌿 ॥𑍮॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
Prana is called the carrier of offerings to gods and ancestors and the truth of the seers.

𑌇𑌂𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌂 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌣 𑌤𑍇𑌜𑌸𑌾 𑌰𑍁𑌦𑍍𑌰𑍋𑌽𑌸𑌿 𑌪𑌰𑌿𑌰𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌿𑌤𑌾।
𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌮𑌂𑌤𑌰𑌿𑌕𑍍𑌷𑍇 𑌚𑌰𑌸𑌿 𑌸𑍂𑌰𑍍𑌯𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌂 𑌜𑍍𑌯𑍋𑌤𑌿𑌷𑌾𑌂 𑌪𑌤𑌿𑌃 ॥𑍯॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
Prana is identified with Indra, Rudra, protector, sun, and lord of light.

𑌯𑌦𑌾 𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌮𑌭𑌿𑌵𑌰𑍍𑌷𑌸𑍍𑌯𑌥𑍇𑌮𑌾𑌃 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌣 𑌤𑍇 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌜𑌾𑌃।
𑌆𑌨𑌂𑌦𑌰𑍂𑌪𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌠𑌂𑌤𑌿 𑌕𑌾𑌮𑌾𑌯𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌨𑌂 𑌭𑌵𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌯𑌤𑍀𑌤𑌿 ॥10॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
When prana rains, beings rejoice, knowing food will be abundant.

𑌵𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌂 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌣𑍈𑌕𑌰𑍍𑌷𑌰𑌤𑍍𑌤𑌾 𑌵𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌸𑌤𑍍𑌪𑌤𑌿𑌃।
𑌵𑌯𑌮𑌾𑌦𑍍𑌯𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌦𑌾𑌤𑌾𑌰𑌃 𑌪𑌿𑌤𑌾 𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌂 𑌮𑌾𑌤𑌰𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌵 𑌨𑌃 ॥11॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
Prana is praised as pure, eater, lord of what exists, and father, to whom offerings are made.

𑌯𑌾 𑌤𑍇 𑌤𑌨𑍂𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌚𑌿 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌤𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌠𑌿𑌤𑌾 𑌯𑌾 𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍋𑌤𑍍𑌰𑍇 𑌯𑌾 𑌚 𑌚𑌕𑍍𑌷𑍁𑌷𑌿।
𑌯𑌾 𑌚 𑌮𑌨𑌸𑌿 𑌸𑌂𑌤𑌤𑌾 𑌶𑌿𑌵𑌾𑌂 𑌤𑌾𑌂 𑌕𑍁𑌰𑍂 𑌮𑍋𑌤𑍍𑌕𑍍𑌰𑌮𑍀𑌃 ॥12॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
The prayer asks prana to make speech, hearing, sight, and mind auspicious and not to depart from the body.

𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌣𑌸𑍍𑌯𑍇𑌦𑌂 𑌵𑌶𑍇 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌂 𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌦𑌿𑌵𑍇 𑌯𑌤𑍍 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌤𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌠𑌿𑌤𑌮𑍍।
𑌮𑌾𑌤𑍇𑌵 𑌪𑍁𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌨𑍍 𑌰𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌸𑍍𑌵 𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌶𑍍𑌚 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌜𑍍𑌞𑌾𑌂 𑌚 𑌵𑌿𑌧𑍇𑌹𑌿 𑌨 𑌇𑌤𑌿 ॥13॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
All beings in the three worlds are under prana's control, so the seekers ask him to protect them like a mother and grant prosperity and wisdom.

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