Shloka 26
महाभूत–इन्द्रिय–मनस्–बुद्धि–अन्तरात्मा विवेकः | Discrimination of Elements, Senses, Mind, Intellect, and Inner Self
त्रींश्वैवाग्नीन् यजेत् सम्यगात्मन्येवात्ममोक्षणात् | प्राणेभ्यो यजुष: पञ्च षट् प्राश्नीयादकुत्सयम्
trīṁś caivāgnīn yajet samyag ātmany evātma-mokṣaṇāt | prāṇebhyo yajuṣaḥ pañca ṣaṭ prāśnīyād akutsayam ||
Vyāsa dit : « Pour sa propre délivrance, on doit accomplir le culte en soi-même en établissant intérieurement, selon la règle, les trois feux sacrés. En récitant les formules du Yajurveda adressées aux souffles vitaux, qu’on prenne d’abord cinq ou six bouchées comme offrande ; puis, sans dénigrer la nourriture restante, qu’on mange en silence. Ainsi se maintient, avec discipline, le sacrifice intérieur—le “prāṇa-agnihotra”—jusqu’à la chute du corps. »
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches internalization of Vedic sacrifice: establish the ‘three fires’ within, offer the first mouthfuls to the vital breaths with Yajurvedic formulas, and then eat silently without criticizing the food—turning daily nourishment into disciplined spiritual practice aimed at liberation.
In Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and liberation, Vyāsa describes the form of ‘ātma-yajña’ (self-sacrifice): a householder/ascetic maintains an inward agnihotra by ritualized eating—first offering a few morsels to prāṇa through mantra, then consuming the rest with restraint and non-disparagement.