Studies in the Medicine of Ancient India, Part I: Osteology, or the Bones of the Human Body c7.s4.t10: § 82. The Commentary of Mitramiśra

Studies in the Medicine of Ancient India, Part I: Osteology, or the Bones of the Human Body c7.s4.t10

Language: English

§ 82. The Commentary of Mitramiśra

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The commentary of Mitramiśra on the Non-medical Version, edited from the India Office MS., No. 1176, runs as follows:

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[Verse 84.] Karadvaya-caraṇadvaya-śiro-gātrāṇi ṣaḍ=aṅgāni | asthnāṃ ṣaṣṭi-sahitaṃ śata-trayaṃ ṣaṭ-śloka²-vakṣyamāṇaprakāreṇa dhārayanti | . . ||

[Verse 85.] dvātriṁśatā sthālair=danta-mūla-pradeśā-sthair=asthibhiḥ sahitā dvātriṁśad=dantāś=catuḥṣaṣṭir=bhavati | pāṇi-pāda-nakhā viṁśatiḥ | pāṇi-pāda-sthāḥ śalākās=tad-ākārāṇy=asthīni ca viṁśatir=maṇibandhasya gulphasya ca puro-vartinī | teṣāṁ nakhānāṁ śalākānāṁ ca mūla-pradeśa-rūpaṁ sthāna-catuṣṭayaṁ kara-dvayaṁ caraṇa-dvayaṁ¹ ca | ity=evam=atra catur-adhikaṁ śatam=asthnām || uktaṁ sthāna-catuṣṭayaṁ sv-asthi-bhinnasya prasaṅgato 'bhidhānāt; yad=vā nakhānāṁ sthānaṁ śalākā ity=abhed-ānvayaḥ, catuṣṭayatvaṁ² c=aikaika-hast-ādi-śalākānāṁ samudāyam=abhipretya uktam=ity=avirodhaḥ ||

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¹ MS. vara-dvayaṁ, om. caraṇa-dvayaṁ. ² MS. catuṣṭaye tvaṁ. ³ MS. sandhiḥ. ⁴ MS. vakṣo sandhi. ⁵ MS. akṣṇi. ⁶ MS. akṣa, ⁷ MS. nāsāvadhānaikāsthimatī.

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[Verse 86.] aṅgulīnāṁ ṣaṣṭir=asthīni, ekaikasyā aṅguler=asthi-traya-sambandhāt | pārṣṇyoḥ pāda-paścima-bhāgayor=asthīni dve | ekaikasmin pāde gulphau vāma-dakṣiṇa-sthau dvau dvāv=iti caturṣu gulpheṣu asthi-catuṣṭayam | bāhavo 'ratni-pramāṇāni catvāry=asthīni | iti catuḥsaptatiḥ ||

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[Verse 87.] jānunī jaṅgh-oru-sandhī³ | kapolau gallau | ūru-phalake sakthinī | aṁsau bāhu-mūla etat-samudbhave | praty-ekaṁ dve dve asthīnī | akṣe karṇa-netr-āntarāla-deśe | tālūṣake tālu-mūle | śroṇi-phalake kaṭī | pratyekaṁ dve dve asthīnī | iti caturdaś=āsthīni ||

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[Verse 88.] bhaga-padena śiśnasya apy=upalakṣaṇam, tad-asthi ekam | pṛṣṭhe pañcacatvāriṁśad=asthīni | grīvā kandharā pañcadaś-asthi-yuktā bhavati | ekam=asthim=āśritya jatru, vakṣo-'msa-sandhi⁴-dvayam | hanuś=cibukam syāt | ity=evaṁ catuḥṣaṣṭir=asthīni ||

