DESCRIPTION OF PHYSIOLOGY AND ANATOMY IN YOGIC

TEXTS
(Dr. K. S. Balasubramanian, Dy. Director, K. S. R. Institute, Chennai)

One should have a good knowledge of the physical body and also the subtle
and astral bodies in order to lead a life in harmony with nature and to live a
balanced life. If one has defect in the physical body or the mind, then it is difficult
for him to achieve human perfection through the Yogic practice. Hence great
Yogis and saints of ancient India emphasised the need for a comprehensive
knowledge of the physical and mental activities of a person.
Yogayjavalkya (YY) contains description on the above subject which
are not found in many popular texts like Hahayogapradpik (HYP),
Haharatnval (HR), Gorakasahit (GS), ivasamhit (S) and
Gheraasahit (Gh.S). It may be pointed out that HSC isthe only text which
describes all aspects of physical and subtle bodies and some-times it quotes YY
and also Vaiha

Samhit,

tmapura

and Mnasollsa of

Surevarcrya on this topic.

The following topics are discussed in this paper.
1. Physical body
2. Ns
3. Subtle body (cakra, kualin, etc.)
4. Ten vyus and their functions
1. Physical body :
According to YY (IV 6 cd - 7 ab) this body measures ninety six (96)
agulas, for all the beings by their own fingers.

eara VmdX{d oh fUd`xbm_H _

$&&

od{VV gdOVyZm
dmxbro^naoV o`{ $&
YY (VII. 12 - 20) discusses the distance between the vital points of the
body, while describing the pratyhra where pra is to be retained in each
vital point. In Vaiha Samhit (chap. III) there is a similar description.
a) The following chart gives the distance between the vital points in the
human body according to YY :
From

To

Big toe

Ankle

4.5

Ankle

Middle of the shank

10

Middle of the shank

Root of the calf

11

Root of the calf

Knee

Knee

mid-thigh

mid-thigh

Root of anus

Root of anus

Centre of the body

2.5

Centre of the body

Generative organ

2.5

Generative organ

Navel

10.5

Navel

Heart

14

Heart

Neck-pit

Neck-pit

Root of the tongue

Root of the tongue

Root of the nose

Root of the nose

Eye

0.5

Eye

Middle of the eye-brows

0.5

Middle of the eye-brows

Forehead

Distance
(in agulas)

2(+1)1

. See YY. (VII. 19 cd) fn. Some manuscripts read agulatraya instead of
aguladvaya, while referring to the distance between middle of the eye-brows and
forehead. If this reading is taken, then the distance comes to ninety six agulas.

Forehead

Crown of the head

3
95(+1)

b) Vital points (marmasthn) in the body :

The above chart also gives the name of the eighteen vital points in the
physical body, starting from the big toe and ending in the crown of the head.
c) Abode of fire in the body :
YY (IV. 11 - 2) states that the centre of the body is the abode of fire, glowing like
melted gold. It is in the form of a triangle in human beings, a square in the animals
and a circle in the birds.
d) Centre of the body :
YY (IV. 14 - 5) says that the centre of the body of human being lies two
agulas above the anus and two agulas below the generative organ.2 For the
quadrupeds the centre of the body is the centre of the heart; and for other animals
and the birds, it lies in the centre of the stomach.
e) Kandasthna :
YY (IV. 16 - 7) says that for the human being the location of kanda is nine
agulas from the centre of the body. It is in the shape of an egg having height
and width of four agulas. In quadrupeds, other animals and birds, it is in the
centre of the body.
In the centre of this kanda lies the nbhi (navel).
YY (18 - 24) says that Kualin and jva reside in the kanda. Kanda is
also the place from where all the important ns originate and pervade the
body.3
2. Ns :
2
3

The same idea is found the many Yogic texts.

These will be discussed separately.

