वायुर्भीमो भीमनादो महौजा:
सर्वेषां च प्राणिनां प्राणभूतः ।
अनावृत्तिर्देहिनां देहपाते
तस्माद्वायुर्देवदेवो विशिष्टः ॥
This is a ślōka cited by śrīmadācārya madhva in the mahābhārata tātparya nirṇaya (2-157), bhāgavata tātparya nirṇaya (11-11-43) and the bṛhadāraṇyakōpaniṣad bhāṣya (5-9-9). It occurs in the Southern recension of the mahābhārata and is still extant (meaning available). It clearly extolls the greatness of mukhyaprāṇa vāyu as one of the great gods.
vayurbhīmaḥ is the first epithet, declares directly, vāyu is bhīma. Notice that it doesn’t say vāyuputrobhīmaḥ or anything equivalent, but directly expresses that bhīma is vāyu. The full name of bhīma is bhīmasēna, literally meaning “asura killing army*”. He was a one man asura killer army. bhīma means śatrubhayaṇkaraḥ, meaning one who causes fear in the enemies. He gets this name because of his in-dweller, aṃtaryāmi, nārāyaṇa by the same name i.e., भीमान्तर्यामी भीमः. At the same time he destroys fear in the virtuous, bhīḥ, “fear”, mā, “not!”. bannañje govinda paṃḍitācārya in his viśṇu sahasranāma commentary splits bhīma as भीः मा इति प्रत्याययन्नभयदो भीमः, “Fear not! he encourages, so he is bhīma”.
bhīmanādaḥ epithet, means one who makes a sound that strikes fear. nādaḥ means sound. This is seen in the 1st chapter of the bhagavad gīta. After the blowing of the conches and various musical instruments of war, it is said सघोषो धार्तराष्ट्राणां हृदयानि व्यदारयत्, saghoṣo dhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṃ hṛdayāni vyadārayat (1.19), meaning “the sound ripped/cleaved the hearts of sons of dhṛtarāṣṭra”.
shrī rāghavendra swāmy specifies that the sound of the conch is the one that ripped apart the hearts of the evil people. केवलशंखशब्दानामेव परहृदयविदारकत्वमेशऽभिधत्ते ॥, kevalaśaṃkhaśabdānāmeva parahṛdayavidārakatvameśa’bhidhatte, “the sound of the conch shells alone is capable of tearing the hearts of the enemy, and is indicated by the word, saghoṣo”. The conch’s resonant sound arises from the flow of air (or vāyu) inside it. Similarly the sound, the name bhīma makes, strikes fear into the hearts of evil people.
The name mahaujā: signifies someone with “an immense amount of ojas energy”. What is ojas ? There are two types of energy emitted by a living being. One is called tējas and the other is called ojas. tejas overpowers or subdues others. ojas is the energy that prevents being overpowered or subdued. This makes the individual indomitable. The spirit of indomitability is ojas and bhīma had the greatest amount, only second to kṛṣṇa, among all warriors in the kurukṣētra war.
The epithet, sarveṣāṃ ca prāṇināṃ prāṇabhūtaḥ, means “the life breath of all living beings”. There is a maṃgal̤aśloka that bannañje govinda paṃḍitācārya chants before starting his lectures, प्रणतवान् प्राणिनां प्राणभूतं प्रणतिभिः प्रीणये पूर्णबोधम्, praṇatavān prāṇināṃ prāṇabhūtaṃ praṇatibhiḥ prīṇaye pūrṇabodham. “I bow down to the life breath of all living beings, I prostrate at the feet, to please, the one of complete knowledge”. This is a song attributed to trivikrama paṃḍitācārya, who was a direct disciple of śrīmadācārya madhva. He probably composed the song inspired by this verse.
anāvṛttirdehināṃ dehapāte, this is a unique attribute and is not found in any other God. It states that vāyu is the cause of the destruction of the bodies of the liberated.
tasmādvāyurdevadevo viśiṣṭaḥ, “that is why god vāyu is exclusive or distinguished”.
This sloka, succinctly portrays the greatness of god mukhyaprāṇa vāyu, who will be the next caturmukha brahma. It is fit to be recalled as soon as one wakes up, to remember the greatness of Lord mukhyaprāṇa vāyu.
On this auspicious day of vijaya dashami, and the birthday of śrīmadācārya madhva, I beseech the great god to bless all who are good.