A Constructive Survey of Upanishadic Philosophy c5.s1.1

c5.s1.1

In the account of Prāṇa which we find in the Kaushitaki Upanishad there are certain noticeable features which do not occur either in the Chhāndogyopanishad or the Praśnopanishad. In the first place, Prāṇa is directly identified with life (Āyuḥ). This is as much as to say that life exists so long as Prāṇa exists and life departs as soon as Prāṇa departs. Then again, Prāṇa is identified with consciousness (Prajñā). It is interesting to note that consciousness is here distinguished from life as the higher category of existence. There may be forms of life without consciousness; but wherever there is consciousness there must be life; and the aki Upanishad seems to recognise this difference and describes Prāṇa not merely as the principle of life but as the principle of consciousness also. Then, thirdly, the Upanishad identifies Prāṇa with the Atma, the Ultimate Reality, which is ageless and immortal, which does not increase by good actions nor diminish by bad actions (§. 14). It thus comes about that Prāṇa is life from the biological point of view, consciousness from the psychological point of view, and Ātman from the metaphysical point of view. This is verily a philosophical apotheosis of Prāṇa.