N refers to the tubular vessel which carry the blood and vital air to all
parts of the body. One should have the knowledge of these ns before
practising various methods of prayma.
It is interesting to note that there are different opinions with regard to the
number of ns, including that of principal ns, orgin of the ns and the
location of the ns in the physical body.
a) The number of ns :
There are different views with regard to the number of ns among the
ancient Upaniads, later Upaniads and Yogic texts. The Chndogya up.
(VI. 16) teaches that there are one hundred and one (101) ns which orginate
from the heart. The Prana up. (III. 6) says that there are 72, 72, 10, 201 ns
in the body. Among the later texts, S (II. 13) says there are 3,50,000 ns
(srdhalakatrayam nyah), while other texts like HYP (IV. 18), GS (I.
24), HR (IV. 32) opine that there are 72,000 ns inside the body.
Again there are two different opinions regarding the principal ns. GS
(I. 25) says there are ten (10) main ns :

YmZm: mUdmoh`: ^y`mVmgw Xe

_Vm: &&
Other texts such as HR (IV. 34), S (II. 13), HSC (p. 205) say that fourteen
(14) ns are important. Even among these, there are differences with regard to
the names of particular ns.
YY (IV. 56 cd) is of the opinion that there are seventy two thousand
(72,000) ns in this body :

ogoVgh{fw
$&& .

ZmS>r_mJ}fw

gMa{V

It (IV. 26 cd - 28 ab) enumerates fourteen (14) principle ns as below.

(i) suum, (ii) i, (iii) pingal, (iv) sarasvat, (v) kuh, (vi)
gndhr, (vii) hastijihv, (viii) vivodar, (ix) vru, (x) yaasvin,

payasvin,4

(xi)

(xii) p, (xiii) akhin and (xiv) alambu.

But with regard to the three important ns there is no difference of
opinion among the Yogic texts. These are suum, pingal and i.
Even among these three, suum is acclaimed as the most important
among the ns by all the texts, including YY. This is also said to be the road to
liberation. YY (IV. 29 cd) says :

_wo$_mJ}oV gm m{$m gwfwwUm

odYmnaUr $&&
b) Origin of the ns in the human body :
There are three different opinions among the Upaniads and Yogic texts
regarding the location of ns in the physical body from where all these ns
orginate.
(i) The Brh. up. (IV. 2.3), Ch. up. (VIII. 6.6) and Kaha up. (VI. 16)
opine that the ns arise from the heart.5
(ii) Advayatraka up. (5), Maalabrhmaa up. (II. 6),
Yogaikha
up. (V. 17 ab) and Mnasollsa of Surevara (IV. 24) suggest that the
ns orginate at the mldhra around suum.
(iii) Kurika up. (8), Darana up.6 (IV. 5), Dhynabindu up. (V.
50), Yogacmai up. (V. 15- 5), Varha up. (V. 20 - 2) and ilya up.
(I. 9) express the view that suum and other ns orginate from the Kanda.

HR (IV. 36) says hamsin in the place of payasvin. GS (II. 25 - 27) omits
sarasvat, vru, vivodar and payasvin. HSC quotes tmapura on this topic
which describes the same fourteen nas as given in YY.
Suum is the chief of all the nas. Syaa, the celebrated commentator on the
Vedic texts, while commenting on Taittirya Arayaka (20.20.8) says that Suum
lies in the heart.
This Upaniad contains unique description of separate deity for each ni.

c) Position of the ns in the human body :

There are not much differences with regard to the position of the ns.
I and pigal are on the left and right sides of suum. These three are
respectively equated to the rivers Gag, Yamun and Sarasvat
respectively,

in

Yogic

texts. For example,

HYP (III. 110) says:

BS>m ^JdVr Jm o[bm `_wZm ZXr $&

HR (IV. 39 cd - 40) repeats the same and adds :

gadVr gwfwUm{$m .........$&&

YY (IV. 33) says that i and pigal are the Sun and the Moon and they are
tmasika and rjasika in nature.
The following chart gives the description of position of the principal
fourteen (14) ns as given in YY (IV. 31 - 45)
Name of the n
Extent of the n

Position of the n

1. Suum

Middle of the Kanda

Extends upto crown of the head

2. I

Left side of the suum Extends upto the tip of the

left nostril

3. Pigal

Right side of the suum Extends upto the right nostril

4. Sarasvat

On the side of the

suum

5. Kuh
suum

On the side of the suum

Extends upwards upto the

tongue
From the front of the

upto generative organ.

6. Gndhr

Back side of i

Extends upto the left eye.

7. Hastijihv

Side of the i

Extends upto the tip of the left

big toe

8. Vivodar

Between kuh
and hastijihv

Middle of the stomach

9. Vru

Between yaasvin
and kuh

Spreads every where above and

below suum

10. Yaasvin 7 -

Extends on the right sides upto

the big toe

11. Payasvin 8 Between p and sarasvat

12. P

Back side of pigal

Extends upto the right ear

Extends on the right side

upto the eye

13.akhin

Between gndhr

Extends upto the left eye

and sarasvat
14.Alambu

Below the centre of

Extends downwards from

kanda

the root of the anus.

