Biography

Vayu (Sanskrit pronunciation: [ʋaːjʊ], Sanskrit: वायु, IAST: Vāyu) is a primary Hindu deity, the lord of the winds as well as deity of breath and the spiritual father of Hanuman and Bhima. He is also known as Anila ('air, wind'), Vyāna ('air'), Vāta ('airy element'), Tanuna ('the wind'), Pavana ('the purifier'), and sometimes Prāṇa ('the life force'). Indian author Vanamali says, "Vaishnavites or followers of Vishnu, believe that the wind god Vayu underwent three incarnations to help Lord Vishnu. As Hanuman he helped Rama, as Bhima, he assisted Krishna, and as Madhvacharya (1238 - 1317) he founded the Vaishnava sect called Sadh Vaishnavism and the philosophy called Tattvavada". Indologist and author G. R. Sholapurkar says, "It is said that the philosophy propounded by Madhvacharya was originally handed over by Vayu to his son Hanuman, who gave it to Bheema and in the end was received by Anand Teertha or Madhvacharya.