Shloka 91
अग्निर् आप्याययत्व् अन्नं पार्थिवं पवनेरितः दत्तावकाशं नभसा जरयत्व् अस्तु मे सुखम्
agnir āpyāyayatv annaṃ pārthivaṃ pavaneritaḥ dattāvakāśaṃ nabhasā jarayatv astu me sukham
May Fire, stirred into motion by Wind, nourish and transform the earthly food within me; and may Space, granting room for its working, cause it to be digested—so that well-being may arise for me.
Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya; presented as a cosmological/physiological doctrine of the elements)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: Internalization of elemental cosmology in digestion: fire, wind, space transforming food for well-being
Teaching: Cosmological
Quality: revealing
Creation Stage: Secondary
Concept: Digestion is portrayed as an elemental cooperation: Fire, driven by Wind, transforms the earthly food, while Space provides the room for its operation, producing well-being.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Treat digestion as sacred: eat with calm breath, avoid overeating, and honor the body’s ‘inner fire’ through moderation and mindful post-meal stillness.
Vishishtadvaita: Links microcosm and macrocosm: the same cosmic tattvas function within the body, supporting the Viśiṣṭādvaita view of the world-body as pervaded and ordered under the Supreme.
Bhakti Type: Shanta
FAQs
The verse treats digestion as an elemental cooperation—fire transforms, wind activates, and space provides room—showing how cosmic principles operate within the body.
He frames bodily processes as governed by the same universal forces found in cosmology, using Agni (fire), Vāyu (wind), and Nabhas/Ākāśa (space) to illustrate ordered interdependence.
Even when Vishnu is not named, the Purana’s framework implies that the stable coordination of elements—and the welfare it yields—rests on the Supreme sustaining principle identified with Vishnu.