It may be noted that while many of the Yogic texts (HYP, GS, S and Gh.S)
do not contain the details on the position of the ns, Mnasollsa a
commentary by ri Surevarcrya on the text Dakinamrtistotra of his
guru ri akarabhagavadpda, not only narrates these details, but also gives
the

details

of the function of each of the ns.

It is interesting to note that Patajali mentions in this YS (III. 32) only
krma n, which does not find any reference in YY or later texts on
Hahayoga.9
3. Subtle Body :
a) The abode of pra and jva :

According to HSC (p. 276) which quotes tmapura on this topic, yaasvini lies
between p and sarasvat.
Payasvin, according to HSC referred to above lies in between sarasvat and
gandhr.
The na through which the sub - pra called krma passes is krma na. It is
situated in the chest, below the throat. (p. 292, Rjayoga by Swami Sivananda).

According to YY (IV. 18 - 20) says that in the nbhi (navel), a cakra with
twelve spokes10 arises. Just as a spider moves around in its web (cage of thread),
the jva, instigated by the results of its merits and demerits moves around this
cakra. In the lower part of this, pra moves.
b) Kualin
Patajali as well as ancient Upaniads do not refer to Kualin. But
YY refers to Kualin and its shape.11 YY (IV. 21 - 4) says that above the nbhi
cakra (mentioned already), is the location of the Kualin. It resides above,
below and on the sides of the nbhi. Its nature is of eight aspects. 12 It is of
circular shape (and hence the name) ; it obstructs the movements of pra, water,
food etc. from all directions of the kanda and covers by its face, the way to
Brahmarandhra (crown of the head).
By the practice of Yoga13, when the apna vyu (air) along with the fire
moves up, Kualin which is like a serpent gets awakened and shines brightly
in the heart. YY (VI. 68 - 70) also expresses similar view.
(c) Region of fire / sun :
YY (VI. 68 ab) refers to savitmaala (region of the Sun) in the
nbhi (navel). The gastric fire vaivnara is said to reside in the nbhi (VI.
69).
S (II. 33) also presents the same idea of YY, when it says :

gy`_Sb_`W:
X{e{ db`o: $&&

........

dpV

HSC (p. 211) while elaborating on this topic refers to YY and says :

10

11
12

13

In popular texts on Yoga and Tantra, only the cakra at the heart has twelve spokes and the
one at nbhi is maipraka which has ten spokes.
The description of Kualin is the same in Ahirbudhnyasamhit, XXXII. 11
Perhaps this refers to the five basic elements viz., earth, water, air, fire and space and
mind, intellect and egoism. Bh.g (VII. 4) says that these eight constitute the prakti.
YY does not refer to the practice.

`
Ed
gy`:
g
Ed
`WH$mUdm`m{a[mZmoXZm_
oH$`mVaH$aUmV$&

Ao:

From this we understand that the region mentioned by YY can be for both
Srya and Agni ; to HSC, Srya is Agni ; Agni is Srya.
3. Cakra / Padma :
Cakra (wheel) or padma (lotus) is the seat of specific power. According to
Georg Feuerstein14, cakra denotes the phycho-energetic vortices forming the
major organs of the body composed of life energy (pra). These esoteric
structures are also often referred to and graphically depicted as lotuses (padma,
kamala).
Even during Vedic period the knowledge of the cakras were known to the
saints. The Atharva Veda (X. 2.31) says that this body is made of eight cakras and
nine holes, where the deities reside :

Am
MH$m
[ya`m{`m$&

Zdmam

X{dmZm

Taittirya rayaka (I. 27 - 2) also expresses similar view.

The eight cakras are (i) mldhra, (ii)

svdhihna, (iii)

maipraka, (iv) anhata, (v) viuddhi, (vi) j, (vii) lala and (viii)
sahasrra. Sahasrra is also known as Brahmarandhra. In Tantric texts and
some

Yogic

texts

each

cakra is explained in detail.

Patajali does not refer to any of the above cakras by name. However he
refers to nbhi cakra specifically by the term cakra.15

14
15

Encyclopedic Dictionary of Yoga, p. 72.

