सङ्गीतरत्नाकर: प्रथम भाग (शार्ङ्गदेव - स्वरगताध्याय सविस्तार व्याख्या व अनुवाद सहित)

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66          Treatment of Svara

३. धातवः

त्वगसृङ्मांसमेदो ऽस्थिमज्जशुक्राणि धातवः ।
सप्त स्युस्तत्र चोक्ता त्वग्रक्तं जाठरवह्निना ॥७९॥
पक्वाद्द्रवेऽन्नरसादेवं रक्तादिभिः परे ।
स्वस्वकोशाग्निना पक्वैर्जन्यन्ते धातवः क्रमात् ॥८०॥
3. Supportive tissues : 79-80
Serum¹, blood, flesh, fat, bone, marrow and semen are
the seven supportive tissues. Of these the serum and the
blood are produced from chyme² created by the aid of
4. Śleṣmadharā   ,,   ... Synovial tissues
5. Purīṣadharā   ,,   ... Separates the faecal refuse in the lower
            gut
6. Pittadharā    ,,   ... Holds the chyme derived from food
7. Śukradharā   ,,   ... Bears semen and extends throughout the
            body
The folds of skin and the membranes (kalā-s) spoken of above in
constitution are conceived on the analogy of pith, i. e., as the pith in
the wood is grown layer after layer varying in strength so are they
grown about each other. Another simile is also given, viz., as the layers
of cream are formed over milk heated on slow fire, so also the various
folds of skin along with membranes are formed out of seven supportive
tissues (dhātu-s) of the body which are detailed in the next verse.
The seven supportive tissues are spoken of as being sustained in-
between the various folds and layers of the seven skins and the seven
membranes (kalā-s). The first layer called māṁsadhārā, holds within
itself, flesh as it has already been told above. Now the author is
pointing out that veins, arteries, muscles and the channels (srota-s) are
all rooted in flesh as the lotus-stalk is rooted in the mire.
Srota-s are the canals in the body, nine in number such as the
ears, eyes, mouth, nostrils, anus and the urethra opening outwards.
Females have two more, viz., the two breasts and the canal or the
channel that carries the menstrual blood.
Thus the māṁsadhārā, i.e., the flesh-holding skin is the most impor-
tant of all and having described its function, the author merely hints at

1. Tvak is used in the technical sense of rasa (serum).
2. Chyme is the nutrient-solution made out of digested food and
   drink.

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Section 2 : The Genesis of the Human Embodiment          67

४. आशयाः (सप्त)

रक्तश्लेष्मामपित्तानां पक्वस्य मरुतस्तथा ।
मूत्रस्य चाशयाः सप्त क्रमादाशयसंज्ञकाः ॥८१॥
गर्भाशयो ऽष्टमः स्त्रीणां पित्तपक्वाशयान्तरे ।
gastric fire; while the other (elements) are produced from
blood, ripening by the internal heat of their respective
tissues³. (79-80)
4. The receptacles (āśaya-s) : 81-82b
There are seven¹ containers¹ called receptacles² for
blood, phlegm, undigested food, bile, digested food, bodily
wind and urine known by their respective names³. Women
the function of the other six folds that respectively hold or support the
rest of the six elements. In fact our author has synthesised the descrip-
tion of the skins and the membranes for the sake of brevity as it will
be clear from our exposition of the subject matter, vide comments on
verse Nos. 76-77 abc.
Then the author goes on to explain how the seven supportive
tissues are produced. He says, the skin and blood are produced directly
from the essence of food and drink digested through the gastric fire,
while the rest of them are produced from blood as they are ripened in
the heat of their respective tissues.
The seven receptacles (āśaya-s) are identified as under :

1. Raktāśaya    for blood     ... Spleen and liver
2. Śleṣmāśaya   ,, phlegm     ... Breast
3. Āmāśaya    ,, undigested food... Stomach
4. Pittāśaya    ,, bile      ... Gall bladder and pancreas
5. Pakvāśaya    ,, digested food   ... Intestines
6. Vātāśaya    ,, wind      ... Lungs and colon
7. Mūtrāśaya    ,, urine      ... Urinary bladder
8. Garbhāśaya   ,, embryo     .. Uterus
9. Internal heat of the tissues is the expression for kośāgni. Kośa
   is that which has a capacity to retain something other than
   itself
10. Cavities or viscera.
11. Āśaya-s.
12. Respective names of blood etc. to be attached to the word
    āśaya, e.g., raktāśaya, vātāśaya, etc.