Studies in the Medicine of Ancient India, Part I: Osteology, or the Bones of the Human Body c7.s4.t9: § 81. The Commentary of Śūlapāṇi

Studies in the Medicine of Ancient India, Part I: Osteology, or the Bones of the Human Body c7.s4.t9

Language: English

§ 81. The Commentary of Śūlapāṇi

c7.s4.t9.1

The commentary of Śūlapāṇi, called Dīpakālikā, on the Non-medical Version, edited from the India Office MS., No. 1278, runs as follows:

c7.s4.t9.2

[Verse 84.] Asthānām=api ṣaṣṭy-adhikam śata-trayam । tad-vibhāgam=āha.

[Verse 85.] sthālair=ity-ādi । sthālāni danta-bandha¹-sthānāni, taiḥ saha dantāś=catuḥṣaṣṭiḥ । nakhāś=ca viṁśatiḥ । pāṇi-pāda-śalākāś=ca viṁśatiḥ । teṣāṁ hasta-dvayena pāda-dvayena ca sthāna-catuṣṭayam । evam ca catur-uttara-śatam=asthīni ॥

c7.s4.t9.4

¹ MS. buddha.

c7.s4.t9.5

[Verse 86.] ṣaṣṭy=ity-ādi । aṅgulīnām pratyekaṁ trīṇi trīṇi ity=evaṁ ṣaṣṭir=asthīni । aratnik-asthīni bāhvoḥ । evaṁ ca catuḥsaptatir=asthīni ॥

c7.s4.t9.6

[Verse 87.] dve dve ity-ādi । akṣa-saṁjñe dve । jānu-saṁjñe dve । evaṁ ca caturdaś=asthīni ॥

c7.s4.t9.7

[Verse 88.] bhag-āsthi ity-ādi । hanuś²=cibukam । evaṁ catuḥṣaṣṭir=asthīni ॥

c7.s4.t9.8

² MS. hanu.

c7.s4.t9.9

[Verse 89.] tan-mūla ity-ādi । tan-mūle hanu-mūle, dve lalāṭe । akṣi-gaṇḍe dve । nāsāyāṁ ca ghan-āsthikāyām=ekam । pārśvakāḥ pañjar-āsthīni, tad-ādhāraiḥ sthālair=arbudaiś=ca saha dvisaptatir=bhavati । evam=ekāśītir=asthīni ॥

c7.s4.t9.10

[Verse 90.] dvāv=ity-ādi । karṇa-bhruvor=madhye dvau śaṅkhakau । śirasaḥ kapālāni catvāri । uraḥ saptadaśa । evaṁ trayoviṁśatiḥ । evaṁ puruṣasya asthi-saṁgrahaḥ kathitaḥ ॥

c7.s4.t9.11

Translation.

c7.s4.t9.12

[Verse 84.] The number of bones is three hundred and sixty. The author states their details.

c7.s4.t9.13

[Verse 85.] ‘With the sockets,’ &c. The sockets (sthāla) are the fixing places of the teeth. Together with these, the teeth number sixty-four. The nails (nakha) number twenty.

c7.s4.t9.14

The long bones (*śalākā*) of the hands and feet also number twenty. The bases (*sthāna*) of them [i.e. of the nails], by reason of there being a pair of hands and a pair of feet, are four.¹ Thus (in this verse) the bones amount to one hundred and four.

c7.s4.t9.15

¹ See the Exegetical Note in § 83.

c7.s4.t9.16

[Verse 86.] ‘Sixty,’ &c. Each digit (*aṅguli*) has three bones; thus there are altogether sixty bones. The bones of the forearms (*aratnikā*) signify those of the two arms (*bāhu*). Thus (in this verse) there are altogether sixty-four bones.

c7.s4.t9.17

[Verse 87.] ‘Two each,’ &c. The so-called collar-bones (*akṣa*) number two. The so-called knees (*jānu*) number two. Thus (in this verse) there are altogether fourteen bones.

c7.s4.t9.18

[Verse 88.] ‘The pubic bone,’ &c. By *hanu* is meant the chin. Thus (in this verse) there are altogether sixty-four bones.

c7.s4.t9.19

[Verse 89.] ‘At the base of it,’ &c. The two bases of it (*tan-mūle*) refer to the bases of the chin. There are two brows (*lalāṭa*); also two each of eyes (*akṣi*) and cheeks (*gaṇḍa*). In the *ghana*-bone, that is, in the nose (*nāsā*), there is one bone. The ribs (*pārśvaka*) are the bones of the (thoracic) cage; together with their sockets (*sthāla*) and tubercles (*arbuda*) they number seventy-two. Thus (in this verse) there are altogether eighty-one bones.

c7.s4.t9.20

[Verse 90.] ‘Two,’ &c. Between the ears and the eyebrows there are the two temples (*śaṅkha*). The pan-shaped bones (*kapāla*) of the cranium number four. The breast (*uras*) has seventeen bones. Thus (in this verse) the total is twenty-three. Herewith the bones of the skeleton of man have been explained.