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Studies in the Medicine of Ancient India, Part I: Osteology, or the Bones of the Human Body c7.s4.t13: § 86. The Non-medical Version in the Purāṇas

Studies in the Medicine of Ancient India, Part I: Osteology, or the Bones of the Human Body c7.s4.t13

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§ 86. The Non-medical Version in the Purāṇas

c7.s4.t13.1

The recensions of the Non-medical Version in the Agni Purāṇa, and in the Vishnu Dharmottara Purāṇa are identical. The former is edited from (1) IO = India Office MS., No. 5 (7) of the Surindra Mohun Collection; (2) RM = Rajendra Mitra's edition, vol. III, pp. 308-9. The latter is edited from T = Tübingen University Library MS., M. a. I. 483.

c7.s4.t13.2

They run as follows:

c7.s4.t13.3

Asthnām=atra śatāni syus=trīṇi ṣaṣṭy-adhikāni ca¹ || 27 || Sūkṣmaiḥ saha catuḥṣaṣṭir=daśanā viṃśatir=nakhāḥ | pāṇi-pāda-śalākāś=ca tāsāṃ sthāna-catuṣṭayam || 28 || Ṣaṣṭy=aṅgulīnām dve pārṣṇyor=gulpheṣu ca catuṣṭayam | catvāry=aratnyor=asthīni jaṅghayos=tāvad=eva ॥ 29 ॥ Dve dve jānu-kapol-oruphalak-āṃsasamudbhave । akṣa-tālūṣake¹ śroṇiphalake caivam=ādiśet ॥ 30 ॥ Bhag-āsthy=ekam² tathā pṛṣṭhe catvāriṃśac=ca pañcakam । grīvā pañcadaś=asthīni³ jatrv=ekaṃ ca⁴ tathā hanuḥ⁵ ॥ 31 ॥ Tan-mūle dve lalāṭ-ākṣi-gaṇḍe nāsā ghan-asthikā⁶ । parśukāḥ sthalakaiḥ sārdham=arbudaiś=ca dvisaptatiḥ ॥ 32 ॥ Dve śaṅkhake⁷ kapālāni catvāry=eva śiras=tathā । uraḥ saptadaś=asthīni puruṣasy=asthi-saṃgrahaḥ⁸ ॥ 33 ॥

c7.s4.t13.4

¹ IO, RM read only a half-verse : asthi-ṣaṣṭi-śata-trayam.

c7.s4.t13.5

¹ IO sthānapakā, RM sthānāṃsake ; T akṣi-sthāne kaṭī yoni-phalake. ² T bhage tv=ekam. ³ IO grīvā pañca tath=āsthīni ; RM grīvāyāṃ ca tath=asthīni ; T grīvāyāṃ ca daś-āsthīni. ⁴ IO, RM jatrukaṃ ca ; T jatrv=asthy=ekam. ⁵ T hanoḥ. ⁶ IO, RM nās=āṅghry-avasthitāḥ ; T nāsā-samasthitā. ⁷ T dvau śaṅkhakau. ⁸ IO, RM om. puruṣasy=asthi-saṃgrahaḥ.

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*Translation.*

c7.s4.t13.7

[Verse 27.] There are three hundred and sixty bones.

c7.s4.t13.8

[Verse 28.] Together with the minute bones (*sūkṣma*), the teeth (*daśana*) number sixty-four ; the nails (*nakha*) twenty ; so also the long bones (*śalākā*) of the hands and feet; their bases (*sthāna*) are four.

c7.s4.t13.9

[Verse 29.] In the digits (*aṅguli*) there are sixty bones ; in the two heels (*pārṣṇi*) two ; in the ankles (*gulpha*) four ; in the two forearms (*aratni*) four ; also as many in the two legs (*jaṅgha*).

c7.s4.t13.10

[Verse 30.] There are two bones each in the knees (*jānu*), cheeks (*kapola*), thighs (*ūruphalaka*), and shoulder-blades (*aṃsa-samudbhava*). Also as many are indicated in the collar-bones (*akṣa*), palatal cavities (*tālūṣaka*), and hips (*śroṇi-phalaka*).

c7.s4.t13.11

[Verse 31.] There is one pubic bone (*bhagāsthi*), and there are forty-five bones in the back (*pṛṣṭha*). The neck (*grīvā*) contains fifteen bones, the windpipe (*jatru*) one ; so also the chin (*hanu*).

c7.s4.t13.12

[Verse 32.] At the base of the chin (*hanu-mūla*) there are two bones ; so also in the brows (*lalāṭa*), eyes (*akṣi*) and cheeks (*gaṇḍa*). The nose (*nāsā*) consists of the ghana-bone. The ribs, together with their sockets (*sthālaka*) and tubercles (*arbuda*), number seventy-two.

c7.s4.t13.13

[Verse 33.] There are two temples (*śaṅkhaka*); there are also four pan-shaped bones (*kapāla*) in the cranium. The breast (*uras*) contains seventeen bones. These are the bones of the human skeleton.

Cites (2)