- Shri Shankaracharia commentary :

Then, Kausalya, son of Âsvala questioned him. Though Prânas glory has been thus realized by the prânas, which had ascertained its real nature, it may still be that it is an effect, being a combination (samhata). Therefore, I ask, Oh Bhagavan! whence, i.e., from what cause, Prâna, thus determined, is produced and when produced, by what form of activity does he enter the body? The meaning is, what is the cause of his taking a body and when he has entered the body, how does he, dividing himself, stay? By what form of activity does he ascend from the body? How does he support what is external to the body, i.e., adhi bhûta and adhi daiva, i.e., the totality of elements and powers; and how, what is within the body. (Ⅴ)

- Shri Shankaracharia commentary :

Thus questioned, the preceptor, said to him, Prâna himself, being difficult to know, is fit for intricate questioning. You question about the origin, etc., even of him. Therefore, you ask questions about transcending things. As you are eminently, a knower of Brahman, I am delighted and shall tell you what you ask about. Listen. (Ⅴ)

- Shri Shankaracharia commentary :

This Prâna spoken of is born of the âtman, i.e., of the highest purusha, undecaying and true. As regards the how of it, the following illustration (is offered). As in this world, when the figure of the man consisting of the head, hands, etc., is the cause, his shadow is produced as the effect; so in this Brahman the true purusha, is this principle named Prâna analogous to the shadow and falls in its nature recognized as the shadow in the body. It comes into this body by the act of the mind, i.e., through the karma, arising from volition, wish, etc., of the mind; for, it will be said later on ‘By virtue, virtuous world, etc.’ Another sruti also says, ‘Intent on that fruit he reaches it with his karma.’ (Ⅴ)

- Shri Shankaracharia commentary :

(4) Just as in the world, the soverign alone posts officers under him to different villages; how? ‘Look to these villages and those.’ So, as pointed out in the illustration, the chief Prâna commands other prânas such as the eye, etc., and his own different manifestations to their respective posts.

(5) Of its division now; the apâna, an aspect of the chief Prâna, stays in the two lower apertures expelling urine and faeces, etc.; so in the eye and the ear and going out from the mouth and the nose, Prâna, occupying himself the place of the sovereign, stays. In the middle, i.e., between prâna and apâna, i.e., in the navel, samâna (so called, because he distributes food and drink saman, i.e., equally). As this distributes equally, the food and drink thrown into the fire of the body, these seven flames go out from the fire in the stomach fed by food and drink, and reaching the region of the heart through the apertures in the head. The drift is that the objects of seeing, hearing, etc., are enlightened through the prâna. (Ⅴ)

- Shri Shankaracharia commentary :

In the heart, i.e., in the âkâsa of the heart, enclosed within a lump of flesh of the form of a lotus, is this âtman, i.e., the subtle body connected with the âtman. Here, i.e., in the heart, are the chief nerves, a hundred and one in number. Every one of these chief nerves has a hundred branches. Every one of these branches has seventy-two thousand sub-branches. In these nerves, moves vyâna (so called, because he is all-pervading). Vyâna stays pervading the whole body through the going out from the heart everywhere within the body, as rays from the sun, especially in the joints, shoulders and vital parts. Growing active in the interim between the activities of the prâna and the apâna, it is able to perform deeds requiring great strength. (Ⅴ)

- Shri Shankaracharia commentary :

By one of these hundred and one nerves, i.e., by that nerve named sushumna which goes up, udâna moving in all portions, from the foot to the head, conducts one to virtuous worlds, such as the abode of the Dêvâs by virtuous deeds enjoined by the sâstrâs; by sinful deeds contrary to virtue, to sinful worlds, such as birth among horizontal creatures, i.e., beasts. By both equally combined, i.e., virtue and sin, to the world of men. ‘Conducts’ should be supplied. (Ⅴ)

- Shri Shankaracharia commentary :

The sun is the well-known outward Prâna among the Dêvâs. He rises and by his light favours this prâna, lodged in the eye of the body, i.e., helps it with luminosity in the perception of forms. Similarly the well-known goddess presiding over earth, attracts or controls the activity of the apâna in the purusha and favours its action by pulling downwards; for, otherwise, this body, owing to its weight, may fall down, or being unimpeded, may fly up. The air in the âkâsa, in the middle, i.e., between the earth and heaven (by the word âkâsa, the wind in it is denoted, as those in a cot are denoted by the word cot) is samâna, i.e., favours samâna, samâna resembling it, in the fact of being enclosed within the âkâsa in the middle. The external wind, vâyu, generally because it resembles vyâna in pervading, favours vyâna. This is the drift. (Ⅴ)

- Shri Shankaracharia commentary :

The general fire têjas, well-known and external, is the udâna in the body. The meaning is, that by its light, it favours the wind known as udâna as ‘udâna,’ fire in its nature, favoured by the external fire, causes the ascent from the body. Therefore, when a man’s natural fire is extinguished, then one should know that his life is spent, i.e., that he is dying; he enters another body. How? along with the senses such as speech, etc., clinging to the mind. (Ⅴ)

- Shri Shankaracharia commentary :

Of what thought he is at the time of death, by that thought, i.e., volition, he attains along with the senses, the prâna, i.e., he puts forth the activity of the chief Prâna. The meaning is that at the time of death, the activity of the senses having declined, he lives putting forth the activity of the chief Prâna alone. Then his relations around say ‘he breathes and lives’; and that prâna manifesting the activity of udâna (têjas); with the âtman ] with the owner, i.e., the enjoyer. The prâna manifesting the activity of the udâna alone, leads the enjoyer to worlds (bodies) thought of, according to the influence of virtuous and sinful karma. (Ⅴ)

- Shri Shankaracharia commentary :

Of the learned man who knows Prâna thus i.e., with these attributes already described, about his birth, etc., the following fruits, both here and hereafter, are pointed out. The offspring, i.e., the son, the grandson, etc., of this knower, do not suffer break in continuity, and when the body falls having become one with Prâna, he becomes immortal (in a relative sense). The following verse (slôka) briefly explains this purport. (Ⅴ)

- Shri Shankaracharia commentary :

Birth] from the Paramâtman. Coming] coming into this body, by the activity of the mind. Staying] in the lower apertures and other places. Five-fold sovereignty] the posting, as by a sovereign, of the different aspects of Prana, in five forms. Its external manifestation] as the sun, &c. Within the-body] as eye, &c. Knowing Prâna thus one attains immortality (relative). (Ⅴ)