The Breath Of Life or Parana Pakheru

The Breath Of Life or Parana Pakheru : 

In jogi lore, the bird also represents the breath of life, the soul, or the prana pakheru, ‘prana’ being life and ‘pakheru’ being pakshi, or bird. For the prana pakheru, the unnatural life is the life lived in a cage, or in a pinjara, a life without freedom. As opposed to the cage is the nest, the bird’s own home, which in the vocabulary of the jogis is needa, their own habitat of cave or hut, resourced from nature, home to freedom, to love, and no pain.

All cultures venerate mystic birds, because they are the harbinger of much that will be auspicious. Legends are woven around the hawk, stork and dove. In India, a pair of birds is considered very holy, which is why, from the Thirukazhikundram Temple in the South, a town close to Mahabalipuram, to the Amarnath caves in the North, the prasad from the temple puja is considered sanctified every day after a pair of doves arrives to peck at it — considered the Daily Visitation — after which it is distributed among the people.

THE JOGI

In the many raga-based songs for the khayal penned by Pandit Amarnath, which celebrate this theme of the jogi, there are two in the Carnatic raga Devaranjani, which carry the bird symbol home. The lyric is about the first time you find the guru in your life.
The one in slower tempo says:
Avagat bhayi sun aayi, Aayi pratham pukar.
An-chinhe pakhi ki, Moh rahi chehkaar.
As I heard the first call, I became aware.
For attracting me Was the thrilling chirp of the symbol-less bird.

The song with a faster tempo in the same raga says:
Alakh sun jaagi, Jogi aaye.
Maayi mohe jaavan de. Bahut dinan te alakh sun parihon,
Bahut dinan te jaagi, jogi aaye.

I heard the call of the unknown,
The jogi has come,O Ma, let me go.
After many days have I heard the call,
After so many days have I awakened,
The jogi has come,O Ma, let me go.


Om Namah Shivay