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The Positive Sciences of the Ancient Hindus c9.s2: Section 7. Automatic and Reflex Activity of the Organism—The Forty-Nine Vâyus

The Positive Sciences of the Ancient Hindus c9.s2

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Section 7. Automatic and Reflex Activity of the Organism—The Forty-Nine Vâyus

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Charaka describes *Vâyu* as that which keeps the machine of the body at work, the prime-mover, the impelling force which sets in motion the organs (including the senses and the mind), which arranges the cells and tissues, and which unfolds or develops the fœtal structure out of the fertilised ovum. Charaka and Suśruta notice the five chief *Vâyus* with their functions in the maintenance of the animal life. Suśruta mentions *Prâṇa* as having its course in the mouth, and concerned in deglutition, hiccough, respiration, etc., *Udâna* as concerned in articulation and singing, *Samâna* as digesting the food in the stomach in conjunction with the animal heat, *Vyâna* as coursing all over the body, driving the chyle and causing the flow of blood and sweat, and *Apâna* as having its seat in the intestinal region, and sending down the urino-genital secretions. (Suśruta—*Nidânasthâna*, Chapter I.)

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In the mediæval physiology the number of *Vâyus* is given as 49. As in Charaka and Suśruta, the *Vâyus* are regarded as the moving or impelling forces that work the organism and all its automatic and reflex machinery. The *Âjnâvahâ Nâḍîs* (efferent nerves) are only channels for the conduction of commands of the self or the will (आत्मप्रयत्न) ; the *Vâyus*, on the other hand, are forces (or currents) that maintain the automatic, reflex, or instinctive activities of the organism. The ten chief *Vâyus* with their functions are enumerated thus :—

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(1) *Prâṇa*, which works the ideo-motor verbal mechanism and vocal apparatus, the respiratory system, the muscles engaged in coughing, sighing, etc.

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(2) *Apâna*, which ejects the excretions and wastes, the urine, the fæces, the sperm and germ-cells, etc.

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(3) *Vyâna*, whose work is extension, contraction, and flexion of the muscles, tendons, and ligaments ; the stored-up energy of the muscles.

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(4) *Samâna*, the force which, in conjunction with animal heat, works the machinery of metabolism, in the maintenance of the organic life. It drives or propels the chyle, blood, and every other current (*Śrota*) or circulating fluid in the body.

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(5) *Udâna*, concerned in maintaining the erect posture of the body.

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(6) *Nâga*, which is concerned in involuntary retching, vomiting.

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(7) *Kûrma*, which works the automatic movement of the eyelids, winking, etc.

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(8) *Krikara*, concerned with the appetites of hunger and thirst.

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(9) *Devadatta*, which brings about yawning, dozing, etc.

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(10) *Dhananjaya*, which is concerned with coma, swooning, trance.

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वायुः तन्त्रयन्त्रधरः प्रवर्त्तकः चेष्टानां, प्रणेता मनसः, सर्वेन्द्रियाणां उद्योजकः, सर्व्वशरीरधातुव्यूहकरः, सन्धानकरः शरीरस्य, प्रवर्त्तको वाचः, हर्षोत्साहयोर्योनिः, क्षेप्ता बहिर्मलानां, कर्त्ता गर्भाकृतीनां । प्राणापानोदानसमानव्यानात्मा (चरक सूत्रस्थान, Chap. XII.) तेषां मुख्यतमः प्राणः शब्दोच्चारणनिःश्वासोच्छ्वास-कासादिकारणं, अपानः ... अस्य मूत्रपुरीषादिविसर्गः कर्म कीर्त्तितं। व्यानः ... प्राणापानधृति त्यागग्रहणाह्वयस्य कर्म च। समानोऽपि अखिलं व्याप्य शरीरं वह्निना सह। द्विसप्तति सहस्रेषु नाडीरन्ध्रेषु संचरन् भुक्तपीतरसान् सम्यगानयन् देहपुष्टिकृत् । उदानः कर्म्मास्य देहोन्नयनोत्क्रमणादि प्रकीर्त्तितं । त्वचादिधातूना-श्रित्य पंचनागादयःस्थिताः उद्गारादि निमेषादि क्षुत्पिपासादिकं क्रमात् । तन्द्राप्रभृति मोहादि तेषां कर्म प्रकीर्त्तितं । (संगीतरत्नाकर ।)

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*Cf.* the summary in Raja Sourîndra Mohan Tagore's edition of the *Sangîta-darpaṇa*.

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शब्दोच्चारणं (वाक्निष्पत्तिकरणं) निःश्वासः उच्छ्वासः (अनर्मुखश्वासः) तन्द्रादीनां कारणं (साधनं) प्राणवायुः । विण्मूत्रशुक्रादिवहत्वमपानस्य कर्म । आकुञ्चनप्रसारणादि व्यानस्य कर्म ज्ञेयं । अशितपीतादिनां समतानयनद्वारा शरीरस्य पोषणं समानस्य कर्म । उदानवायुः ऊर्द्ध्वनयनमेव अस्य कर्म नागादयः नागकूर्म्मकृकरदेवदत्तधनञ्जयरूपाः पञ्च वायवः । एतेषां कर्म्माणि

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च यथाक्रमं उद्गारोन्मीलनक्षुधाजननविजृम्भनमोहरूपानि । (*Sangîta-darpaṇa*, Chap. I., Ślokas 43–48). *Cf.* the extract in Śankara.

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प्राणः प्रागवृत्तिरुच्छ्वासादिकर्मा। अपानः अवागवृत्तिरुत्सर्गादिकर्मा। व्यानः तयोः सन्धौ वर्तमानः वीर्यवत्कर्महेतुः। उदानः ऊर्ध्ववृत्तिः उत्क्रान्त्यादि हेतुः। समानः समं सर्वेषु अङ्गेषु यः अन्नरसान् नयति। इति। (*Śârîraka Bhâṣya*, Chap. II., Pada 4, Sûtra 2).

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