BHAGAVAD-GITA 15:14

November 6, 2004

BHAGAVAD-GITA 15:14

aham vaisvanaro bhutva

praninam deham asritah

pranapana-samayuktah

pacamy annam catur-vidham

WORD FOR WORD

aham--I; vaisvanarah--My plenary portion as the digesting fire;

bhutva--becoming; praninam--of all living entities; deham--in the

bodies; asritah--situated; prana--the outgoing air; apana--the

down-going air; samayuktah--keeping in balance; pacami--I digest;

annam--foodstuff; catuh-vidham--the four kinds.

TRANSLATION

I am the fire of digestion in the bodies of all living entities, and I

join with the air of life, outgoing and incoming, to digest the four

kinds of foodstuff.

PURPORT

According to Ayur-vedic sastra, we understand that there is a fire in

the stomach which digests all food sent there. When the fire is not

blazing there is no hunger, and when the fire is in order we become

hungry. Sometimes when the fire is not going nicely, treatment is

required. In any case, this fire is representative of the Supreme

Personality of Godhead. Vedic mantras (Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad 5.9.1)

also confirm that the Supreme Lord or Brahman is situated in the form

of fire within the stomach and is digesting all kinds of foodstuff

(ayam agnir vaisvanaro yo 'yam antah puruse yenedam annam pacyate).

Therefore since He is helping the digestion of all kinds of foodstuff,

the living entity is not independent in the eating process. Unless the

Supreme Lord helps him in digesting, there is no possibility of

eating. He thus produces and digests foodstuff, and by His grace we

are enjoying life. In the Vedanta-sutra (1.2.27) this is also

confirmed. Sabdadibhyo 'ntah pratisthanac ca: the Lord is situated

within sound and within the body, within the air and even within the

stomach as the digestive force. There are four kinds of

foodstuff--some are swallowed, some are chewed, some are licked up,

and some are sucked--and He is the digestive force for all of them.

permission.

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