Śivasaṃhitā 2.35

The Vaiśvānara fire is presented here as the source of three foundational gifts: āyus (longevity, vital lifespan), bala (strength), and puṣṭi (nourishment, bodily fullness). These are not independent benefits but a causal chain — proper digestion nourishes the bodily tissues (dhātu), from healthy tissues arises strength, and from sustained vitality emerges longevity. The inner fire is the foundation of integral health.

Āyus is a technical Āyurvedic term encompassing not merely years of life but the totality of vital capacity and lifespan quality. Bala (strength, from root bal, to be strong) covers both physical robustness and prāṇic energy. Puṣṭi (from root puṣ, to nourish, to cause to flourish) connotes abundance and bodily fullness, closely related to the Āyurvedic concept of ojas, the most refined vital essence.

This verse builds an explicit bridge between yoga and Āyurveda: the digestive fire (jaṭharāgni) is the axis of health in both traditions. A balanced agni produces the seven dhātus properly, generates ojas, and prevents disease. The ṣaṭkarma practices described in texts like the Haṭhapradīpikā serve precisely to maintain this fire in its optimal state.