Srimad Bhagavad Gita -Ramanujacharya 422

Srimad Bhagavad Gita -Ramanujacharya

Chapter-13 Prakṛti-Puruṣa-vivek Yogaḥ

avibhaktaṃ ca bhūteṣu vibhaktam iva ca sthitam | bhūtabhartṛ ca tajjñeyaṃ grasiṣṇu prabhaviṣṇu ca || 17 || 17. Undivided and yet existing as if divided among beings, this ātman is to be known as the supporter of elements, It consumes and regenerates. Commentary Though the ātman is present everywhere in the bodies of gods, humans and animals, It is said to be 'undivided' because, the nature of self-consciousness is the same in all. However, to those who are ignorant, it appears as different in the various bodies. The ātman can also be differentiated on other grounds such as the 'supporter of elements' etc. Because it supports the physical body which is a combination of earth and other elements. Likewise, it is that which 'consumes' nutrients etc. Because the ātman ‘consumes’ the food, it can be regarded as different from the elements [of food]. It causes 'regeneration' — the metabolism of the consumed food. Because eating, reproducing and such activities are not seen in a corpse, it is concluded that the inert body, an aggregate of elements, cannot be the cause of consuming food, reproducing and supporting them — the ātman is the cause.