Chapter 15 Verse 14
Puruṣhottam Yog
अहं वैश्वानरो भूत्वा प्राणिनां देहमाश्रितः।प्राणापानसमायुक्तः पचाम्यन्नं चतुर्विधम्।।15.14।।
ahaṁ vaiśhvānaro bhūtvā prāṇināṁ deham āśhritaḥ prāṇāpāna-samāyuktaḥ pachāmy annaṁ chatur-vidham
Word Meanings
| aham | I |
| vaiśhvānaraḥ | fire of digestion |
| bhūtvā | becoming |
| prāṇinām | of all living beings |
| deham | the body |
| āśhritaḥ | situated |
| prāṇa-apāna | outgoing and incoming breath |
| samāyuktaḥ | keeping in balance |
| pachāmi | I digest |
| annam | foods |
| chatuḥ-vidham | the four kinds |
Translation
Having become the fire Vaisvanara, I abide in the bodies of living beings and, associated with the Prana and the Apana, digest the fourfold food.
Philosophical Significance
Core Meaning
The verse pictures the divine as the inner fire (Vaisvanara) that lives in every body. This inner fire, together with the incoming and outgoing breath (prāṇa and apāna), digests the four kinds of food. In other words, the life within us—breath and inner heat—turns what we take in into living energy.
Spiritually, this teaches that the sacred is present in ordinary bodily processes. Eating, breathing, and digestion are not merely physical acts but ways the Divine sustains life. The verse links outer nourishment with inner transformation: what we consume is processed into body, mind, and consciousness.
Life Application
- Eat with awareness and gratitude: notice each bite, chew well, and remember that food is being transformed into life within you.
- Keep breath balanced: simple slow, even breathing calms the body and supports healthy digestion and energy flow.
- Treat daily care of the body (sleep, food, breath) as part of your spiritual practice rather than separate from it.
Reflection Question
When I eat or breathe mindfully, how does that change my sense of connection to life within me?