MOKSHADHARMA PARVA: Chapter 185

The work of fire and wind.

भरद्वाज उवाच पार्थिवं धातुमासाद्य शारीरोऽग्निः कथं प्रभो। अवकाशविशेषेण कथं वर्तयतेऽनिलः॥
How docs bodily fire or heat, entering the body, live there? How also does the wind, getting space for itself, cause the body to move and work?

भृगुरुवाच वायोर्गतिमहं ब्रह्मन् कथयिष्यामि तेऽनघ। प्राणिनामनिलो देहान् यथा चेश्यते बली॥
I shall, O twice-born one describe to you the course in which the wind moves, and how, O sinless one, that powerful element makes the bodies of living creatures move and work.

श्रितो मूर्धानमात्मा तु शरीरं परिपालयन्। प्राणो मूर्धनि चाग्नौ च वर्तमानो विचेष्टते॥
Heat lives within the head (brain) and protects the body. The vital air called Prana, living within the head and the heat that is there, create all sorts of exertion.

स जन्तुः सर्वभूतात्मा पुरुषः स सनातनः। मनो बुद्धिरहङ्कारो भूतानि विषयश्च सः॥
That Prana is the living creature, the universal self, the eternal Being, and the Mind, Intellect and Consciousness of all living creatures, as also all the objects of the senses.

एवं त्विह स सर्वत्र प्राणेन परिचाल्यते। पृष्ठतस्तु समानेन स्वां स्वां गतिमुपाश्रितः॥
Thus Prana makes the living creature move about and exert. Then by virtue of the other vital air called Samana, every one of the senses performs its own work.

बस्तिमूलं गुदं चैव पावकं समुपाश्रितः। वहन्मूत्रं पुरीषं चाप्यपान: परिवर्तते॥
The vital air called Apana, by the help of the heat that is in the urethra, abdomen and intestines, moves, carrying out urine and excreta.

प्रयत्ने कर्मणि बले य एकस्त्रिषु वर्तते। उदान इति तं प्राहुरध्यात्मविदुषो जनाः॥
That single vital air which works in these three, is called Udana by those who are wellread in this science.

संधिष्वपि च सर्वेषु संनिविष्टस्तथानिलः। शरीरेषु मनुष्याणां व्यान इत्युपदिश्यते॥
That vital air which works, living in all the joints, is called Vyana.

धातुष्वग्निस्तु विततः समानेन समीरितः। रसान् धातूंश्च दोषांश्च वर्तयन्नवतिष्ठते॥
Heat is circulated all over the bodies of living creatures by the vital air Samana. Living creatures by the vital air Samana. Living thus in the body, that vital air works upon the various sorts of watery and other elementary substances and all bad humours.

अपानप्राणयोर्मध्ये प्राणापानसमाहितः। समन्वितस्त्वधिष्ठानं सम्यक्पचति पावकः॥
The heat, living between Apana and Prana, in the navel, works, with the help of those two vital airs, in digesting all food that is taken by a living creature.

आस्यं हि पायुपर्यन्तमन्ते स्याद् गुदसंज्ञितम्। स्रोतस्तस्मात् प्रजायन्ते सर्वस्रोतांसि देहिनाम्॥
There is a canal beginning from the mouth down to the anus. Its extremity is called the anus. From this main canal various minor oncs branch out in the bodies of all living creatures.

प्राणानां संनिपाताच्च संनिपातः प्रजायते। उष्मा चाग्निरिति ज्ञेयो योऽनं पचति देहिनाम्॥
The various vital air passing through these canals mix with each other. The heat which lives in Prana is called Ushman. This heat causes digestion in embodied creatures.

अग्निवेगवहः प्राणो गुदान्ते प्रतिहन्यते। स उर्ध्वमागम्य पुनः समुत्क्षिपति पावकम्॥
The vital air called Prana, carrying a current of heat, goes (from the head) downwards to the extremity of the anal canal and thence goes up once more. Returning to the head again, it once more sends down the heat it carries.

पक्वाशयस्त्वधो नाभ्यामूर्ध्वमामाशय: स्थितः। नाभिमध्ये शरीरस्य सर्वे प्राणाश्च संस्थिताः॥
Below the navel is the quarter of digested maller. Above it is that for the food which is taken. In the navel reside all the forces of life that keep up the body.

प्रस्थिता हृदयात् सर्वे तिर्यगूर्ध्वमधस्तथा। वहन्त्यन्नरसान् नाड्यो दश प्राणप्रचोदिताः॥
Urged by the ton sorts of vital airs having Prana for their first, the canals, branching out from the heart, carry the liquid juices of food, upwards, downwards, and in contrary directions.

एप मार्गोऽथ योगानां येन गच्छन्ति तत्पदम्। जितक्लमा: समा धीरा मूर्धन्यात्मानमादधन्॥
The main channel leading from the mouth to the anus is the path by which Yogins, knowing no fatigue, calm in happiness and misery, and highly patient, succeed in attaining to Brahma by drawing the soul within the brain.

एवं सर्वेषु विहितः प्राणापानेषु देहिनाम्। तस्मिन् समिध्यते नित्यमग्निः स्थाल्यामिवाहितः॥
Thus is heat placed in the vital air called Prana and Apana and others, of all embodied creatures. That heat is always burning thcre like a fire placed in vessel which can be seen.