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Chapter 15 · The Yoga of the Supreme Person · 20 verses

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How to study this verse, in six steps

1Remember who is speaking. Kṛṣṇa is speaking. Take the verse as He directs.
2Say the verse and its words. Read the Sanskrit, then each word with its meaning.
3Read the translation as it is. Let the translation say what it says, without adding your own meaning.
4Read the purport. Hear the verse through the disciplic succession.
5Bring your own question. Ask: where does this verse meet my life, my trouble, my doubt?
6Act on it, remembering Kṛṣṇa. Carry one instruction into your work today.

Read the full guide: how to read the Bhagavad-gītā ›

Krishna’s natureChapter 15 · The Yoga of the Supreme Person

15.13 15.15

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 15.14

Krishna sustains, illuminates and gives remembrance

Īśvara · God

अहं वैश्वानरो भूत्वा प्राणिनां देहमाश्रित: ।

प्राणापानसमायुक्त: पचाम्यन्नं चतुर्विधम् ॥ १४ ॥

ahaṁ vaiśvānaro bhūtvā

prāṇināṁ deham āśritaḥ

prāṇāpāna-samāyuktaḥ

pacāmy annaṁ catur-vidham

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.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io

Understand it

What this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.

3 study points

The Lord Helps Us Digest

1
The Lord is the digestive fire in all living bodies, working with outgoing and incoming air to digest four kinds of food.
2
Prabhupāda explains that we depend on the Lord to digest food that is drunk, chewed, licked, or sucked.
3
When eating, remember that the Lord produces and digests food, and we enjoy life by His grace.

Key points from the purport

To digest we need Krishna’s energy as fire and life airs (outgoing and incoming)

Importance of digestive fire (Ref. Ayur Veda)

Fire in the stomach digests all the food sent there

If the fire is not blazing there is no hunger

Supporting References

Ref. Brhat-aranyaka Upanisad – Supreme Lord is situated as fire in the stomach and digesting all kinds of foodstuff

Ref. Vedanta Sutra – The Lord is situated within sound, body, air and even within the stomach as digestive fire

Four kinds of foodstuffs — Swallowed, chewed, licked and sucked

LINK BETWEEN TEXTS 15.14 & 15.15 — Up until Text 15.14 it is shown how even conditioned living entities can appreciate and recognize Krishna. We should be attracted to Krishna by knowing His position as:

Our maintainer on both the cosmic and personal levels (15.12 – 15.14)

Compiler of Vedanta and knower of the Vedas (15.15)