அஹம் வைஶ்வாநரோ பூத்வா

This profound verse from the Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 15, Verse 14) is often recited before meals as it establishes the sacred nature of digestion and helps cultivate the right consciousness while eating. By remembering that the digestive fire within us is divine in nature, we approach our meal not just as a physical act but as a sacred process where the Divine itself participates in our nourishment. The first part "ahaṃ vaiśvānaro bhūtvā" means "I, becoming the fire of digestion (vaishvanara)." This reveals that the digestive fire itself is the Lord - the very principle of digestion and bodily warmth is divine in nature.