Like spokes in the nave of a wheel, everything is established in Prāṇa: the Ṛgveda, the Yajurveda, the Sāmaveda, the sacrifice, the warrior class and the priesthood.

The metaphor of the wheel (ratha) is classic in Indian tradition. The spokes (arāḥ) join at the nave (nābhi — from the same root as nābhi, the navel, center of the body). Thus, everything converges in Prāṇa.

What is “established in Prāṇa” includes:

• The three Vedas: Ṛg, Yajur, Sāma
• Sacrifice (yajña) — all ritual religion
• Kṣatra — the warrior class, political power
• Brahman — the priesthood, knowledge

This list encompasses everything: religion, knowledge and power. All depend on Prāṇa. Without Prāṇa, there is no Veda to recite, no sacrifice to offer, no social order to maintain.

For the yogī, this has practical meaning. The practice of prāṇāyāma is not just respiratory technique; it is the recognition that everything flows from and toward the vital principle. When we control prāṇa, we control everything — the mind, the senses, even destiny.