The Classical Doctrine of Indian Medicine: Its Origins and its Greek Parallels c12.s3.18

c12.s3.18

[13] Troubled, it produced principally affections such as hiccough and panting. The one called the breath on high, superior wind, goes upwards. [14] By means thereof opens out that which has the characteristic of being said, sung, etc...¹ It produces specially the ills which come above the clavicles. [15] The one that circulates in the receptacles of the uncooked and of the cooked², the concentrated breath (samāna), in concert with the fire³, cooks the nourishment and separates the particular substances which are found to be produced thereby. [16] It produces ills such as the tumours, the weakening of the (digestive) fire⁴, diarrhoeaes, etc. The one which circulates in the entire body, the diffused breath (vyāna) acts to bring in its wake the organic sap, [17] and makes perspiration and blood flow and causes the occurring of the gestures of five types⁵ and excited, it provokes chiefly the ills which traverse the entire body. [18] The one that has for seat the receptacle of the cooked (the intestines), the breath below (apāna), it is this wind which, at a convenient moment, brings in its wake the excreta, the urines, the sperm, the embryos and the menses downwards. [19] Excited, it provokes the terrible ills which stay in the bladder and the rectum; but the troubles of the sperm and the urinary ills are produced by the excitation of the diffused breath and of the breath below (associated). [20-21] And, all together, excited, they (the five winds) tear the body undoubtedly.