A Review of Netra Sharira
A Review of Netra Sharira
A Review of Netra Sharira
ABSTRACT Akshi:
Netra is one of the jnanendriyas with high importance. Source of reaching or seeing.g. Eye is more luminous
Without eyes, the whole world will be dark and life than the other parts of the body. As + Kshi - means,
will be meaningless. It is dominant of tejo mahabhuta. which grasps objects
If Tejo mahabhuta does not enter in to dristi during
garbhawa kala, than the child born will be having Chakshu:
janmandhya. Nayana, Chakshu, Lochana, Drik, Responsible for sight. Darshanendriya. Eye, vision,
Darsanendriya are some of the synonyms of netra. faculty to see, Lord Shiva, name of Maruta, Sage, Sun
There 5mandala, 5patala, 6sandhis,
sandhis, peshi, marma, sira etc.
in eyes. Different Acharyas have their own view in
the utpatti of Netra during garbhawastha kala. Chakshin – „Chakshate
Chakshate yena Chakshu.
Chak
Different parts of netra signify the panchabhautika
composition. Drishti : Source or tool with which one sees The
word „Drishti‟ has different meanings in Ayurvedic
Keyword: Netra, Teja, Janmandhya, texts including Netra, Drishti Mandala, Netrakriya
Panchabhautikata (vision), Ateendriya, Darshana etc
Etymology: Pat + “Klach” pratyaya- Which means a According to Sushruta, the disease Timira vitiates the
layer, veil, covering chest, membrane especially of the first Patala, followed by second, third and fourth
eyes, a film over the eyes.. So it can be considered as Patalas. Therefore the first Patala is considered as the
the layers of the eyeball35. There are 6 Patalas in the outermost and the fourth Patala is considered as the
eyeball – 2 Vartma Patalas and 4 Akshi Patalas. The innermost Patala. But the commentary given by
pathogenesis of Drishtigata
shtigata Rogas, especially Timira Dalhana did not correspond to it and he has reversed
has been described in terms of involvement of the relative position of each Patala. Dalhana Describes
successive Patalas. The prognosis of the disease also „Kalakasthi Ashrita‟ Patala as the first Patala and
depends upon the involvement of respective Patala. considers it as innermost. According to him, the
Sushruta considers different Akshi Patalas and their second Patala is Medoashrita, third Patala is
constituting factors are as follows36. Mamsashrita and the fourth Patala is Tejojalashrita.
This description can be considered as a
The outermost first patala is supported by Tejas & misinterpretation from Dalhana. Actually he had
Jala; the second one consists of Mamsa, the third misunderstood the word „Abhyantara‟ given by
Patala is described as „Medoashrita‟ and the fourth Sushruta in the description of Prathama Patalagata
Patala is „Asthyashrita‟. Their thickness is equal to Timira and considered the first Patala as the
one-fifth of the Drishti36. Dalhana has described thefirst Abhyantara (innermost) Patala. According to some
or outermost Patala as “Tejojalashrita”. According to other scholars, the Patalas can be taken as the layers
Dalhana, the word Teja means Alochaka Pitta and so of the cornea. They quote Vagbhatta to justify their
Siragata Rakta can be taken as Teja. Jala, according to opinion. While describing the prognosis of the disease
him implies Rasa Dhatu. So it can be considered that „Kshata Shukla‟,, it has been said
s that the disease is
the first Patala is the Ashraya for Rasa and Rakta Kricchra Sadhya when it occurs in the first Patala.
Dhatus. There the word „Twak‟ is used for Patala. When the
disease involves the second Patala, it becomes Yapya
According to some scholars, the Prathama Patalas can and Asadhya when it involves the third Patala. As the
be taken as Cornea and Aqueous humour; as they are disease „Kshata Shukla‟ is limited to the cornea
the seat of Tejas and Jala. The 2nd Patalas, which is only, these Patalas can be taken as successive layers
Mamsashrita, can be taken as Iris and Ciliary body. of the cornea. There is one other view in which the
Both iris and ciliary body are mesodermal in origin Patalas are taken as different layers of the lens itself.
and contain muscles tissue. The 3rd Patala or To justify this, they argue that the lens is the only
Medoashrita Patala can be taken as Lens & Vitreous structure where the changes of the diseases Timira,
humour, as lens is explained as 3rd patala for its Kacha and Linganasha are taking place. They
position next to uvea & vitreous is a jelly like consider the anterior lens capsule as the first
fir Patala
structure
tructure which resembles medas (fat). The 4th Patala and nucleus as the fourth Patala.
or Asthyashrita Patala can be taken as Retina, as it is
the seat for Linganasha. Their opinion can be According to some other views, the Patalas can be
summarized as follows: taken as different layers of retina. There is third Patala
1st Patala Cornea & Aqueous humour, 2nd Pa Patala Iris involvement for the diseases Pittavidagdha Drishti
and Ciliary body, 3rd Patala
ala Lens & Vitreous humour, and Kaphavidagdha Drishti. These are the diseases
4th Patala Retina. where
here patients complain of day blindness and night
blindness respectively. As these diseases occur due to
degeneration of rods and cones. The Patalas can be
Disscussion: References:
Netra is one of the jnanendriyas with high importance. 1. Shastri Ambika Dutta.. Susruta Samhita
Samhit of
Without eyes the whole world is dark and life is Maharshi Susruta. Varanasi: Chaukhamba
meaningless. Netra,, Nayana, Lochana, Drik, Chakshu, Sanskrit Sansthan; 2017.
Darsendriya are some of the synonyms of netra.
2. Shukla Vidhyadhara Tripathi Ravi Dutta. Caraka
Chakshu it is derieved from “Chaksh” root which
Samhita of Agnivesa: New Delhi: Chaukambha
means darshana or sight. Netra performs both roopa
Sanskrit Pratishthana; 2012.
grahana and buddhigrahana as it is the seat of
Aalochaka pitta. It is predominant of Tejo mahabhutas 3. Murthy Srikantha K R. Astanga Samgraha of
so there is always fear of kapha to eye. When teja Vaghbhata: Varanasi: Chaukhamba
Chauk Orientalia;
doesnot enterr to drusti during garbhawakala
garbhawakala, 2012.
Janmandhya occurs. Regarding the utpatti of netra 4. Murthy Srikantha K R. Illustrated Susruta
various Acharyas have different views .Some say Samhita: Varanasi: Chaukhamba Orientalia; 2012.
during 3rd month of gestation, some say the first organ
to develop and some say the subtle of all indriyas will 5. Shankar Udaya. Text Book of o Shalakya
be present during formation of garbha. As whole Tantra(Illustrated): Chaukhamba Visvabharathi;
world is made of mahabhutas, netra and its various 2012.
parts signify their panchabhautika compositio
composition. Netra 6. Biswal Adikandaa Routray Rasmita. A Text Book
is the Prasada bhaga of majja dhatu hence majja of Shalakya Tantra. New Delhi: Chaukhamba
khasaya and vruddhi shows impact on netra. There are Publications; 2015.