A History of Indian Medical Literature v1.c25.614.3

v1.c25.614.3

299 one quarter of the total number of sirās, i.e., a number of 175, transport blood mixed with vāta; equal numbers carry blood mixed with pitta, blood mixed with kapha, and pure blood; thus, the doṣas support the body (6.7); 300 the characteristics of these four types of sirās and of the mixed types (6.8); 301 the twenty-four vessels called dhamanī; similes illustrating their function; 302 the dhamanīs surround the navel like the spokes of a wheel the nave; 303 the prāṇas have their particular seatin the umbilical region, 304 where the internal fire is located too (6.9); ten dhamanīs run upwards, ten downwards, and four obliquely (6.10); 305 those running upwards, which depart from the heart, divide into thirty branches; vāta, pitta, kapha, blood and rasa are transported by two of these each; eight branches carry sound, form, taste and smell; two branches are connected with speaking, making inarticulate sounds (ghoṣa), sleeping, and waking up respectively; two branches transport tears; two branches carry milk in women and seed in men (6.11); 306 those running downwards, which are connected with the pakvāśaya, 307 also divide into thirty branches; ten of these transport, like those running upwards, vāta, etc.; two branches transport food, 308 two water, two urine; two branches carry semen and two release it; four similar vessels carry and release ārtava in women; two branches, connected with the large bowel, help to expel faeces; the remaining eight transport sweat (6.12);