svara as breathing/respiration

[Asko Parpola]

The phrases prāṇaḥ svaraḥ and prāṇo vai svaraḥ occur many times  
already in the Sāmavedic Brāhmaṇas, cf. respectively  
Pañcaviṁśa-Brāhmaṇa 7,1,10; 17,12,2; Jaiminīya-Brāhmaṇa 1,301 & 307,  
and PB 24,11,9; JB 1,123.140.164.215; 2,168; 3,194.229. However, in  
these phrases svara means 'tone' rather than breathing, see W.  
Caland's translation and comments on those text places.

With best regards and wishes, Asko Parpola


Quoting "Nivedita Rout" <nivi71r at YAHOO.CO.IN>:

> Respected Scholars,
>
> I am looking for the earliest textual references of "svara" used in  
> term of "breathing" apart from Yogic texts.
> I find close evidences i.e  "praa.na is svara" in Upanisads.Still I  
> look for it in particular in tantra literature. 
>
> Thank you all in advance for your help and suggestions!
> Regards,