गोविन्द भाष्य (श्रील बलदेव विद्याभूषण - अचिन्त्यभेदाभेद वेदान्त ब्रह्मसूत्र भाष्य सटीक)

"When speech and the other senses sleep, prāṇa alone remains awake. Prāṇa alone is untouched by death. Prāṇa controls speech and the other senses. As a mother protects her children, so one prāṇa protects the other prāṇas." Saṁśaya (doubt): Is this principal prāṇa identical with the independent spirit soul residing in the material body or is this principal prāṇa an instrument that assists the spirit soul? Pūrvapakṣa (the opponent speaks): Because the Śruti-śāstra describes this prāṇa as having many powers and glories, therefore this principal prāṇa is the independent spirit soul. Siddhānta (conclusion): In the following words the author of the sūtras gives His conclusion. Sūtra 10 cakṣur-ādi-vat tu tat saha śiṣṭhyādibhyaḥ cakṣuḥ—the eyes; ādi—beginning with; vat—like; tu—indeed; tat—that; saha—with; śiṣṭhyā—teaching; ādibhyaḥ—because of beginning with. Indeed, it is like the eyes and other senses, because it is taught along with the senses. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Here the word "tu" (indeed) is used to dispel doubt. The prāṇa (life-force) is an instrument used by the individual spirit soul. It is like the eyes or the other senses. Why is that? The sūtra explains: "Because it is taught along with the senses." The prāṇa is described along with the eyes and senses. Things of a like nature are generally described together. as example of that is the Bṛhadratha meters, which are described together. This is also confirmed by the use of the word “ādi" (beginning with) in the sūtra. That the prāṇa is here grouped with the senses is seen in the following passage: yatra vāyam mukhyaḥ prāṇaḥ sa evāyam madhyamaḥ prāṇaḥ "There is a principle prāṇa and there is a secondary prāṇa." In this way the idea that the prāṇa is the independent spirit soul is refuted.