Bhagavad Gita BG 15.14
Chapter 15, Verse 14 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
अहं वैश्वानरो भूत्वा प्राणिनां देहमाश्रितः । प्राणापानसमायुक्तः पचाम्यन्नं चतुर्विधम् ॥
aham vaishvanaro bhutva praninam deham ashritah prana-pana-samayuktah pacamy annam catur-vidham
Meaning
Having become Vaishvanara (the digestive fire), I dwell in the body of breathing beings. Joined with the prana and apana (vital breaths), I digest the four kinds of food.
Understanding
The Divine's function within the living body: aham vaishvanaro bhutva (having become Vaishvanara — the universal fire within all living beings; vaisva = all, nara = man/being). Praninam deham ashritah (dwelling in the body of breathing/living beings). Prana-pana-samayuktah (joined with prana [inward breath] and apana [downward breath] — the two primary vital airs). Pacamy annam catur-vidham (I digest the four kinds of food — chewed, sucked, licked, and drunk in Vedic classification). The digestive fire (jatharagni) in every living body is identified as the Divine. This completes the cosmic-to-personal arc: the same Divine that illumines the cosmos (sun/moon/fire), sustains the earth, and nourishes plants — also lives inside every body as the digestive fire. The Divine is the fire of life itself.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| वैश्वानरः | vaishvanarah | the universal fire in all beings; also the digestive fire (jatharagni) |
| प्राणापानसमायुक्तः | prana-apana-samayuktah | joined with prana (inbreath) and apana (downbreath) |
| पचामि | pacami | I digest, I cook, I ripen |
| चतुर्विधम् | catur-vidham | of four kinds/types (the four types of food) |
| अहम् | aham | I |
| वैश्वानरः | vaiśvānaraḥ | the digestive fire |
| भूत्वा | bhūtvā | having become |
| प्राणिनाम् | prāṇinām | of living beings |
| देहम् | deham | the body |
| आश्रितः | āśritaḥ | having taken shelter |
| प्राण-अपान-समायुक्तः | prāṇa-apāna-samāyuktaḥ | combined with the in-breath and out-breath |
| पचामि | pacāmi | I digest, I cook |
| अन्नम् | annam | food |
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