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[Verse 89.] tasya hanor=mūle dve asthinī lalāṭe akṣiṇī⁵, gaṇḍe ca kapol-akṣī⁶-madhya-pradeśe, pratyekaṁ dve | nāsā vā ghan-aikāsthimatī⁷ | parśukāḥ pañjar-āsthīni, sthālais=tad-ādhāra-bhūtair=asthibhir=arbuda-nāmakair=asthi-viśeṣaiś=ca saha dvisaptatiḥ | ity=evam=ekāśītir=asthnām bhavati ||

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[Verse 90.] śaṅkhakau bhrū-karṇ-āntarāl-āsthinī dvau | śirasaḥ kapālāni catvāri | uraḥ prati saptadaś=āsthīni | ity=evaṁ trayoviṁśatiḥ | evaṁ militvā ṣaṣṭy-adhikaṁ śata-trayam=iti puruṣasya manuṣasya asthi-parimāṇam ||

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[Verse 84.] The pair of hands, the pair of feet, the head, and the trunk—these are the six parts of the body. They contain the three hundred and sixty bones which are detailed in the following six verses:

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[Verse 85.] The thirty-two teeth (*danta*), together with their thirty-two sockets (*sthāla*), that is, with the bones which form the basements of the teeth, number sixty-four. The nails (*nakha*) of the hands and feet number twenty. Also the pencil-like long bones (*śalākā*) which are in the hands and feet, and which are situated in front of the wrist and ankle, number twenty. With regard to the nails and long bones, there are four places (*sthāna*) which form their foundations, viz. the pair of hands and the pair of feet. Thus, here (in this verse), the total of the bones is one hundred and four. The ‘four places’ are named as considered apart from their component bones; on the other hand, since the bases of the nails are identical with the long bones, the fourfoldness of the latter is also mentioned in order to indicate their forming sets in each hand and foot; there is therefore here no incongruity.¹

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¹ See the Exegetical Note in § 83.

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[Verse 86.] In the digits (*aṅguli*) there are sixty bones, on account of each digit being composed of three bones. In the heels (*pārṣṇi*), that is, the posterior part of the two feet, there are two bones. In either foot there are two ankle-bones (*gulpha*), two on the right and two on the left sides; thus there are four bones in the four ankles. The two arms (*bāhu*), being implied in the term ‘forearms’ (*aratni*), make up four bones. Thus we have a total of seventy-four bones.

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[Verse 87.] The two knees (*jānu*) are the two joints between the leg and the thigh. By the two *kapola* are meant the two cheeks. The two broad bones of the thigh (*ūru-phalaka*) refer to the lower limbs. The two shoulders (*aṃsa*) are the two bases whence the arms spring. Each of these items consists of two bones. By the two *akṣa* are meant the spaces intermediate between the ear and the eye. By the two *tālūṣaka* are meant the two bases of the palate. The two broad bones (*phalaka*) of *śroṇi* are the two hips. Each of these items consists of two bones. This makes altogether fourteen bones.

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[Verse 88.] The word ‘vulva’ (*bhaga*) indicates also the penis; it consists of one bone. In the back (*pṛṣṭha*) there are forty-five bones; *grīvā*, or the neck, is made up of fifteen bones. By *jatru* are meant the two junctions of breast and shoulder, each consisting of one bone. *Hanu* signifies the chin. This makes a total of sixty-four bones.

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[Verse 89.] At the back of that chin there are two bones. As to the forehead, eye, and *gaṇḍa*, that is, the space intermediate between the cheek and the eye, there are two bones in each. The nose (*nāsā*) consists of one bone, called also *ghana*. The ribs (*parśuka*) are the bones of the (thoracic) cage; together with their sockets (*sthālaka*) or supporting bones, and with the peculiar bones called tubercles (*arbuda*), they number seventy-two. This makes a total of eighty-one bones.

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[Verse 90.] The temples (*śaṅkha*), that is, the bones lying between the eyebrow and the ear, number two. The pan-shaped bones (*kapāla*) of the cranium number four. In the breast (*uraḥ*) there are seventeen bones. This makes a total of twenty-three bones. Adding up all these we obtain three hundred and sixty as the grand total of the bones of the human body.