Analysis of Prāṇa (Pratīhārī / Dauvārika)

The Prāṇa (vital-air) is one of the five great elements, namely, Vāyu. Nostrils and mouth are the entry-points of this vital-air into the human body. This vital-air is five-fold known as Prāṇa, Apāna, Vyāna, Udāna and Samāna. Here Prāṇa in which a lot of oxigen is available is portrayed as the door-keeper, of Jīva’s palace.

Prāṇa, as the Pratīhārī here in this first Act informs the minister that the royal couple await him^[1].

The commentary Nāndinī says that since it is the Prāṇavāyu which staying in the face and the neck of the human being makes his entire body operative, here in the play, the dramatist has made Prāṇa the Pratīhārī or door-keeper (p.41):

prāṇavāyoḥ pratīhāratvaṃ ātra vivakṣyate | tasya vāyoḥ kaṇṭhamukhasthitatvāt tanmūlatvāt dehadhāraṇasya ca tasyeha dvārapalakatvena vyavahāraḥ |... “vāyuryo vaktrasaṣcārī sa prāṇo nāma dehadhṛk | so'nnaṃ praveśayatyantaḥ prāṇāṃścāpyavalambate” iti suśrutaḥ |

In the third Act, again, Vijñāna Śarmā asks the Dauvārika to order the people to arrange for a royal welcome to the king and queen who are returning after successful completion of their mission. There is no name mentioned here. But it could be surmised that this door-keeper should be Prāṇa, since he could propagate the news quite fast.^[2]

In the fourth Act, after honouring duly the kings of the neighbouring countries and accepting their offerings, the king calls Prāṇa (the door-keeper) to direct him to the snānagṛha. He again tells Prāṇa to look into the matter of Vidūṣaka and the minister who must have finished their lunch by then.

After a while, Prāṇa enters and informs the king about the arrival of Vidūṣaka and the minister. In the late afternoon when Jīva accepts to go to the royal garden for a swing sport, directed by the minister, Prāṇa goes to the harem and brings with him two attendents to sing.

Throughout the fourth Act, the Prāṇavāyu is under constant movement of going to various places in the presence of Jīva. He takes orders from Jīva and hence is in constant touch with him. In the entire fourth Act Prāṇa accompanies Jīva from his entry to exit; but he is not present when Smṛti and Śivabhakti visit Jīva, because it is something special to Jīva that Prāṇa becomes invisible at that time; in other words only when Prāṇa is under control, can dhyāna become possible as a mode of Bhakti.

Thus the dramatist portrays the vital air -Prāṇa as a very sincere and loyal door-keeper.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

I.35/36:
dauvārikaḥ–(mantriṇaṃ prati) svāmin, bhavantaṃ draṣṭuṃ buddhyā devyā saha bhadrāsanamadhivasati rājā |

[2]:

The commentary makes no remark here.