(Image Courtesy Mahanidhiswami)

Ishvara Emerges As Vaishvaanara, The Fire That Burns Within All Living Beings And Embodies The Metabolic Process

अहं वैश्वानरो भूत्वा प्राणिनां देहमाश्रित: |
प्राणापानसमायुक्त: पचाम्यन्नं चतुर्विधम् || 15.14||

ahaṁ vaiśhvānaro bhūtvā prāṇināṁ deham āśhritaḥ
prāṇāpāna-samāyuktaḥ pachāmy annaṁ chatur-vidham|| 15.14||

Shloka Translation
BG – Ch. 15- Ver. 14:

I am the fire of digestion in all living things’ stomachs, which I blend with their incoming and outgoing breaths to digest and absorb the four kinds of foods.

Explanation

According to Shree Krishna, God resides inside all living beings as which “fire of digestion,” which is kindled by God’s force. The digestive process in living creatures is fueled by God’s vitality.
Chaturvidham is the Sanskrit word for “four varieties,” while annam is the Sanskrit word for “meal.” Food is divided into four categories: 1. Bhojya – Chewable foods such as bread, chapatti, and other such items. 2. Peya – These are liquid or semi-solid foods that we must swallow or drink, such as milk, juice, and so on. 3. Kośhya – Suckable foods, such as sugarcane. 4. Lehya – Foods that are licked, such as honey, are included in this category.

Shri Krishna has explained how God helps every area of our lives in the previous few verses. He makes the land habitable, nourishes all flora, and even lights the gastric fire that allows us to digest our food with his energy.

Verse & what we can learn

All beings on this planet were supported and nourished by Ishvara’s provision of nutrients in the form of plant life and vegetation. All living beings must absorb and assimilate the energy stored in this meal. What causes this to happen? According to Shri Krishna, Ishvara expresses himself as Vaishvaanara, the fire that burns inside all living beings and signifies the metabolic process.

It’s amazing that we can eat such a wide variety of foods and still have enough energy to keep our bodies operating throughout our lifetimes, thanks to the Vaishvaanara fire’s role. The Praana and Apaana vayus are two vayus, or forces, that support it. The Praana vayu transports food to the digestive system.

There are four different types of food mentioned in the scriptures Food that can be chewed, such as rice, food that can be sucked, such as mango nectar, food that can be sipped, such as fruit liquids, and food that can be licked, such as pickles, are all examples of these. All of these foods can be converted into energy by the Vaishvaanara fire.

As a result, we can observe that the generation, distribution, and final consumption of energy that occurs in us and any other living entity is all Ishvara. Ishvara is the creator, distributor, and user of the product. Remembering this concept helps us to lower our ego and see our oneness with the rest of the planet.

To acquire knowledge and implement that knowledge in life one needs to be mentally and physically active and healthy and for that daily meditation is a great tool.

There are various types of meditation like Buddhist meditation, heartfulness meditation, mindfulness meditation, meditation for stress, and each meditation benefits are countless. There is also numerous meditation techniques for beginners which help in practicing daily meditation so go ahead and start your journey towards a peaceful and balanced life.

Shri Krishna concludes the next verse by saying that He is the master of all knowledge.

Let’s learn to live with “The Gita” via Meditation Affinity…