YS. III. 30 : Zmo^MH{$ H$m``yhkmZ_ $&

10

He refers to two other parts of the body where mental focus has to be made.
They are kahakpa and mrdhajyoti.16 These may refer to viuddhi and
sahasrra cakras.
YY also does not refer to any of the well known cakras by name. In the
YY, only one cakra is mentioned and that is n/nbhi cakra which is not a
cakra in the conventional sense. While describing the position of kanda in the
human body YY (IV. 18 - 9 ab) says :

V_` Zmo^na`w$
Zm^m MH$g_wd: $&
mXema`wV V V{Z X{h: oVoV:
$&&
MH{$@p_Z ^_V{ Ord: .......$& 17
It can be seen from this verse that this nbhi cakra, which is called the
base - cakra of the jva18, contains twelve spokes. This is in contrast with the
view of the texts on Yoga that the cakra (or padma) at the navel is maipraka
and
it has ten spokes. According to them, only the anhatacakra situated in the
heart has twelve spokes.
YY speaks of two other cakras, but calls them as padmas. One is at the
heart, termed as hdpadma and the other at the head termed as
irapadma.
But the description of both of them differ from the traditional view expressed in
Yogic and Tantric texts.
(i) hdpadma (Heart - lotus) :

16

17
18

ibid., III. 31 : H$RHy$[{ jwp[[mgmoZdom:& and III. 33 :

_yY`m{oVofogXeZ_ $&
cf. Ahirbudhnya samhit, XXXII. 8
YY (IV. 20) : Ord` _ybMH{$@p_Z ........&

11

YY refers to this in two places and in both the places it says that this lotus
has eight petals.
YY (IX. 12) says :

X[{@Xbm{[V{ ......
YY (IX. 35) reads :

AW
dmXbm{[{V{ H$oUH$mH{$gampdV
{ $&
CoX`m^m{O{ .......
According to Yogic and Tantric tradition, the lotus in the heart contains
twelve petals. But the view expressed in YY also finds support in some Agamic
texts. For example, in the Yogapda of Siddhntasrvali, a well known
text on aiva gama by Trilocancrya, the same idea is found. It says (vv.
119) : XXb`wH$ .
(ii) irapadma (The lotus at the head) :
YY (IX. 37 ab) mentions about irapadma having sixteen petals and
facing down-wards.

fm{SeNX g`w$oea: [mXYm{_wImV

$&
YY (VII. 8 - 11) talks of eighteen vital points (marmasthnas) ,
including of nbhi (navel), kathakpa (the throat-pit), bhrmadhya (midpoint of eyebrows), lala (fore head) and mrdh (crown of the head).
According to traditional views, cakras (padmas) are located in these
places ; they are maipraka in the nbhi ; viuddhi in kahakpa.
j in bhrmadhya ; lalacakra in lala ; sahasrra in mrdh.
YY
refer to any of these cakras.

does

not

12

4. Ten vyus and their functions in the body :

According to many texts on Yoga, and gama, there are ten different
airs (vyus) inside the body. They are located at different places and perform
different functions to maintain the body without diseases. If one of them is
disturbed, a particular disease may occur to that person. Some popular texts like
HYP, HR, Gh.S do not discuss anything. Texts like YY, GS, S, and HSC
describe this elaborately.
The ten vyus are : (i) pra, (ii) apna, (iii) udna, (iv) samna, (v)
vyna, (vi) nga, (vii) krma, (viii) kkara, (ix) devadatta

and (x)

dhanajaya.
The first five are known as pacapr and the later five as
upapr

(sub-pras).

Even

in

the

early

Vedic

Samihts

and Upaniads references on the five main pras are available.

Among these ten, pra is the most important. S (III. 3 ab) says that it is
only pra which has different names according to its different functions :

mU` dom^{X{Z Zm_moZ

ododYmoZ M &
By mastering pra, everything is mastered.19
The details of the locations and functions of these vyus as given in YY
(IV. 47 - 71) are given below :
(i) Pra :
Location : Between nose and jaws ; centre of the heart, centre of the navel,
big toe and surrounding Kualin, below the kanda.
Function : Inhalation, exhalation, coughing. Also separates food20, rasa.
(ii) Apna :
19

20

Different techniques of mastering the pra as described in YY have already been

discussed in Chapter IV, under the section Prayma.
cf. Bh. g. (XV. 14) : Ah dmZam{ ^ydm moUZm X{h_molV:$&
mUm[mZg_m`w$: [Mm` MVwodY_ $&&

