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Vayu deva is the Vedic God of the wind. He is the father of Bhima and Lord Hanuman and the reagent of the north-west direction. He is described as a violent God with a fiery temperament who often indulges in all his desires.
He is depicted with a crown and is four-armed and riding on his antelope vahana. In his upper two hands, he holds his weapons were the lance and a powerful goad (ankusa). His lower two hands are held in abhayamudra and varadamudra (symbols signifying protection and granting of gifts). He also had a wind weapon called the Vayvayastra.
Vayu is one of the principle Devas who has the dichotomy of two characteristics. He is mighty and capable of blowing away entire mountain ranges with strong gusts of wind but also the gentle breath that courses our body, and hence he is known as ' life-breath' or "cosmic life-breath" . He is termed as the universal "spirit". As a Vedic deity, he is also the messenger of the gods and the leader of sacrifices.
In the Vedic tradition, Lord Vayu is the friend of Indra. He is associated with the human qualities of deep thought and being of a swift mind. He is the Lord of the North West quarter and a protector of the people. He is the King of the Gandharvas, and his abode is known as Gandhavati. He is said to be married to the daughter of the celestial architect Lord Vishwakarma . He ruled over the spirits of the mountains who dwell in the foothills of the mountain Meru, a mythical mountain that exists in old legends.
In the Puranas, the Vayu Purana is dedicated to the God of wind, Vayu. It is a Shaiva Purana and contains about 24,000 hymns and slokas in praise of him. The Vayu Purana talks about the creation and recreation of the universe, the measurement of time and the origin of Agni, Varuna, and other gods
As Vayu is the God of breath, it is believed that by praying and worshiping Lord Vayu, one is granted freedom from lower impulses and raise the mind to a higher level of truth and consciousness. By controlling our life-breath, we can calm our minds, focus on the task at hand, and reach a level of self-actualization. He is essential for the sustenance of life, and no one can survive without his blessings