ಪ್ರಾಣಾಪಾನ ಸಂಕಟ

ಹೃದಿ ಪ್ರಾಣೋ ಗುದೇSಪಾನ: ಸಮಾನೋ ನಾಭಿಸಂಸ್ಥಿತ:!
ಉದಾನ: ಕಂಠದೇಶಸ್ಥೋ ವ್ಯಾನ: ಸರ್ವಶರೀರಣ:!!
Actually I didn’t know the meaning of the verse which we chant before taking food, until I come across aforementioned shloka in the book TARKA SANGRAHA by Annambhatta. Thought of sharing with you all.
          The air that is inhaled and exhaled through the nostrils and the mouth (sometime) is Prana  and is located in the heart. The air that presses down water, waste matter, foetus etc is Apana and is located in the anus. Samana helps in the digestion of the food etc by stimulating gastric fire in the stomach and is located in the region of navel. Udana takes the digested food etc upward from navel and which located in throat and enters into the head. Vyana is the vital air that courses through the entire nevous system and is diffused through the whole body.