Susruta Samhita - Mandhata Global

CHAPTER YII.
Now we shall discourse on the Sariram which treats
of the description and classification of Sira or vascular
system *
( ^ira-Varnana-Vibhaktinama
Sariram).
There are seven hundred Siras (vessels) in the
human organism (except those which cannot be counted
for their extremely attenuated size). The vessels
(Siras) by their contractibility and expansibility &c
sustain and nourish the organism in the same manner
as streamlets and canals serve to keep a field or a
garden moist and fruitful. From the principal or cen-
tral trunk hundreds of small and minute vessels branch
off and spread all over the body, just as small or minute
fibres are found to emanate from the large central vein
of the leaf of a plant. They originate from the umbili-
cal region and thence they spread all over the body up-
wards and downwards and obliquely. 2.
IVIemorable Verses :— All the Siras (vessels)
that arc found in the organisms of created beings, ori-
ginate from the umbilical region (Nabhi)+ and thence
they spread all over their bodies. The life of an or-
ganic animal is seated in the vessels surrounding its
navel which forms their starting point. The navel in
its turn rests on or is attached to the Franas (the life-
carrying vessels—nerves attached to it) in the same
* The Sanskrita term S'ira denotes veins, nerves, arteries and lympha-
lie vessels as well. Some read S'ird- Varna (different colours of the
Siras) in lieu of S'ira-varnana (description of S'iras).
t Most probably the idea is derive \ from the appearance of the S'iras
in their fcetal state.