Hunter Explains the Fire in the Body

The brahmana asked the hunter: "What happens to the fire in the body when it is combined with the elements of the earth? Depending on where it is, how does the wind motivate it?" The hunter answered. "The fire resides in the head and protects the body," he said. "It is in the head and in prana, and motivates all action. Everything in the past, the present, and the future is based on prana. It is the best that exists in beings, and we worship this radiance of the brahman. It is the life force of all beings. It is the eternal being. It is the mind. It is intelligence. It is the ego. It is the seat of all beings." While residing in this way, he explained, everything is protected through prana. Later it goes in different directions, supported by samana. "There is a fire in the bladder and the anus, and this is known as apana. It bears the excrement and urine. Learned ones who know about the soul say that the three elements of endeavour, action, and power are controlled by udana. It has been said that the breath that exists in every human joint is known as vyana." The fire that is there in the elements of the body is distributed by these winds. It triggers the juices, the elements, and the humours and makes them circulate. Through the combination of the pranas, a fire is created. This is the digestive fire, which enables beings to digest food. "Prana and vyana are placed between apana and udana, and the fire resulting from this leads to digestion. It extends itself up to the anus and bears the urine and the excrement. It has the three elements of endeavour, action, and power, and ones who are knowledgeable about the body know this by the name of udana. When the fire is present in all the joints of the human body, it is known by the name of vyana." The internal heat is distributed and supported by these different winds, and they transform the juices, the constituents, and the humours. Through the combination of prana and the other winds, a reaction is created. This gives rise to an internal heat in the body and facilitates digestion. Prana and vyana are established between apana and udana. The fire generated from this mingling facilitates digestion. This extends up to the anus and is near the anus. The streams created from this are all the pranas in a body. "Through the force of the fire, prana strikes at the root of the anus and recoiling, the fire ascends upwards again. The area above the navel is the region of undigested food. All the pranas are located at the centre of the navel in the body. Ten arteries radiate from the heart, upwards, downwards, and sideways, and driven by the pranas, bear the essence of food. This is the path that practitioners of yoga traverse for the supreme objective." The hunter continued: "Know that the fire that is always inside is like the fire purified in a pan and is the atman. It is always subject to yoga. Know that the god is inside it, like a drop inside a lotus. Know that he is always the kshetrajna and can be known through yoga." He spoke of the three qualities — sattva, rajas, and tamas — as attributes of life. He spoke of consciousness as the quality of life, the actor, and action as marking everything. He spoke of the eternal being, not manifest in all beings, visible only to those who possess the subtle knowledge of insight. "One can purify one's heart and destroy the fruits of good and evil deeds. Through establishing one's soul in serenity, one can attain infinite bliss. The signs of serenity are that one sleeps happily and contentedly, like the radiance of a lamp that has been trimmed by one who is skilled in handling lamps." He described the path: control the mind, eat lightly, see the supreme soul in one's own self. Control avarice and anger through all means. Protect austerities from anger, riches from envy, learning from vanity and insults, and the soul from distraction. "Mildness is the greatest dharma. Forgiveness is the greatest strength. Knowledge of the self is the supreme knowledge. Truthfulness is the supreme vow. True speech is superior. The knowledge of truth ensures welfare. But the welfare of all beings is known as the supreme truth." One whose acts are performed without being tied down by self-interest, one who has sacrificed everything — that person is wise and has renounced. This is yoga with the brahman, something that cannot be taught or disturbed by a preceptor. This renunciation is known as yoga. "There must not be violence to any being. One must traverse the path of friendliness. In this present life, one must never practise enmity. Self-negation, extreme satisfaction, selflessness, and steadfastness lead to the supreme knowledge." The hunter concluded: "O brahmana! I have briefly told you everything that I have heard, exactly as I have heard it. What else do you desire to hear?"