MukHyaPraAna the vAyurdEvadEvo visHishHtaH

vAyurbhImo bhImanAdo mahaujAH sarveshhAM cha prANinAM prANabhUtaH | 

anAvR^ittirdehinAM dehapAte tasmAd vAyurdevadevo vishishhTaH ||

ವಾಯುರ್ಭೀಮೋ ಭೀಮನಾದೋ ಮಹೌಜಾಃ ಸರ್ವೇಷಾಂ ಚ ಪ್ರಾಣಿನಾಂ ಪ್ರಾಣಭೂತಃ
ಅನಾವೃತ್ತಿರ್ದೇಹಿನಾಂ ದೇಹಪಾತೇ ತಸ್ಮಾದ್ವಾಯುರ್ದೇವದೇವೋ ವಿಶಿಷ್ಟಃ

Above sloka establishing VaAyu JeEvottaMatva is from three sacred texts viz. 

> Maha Bharata (Shanti Parva);
> Mahabharata Tatparya Nirnaya(2.161) and
> Khila Vaayu Stuthi;

Vayudevaru is mighty, terrible, and very powerful (mAhaujA).

He makes terrible (BheEmanAdo) sound (to frighten enemies);

He is the giver of life to all sentient beings,

when the body of these embodied beings falls (on death/dEhapAta),
he does not return to it (anAvrutti);

Therefore VaAyu is superior to all other Devatas and regarded as the highest of the gods (distinguished); > VaAyu is JeEvottama;

VaAyu is Mukhya PraAna the vital air for life (PraAna);

Because of whom we all are breathing.

When all the TattvaAbhimaani devataas in our body leaves still a person is able to survive.

But when VaAyu devaru leaves the body we cannot survive.

The mere existence of all JeEvas is dependent on VaAyu devaru.

Lord Vishnu is eulogized as "VAAYU VAAHANA"
(Sri Vishnu Sahasranama stothram - sloka # 36)

the one who has VaAyu as his carrier;
the one who gets the things done through VaAyu;
making him to move as per His directions.

VaAyu is the chief of air gods Mukhya PraAna.

VaAyu means the air, the vital air for life (PraAna);

Lord Vishnu is the one who makes the vital air move.
He is the life giver and the vital air that gives/sustains life.

Lord Vishnu is the PraAna (Life) to everyone including Devathas. He is the one who is there in all beings controlling their breath through VaAyu (Mukhya PraAna).

Hari Sarvottama - VaAyu JeEvottama
Sri GuruRaajo Vijayate