Vedic Index of Names and Subjects v2.c4.s8.234

v2.c4.s8.234

In the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa²⁵ the number of bones in the human body is given as 360. The number of the bones of the head and trunk are given in another passage²⁶ as follows: The head is threefold, consisting of skin (tvac), bone (asthi), brain (matiṣka); the neck has 15 bones : 14 transverse processes (karūkara) and the strength (vīrya)—i.e., the bone of the centre regarded as one—as the 15th; the breast has 17: 16 cervical cartilages (jatru), and the sternum (uras) as the 17th; the abdominal portion of the spine has 21 : 20 transverse processes (kuntāpa), and the abdominal portion (udara) as the 21st; the two sides have 27: 26 ribs (parśu), and the two sides as the 27th; the thoracic portion of the spine (anūka) has 33: 32 transverse processes, and the thoracic portion as 33rd.