Editing Vayu (section)

==Avatars==
[[File:Vayu, the god of wind Statue at Gokarneshwor Mahadev Temple Premises, Gokarna, Kathmandu.jpg|thumb|Vayu sculpture, Gokarneshwor Mahadev Temple, Gokarna, Kathmandu]]
American Indologist [[Philip Lutgendorf]] says, "According to [[Madhva]] whenever [[Vishnu]] incarnates on earth, Mukhya Prana/Vayu accompanies him and aids his work of preserving dharma. Hanuman the friend and helper of [[Rama]] in the [[Treta Yuga]], the strongman [[Bhima]] in [[Mahabharata]], set at the end of [[Dvapara Yuga]] and [[Madhva]] in the [[Kali Yuga]]. Moreover, since the deity himself does not appear on earth until the end of kali age, the incarnate Vayu/[[Madhva]] serves during this period as the sole 'means' to bring souls to salvation".{{Sfn|Lutgendorf|2007|p=67}} Vayu is also known as Pavana and Matharishwa. 

In the ''[[Mahabharata]]'', Bhima was the spiritual son of Vayu and played a major role in the [[Kurukshetra War]]. He utilised his huge power and skill with the mace for supporting Dharma.

* The first [[avatar]] of Vayu is considered to be [[Hanuman]]. His stories are told in ''[[Ramayana]]''. Since Hanuman is the spiritual son of Vayu he is also called Pavanaputra 'son of Pavana' and Vāyuputra. Today, Pavan is a fairly common [[Hindu]] name.
* The second avatar of Vayu is [[Bhima]], one of the [[Pandavas]] appearing in the epic the ''[[Mahabharata]]''.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01068.htm | title=The Mahabharata, Book 1: Adi Parva: Sambhava Parva: Section LXVII}}</ref>
* [[Madhvacharya]], is considered as the third avatar of Vayu. Madhva declared himself as an avatar of Vayu and showed the verses in [[Rigveda]] as a proof.<ref>''History of the Dvaita School and Its literature'', pg 173</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://raghavendramutt.org/articles/balittha-suktha-text|publisher=raghavendramutt.org|title=Balittha Suktha -Text From Rig Veda|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160924052648/http://raghavendramutt.org/articles/balittha-suktha-text|archive-date=24 September 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Indian Philosophy & Culture, Volume 15|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xz9VcNLuyhsC|page=24|publisher=The Institute|year=1970}}</ref> Author C. Ramakrishna Rao says, "Madhva explained the Balitha Sukta in the Rigveda as referring to the three forms of Vayu".<ref>{{cite book|title=Madhva and Brahma Tarka|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eiA1AAAAIAAJ|page=9|author=Chintagunta Ramakrishna Rao|publisher=Majestic Press|year=1960}}</ref>