13

Location : Anus, generative organ, thighs, knees, stomach, testicles, shank,

hip and navel.
Function : Excretion.
(iii) Udna :
Location : All joints, in legs and hands.
Function : Rising and bending.
(iv) Samna :
Location : Whole body.
Function : Nutrition (growth of the body)
(v) Vyna :
Location : Between the ears and the eyes, sides of the neck, ankles, nose,
throat, buttocks.
Function : Taking in and giving out.
Starting from the nga, the locations of the five individual vyus have
not been given in YY. It only says tvagasthydiu (skin and bones) as the
common location of all these five vyus. YY, however, gives the functions of
these individually :
(vi) Nga : Belching, vomitting etc.
(vii) Krma : Opening and closing of the eyes.
(viii) Kkara : Sneezing.
(ix) Devadatta : Laziness.
(x) Dhanajaya : Swelling and all other functions.

14

It is interesting to compare the views of different texts on this subject.

The following two charts describe the locations and functions of these ten
vyus as described in YY, GS, S and HSC.
The YY gives more information on the subject of the location and functions
of ten vyus rather than the other texts. HSC, which owes its information to YY,
goes on to explain the process of mastering each of the ten vyus ; also it ascribes
some colours for each vyu (for the sake of meditation).
It may be noted that Patajali talks about three vyus viz., pra,
udna and samna in his YS. Regarding pra , he does not give any
exclusive reference except for mentioning the term prayma.
About udna, he says (YS. III. 40) :

CXmZO`mV
Ob[>H$QH$moXdg
CH$mpV $&
By acquiring mastery over udna, (the Yogi) will not have any contact
with water, mud, thorns and others and can die at will (i.e. he is not affected by
these).
With regard to samna YS (III. 41) says :

g_mZO`mdbZ_

&
By mastery over samna (he) obtains effulgence.
Thus it can be seen that YY discusses many topics which are not
given in Patajalis YS. A notable aspect of YYs description of the
agayoga of Patajali and other practices like nuddhi is that it
insists on yama and niyama to be observed before practising other techniques.
Also it insists on following ones dharma as enjoined in the scriptures. These
aspects are also not found in later texts.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

15

1. Atharaveda, Svdhyayamandal, Pardi, 1943.

2. Bhadrayaka Upaniad, Advaita rama, Almora, 1950.
3. Ahirbudhnya Samhit (Vol. II) ed. by M.D. Ramanujacarya, Adyar
Library,
Chennai, 1916.
4. Bhadyogiyjavalkyasmti (Text) ed. by Swami Kuvalayananda and
Pt. R.S.Kokaje, Kaivalyadhama, S.M.Y.M. Samiti, Lonavla, (Poona) 1976.
5. Hahasaketacandrik of Sundaradeva (ms. No. R. 3239), G.O.M.L.,
Chennai.
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Arthamuru,
E. Godavari Dt. A.P., 1982.
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of

Svtmrma

(with

Jyotsn

of

Brahmnanda), The Adyar Library and Research Centre, Chennai, 1975.

8. Bhagavadgt, Git Press, Gorakhpur, 1949.
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Gorakasahit, Samskriti Samsthan, Bareli (U.P.), 1974.

12.

Jyotsn, - See Hahayogapradpik.

13.

Mnasollsa of Surevarcarya, Com. on Dakimrtistotram,

Bhrt Vijayam Press, Chennai, 1965.

14. Ptajala Yogastrai A.S.S. No. 47, Pune, 1919.
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Rja Yoga by Swami Sivananda, Divine Life Society, Rishikesh, 1950.

17.

ivasamhit - Samskriti Samsthan, Bareli, (U.P.), 1975.

16

18.

Taittirya rayaka, A.S.S. No. 36, Pune, 1898.

19.

Vasiha

Samhit

(Yogaka),

ed. & Transl. by Swami

Digambarji, Pitambhar Jha and G.S. Sahay, Kaivalyadhama S.M.Y.M. Samiti,

Lonavla, (Poona) 1984.
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Yoga Upaniads (a collection of twenty upaniads with com. by

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Yogayjavalkya ed. by P.C. Divanji, B.B.R.A. Society, Monograph No.

3, Bombay, 1954.
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Feurstein, Georg. Encyclopedic Dictionary of Yoga, Paragon House New

York, 1990.
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Journal of Oriental Research, Vol. LXXI - LXXIII, The K.S.R.I., Chennai,

2003.