The Classical Doctrine of Indian Medicine: Its Origins and its Greek Parallels c12.s2.13

c12.s2.13

¹ According to the graphically plausible correction of E. conj.: “it is the cooking of that which is eaten, that is the function of the breath below”. This sense, in any case, will not be in accord with the ordinary doctrine according to which it is samāna which kindles the digestive fire cooking the aliments, whereas apāna ensures the expulsion of the excreta as has exactly been said here. It will, therefore, be better to translate the text without correcting it and to understand that it is the cooking of the aliments which gives rise to excretary function of the apāna, because it is the cooking which produces the excreta, thus furnishing the matter on which apāna exerts itself.