The subtle body including the prana is central, it reflects consciousness back into this body mind system and illuminates it but prana is not central. We have the experience of light of life, we have this experience of living, all these living experiences because of consciousness, not really because of prana. The actual topic was atman brahman, that's what nachiketa asked, what happens at the point of death, and what is the real nature of the self? Now back to the actual topic, what was the actual topic?
Swami Sarvapriyananda teaches the Katha Upanishad, one of India's most revered texts which is also a part of the Vedas. It is a collection of philosophical poems representing a conversation between the sage Naciketas and Yama (god of death). They discuss the nature of Atman, Brahman and Moksha(liberation).