The System of the Vedanta according to Badarayana's Brahma-Sutras and Cankara's Commentary c8.s6.t4.12

c8.s6.t4.12

As animating and supporting principle of life the *Mukhya Prâṇa* has five branches: *Prâṇa*, *Apâna*, *Vyâna*, *Udâna*, and *Samâna*, which are frequently enumerated (*e.g.*, Bṛih. 1, 5, 3. 3, 9, 26. Chând. 3, 13. 5, 18. Praçna 3; the three first only: Bṛih. 3, 1, 10. 5, 14, 3. Chând. 1, 3, 8; four: Bṛih. 3, 4, 1) and are sometimes very differently explained. According to Çaṅkara (p. 723, 1—4) *Prâṇa* is exhaling (*ucchvâsa*), *Apâna* inhaling (*niçvâsa*); *Vyâna* is a sort of combination of both, *viz.* what supports life when the breath is held for a great effort¹¹⁹ in Indian medicine *Vyâna* is the principle of the circulation of the juices and the blood. cf. the St. Petersb. Dict. s. v. as well as Praçna 3, 6; *Samâna* is the principle of digestion; and finally *Udâna* is the faculty which at death brings about the passing of the soul from the body.—We see therefore that the Indians are not so far from our triple division of the regulative system into respiration, circulation, and digestion.