Acharya Mahaprajna
When the gross body is formed, six vital powers are also created. They are known as:
- paryapti with regard to food,
- paryapti with regard to the body,
- paryapti with regard to the senses,
- paryapti with regard to respiration,
- paryapti with regard to speech and
- paryapti with regard to the mind.
These six vital powers are present in our body.
Throat, the thyroid portion of the body, is the centre of food paryapti. Here is a process of chayapachaya (increase and decrease). This is a very important part of the body. The centre of the body potential is the navel, which is the fundamental centre in the structure of our body. Sage Patanjali said, Nabichakre Kayavyuhagyanam "We know about the structure of our whole body through the nabhi chakra". The knowledge of whole body structure is known by concentrating on the navel. The navel has significant role in Yoga as well as from the physiological point of view. The navel is the central point. The nourishment that the body constantly needs comes through the navel. It is through the navel that the particles of matter are continuously absorbed from outside. The function of absorption runs continuously.
There is a close relation between bio-potential with regard to food and bio-potential with regard to body. One is situated in the throat and the other is the navel. An experiment in yoga is very useful for the balance of thyroid and adrenal glands. The following process has been prescribed:
Lie down. Then raise your neck and hook at the navel.
Looking at the navel in the lying down posture has been regarded as a very important process. It establishes the balance of the adrenal and the thyroid glands. The throat is very important in yoga, because the centre where the instincts find an outlet and sensitivity is felt, is controlled by the thyroid gland. This experiment is prescribed for practising brahmacharya specifically and also for keeping healthy generally. By looking at the navel in the lying down posture, balance between both the glands is established. The navel is all the more important because it is the centre of the taijas power and of the element of fire. The earth, fire, water, air and the space are said to be the rive elements. The navel is the centre of the element of fire. Among the five pranas, this is the centre of samana prana which performs all the functions.
Food is digested through the digestive system. In this context, it has been said that through the paryapti with regard to food, khalarasikarana takes place. In the modern terms, khalarasikarana can be called the metabolism. The process of khalarasikarana or chayapachaya means taking out and separating the bad content in food and assimilating the rasa taking place through paryapti with regard to food. These paryaptis are our vitality.
