tasya khalvēvampravr̥ttasya śukraśōṇitasyābhipacyamānasya kṣīrasyēva santānikāḥ sapta tvacō bhavanti | tāsāṁ prathamā'vabhāsinī nāma, yā sarvān varṇānavabhāsayati pañcavidhāṁ ca chāyāṁ prakāśayati, sā vrīhēraṣṭādaśabhāgapramāṇā, sidhmapadmakaṇṭakādhiṣṭhānā; dvitīyā lōhitā nāma, ṣōḍaśabhāgapramāṇā, tilakālakanyacchavyaṅgādhiṣṭhānā; tr̥tīyā śvētā nāma, dvādaśabhāgapramāṇā, carmadalājagallīmaṣakādhiṣṭhānā; caturthī tāmrā nāmāṣṭabhāgapramāṇā, vividhakilāsakuṣṭhādhiṣṭhānā; pañcamī vēdinī nāma pañcabhāgapramāṇā, kuṣṭhavisarpādhiṣṭhānā; ṣaṣṭhī rōhiṇī nāma vrīhipramāṇā, granthyapacyarbudaślīpadagalagaṇḍādhiṣṭhānā; saptamī māṁsadharā nāma vrīhidvayapramāṇā, bhagandaravidradhyarśō'dhiṣṭhānā | yadētat pramāṇaṁ nirdiṣṭaṁ tanmāṁsalēṣvavakāśēṣu, na lalāṭē sūkṣmāṅgulyādiṣu ca; yatō vakṣyatyudarēṣu- ‘vrīhimukhēnāṅguṣṭhōdarapramāṇamavagāḍhaṁ vidhyēt’ (ci.14) iti ||4||
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तस्य खल्वेवम्प्रवृत्तस्य शुक्रशोणितस्याभिपच्यमानस्य क्षीरस्येव सन्तानिकाः सप्त त्वचो भवन्ति | तासां प्रथमाऽवभासिनी नाम, या सर्वान् वर्णानवभासयति पञ्चविधां च छायां प्रकाशयति, सा व्रीहेरष्टादशभागप्रमाणा, सिध्मपद्मकण्टकाधिष्ठाना; द्वितीया लोहिता नाम, षोडशभागप्रमाणा, तिलकालकन्यच्छव्यङ्गाधिष्ठाना; तृतीया श्वेता नाम, द्वादशभागप्रमाणा, चर्मदलाजगल्लीमषकाधिष्ठाना; चतुर्थी ताम्रा नामाष्टभागप्रमाणा, विविधकिलासकुष्ठाधिष्ठाना; पञ्चमी वेदिनी नाम पञ्चभागप्रमाणा, कुष्ठविसर्पाधिष्ठाना; षष्ठी रोहिणी नाम व्रीहिप्रमाणा, ग्रन्थ्यपच्यर्बुदश्लीपदगलगण्डाधिष्ठाना; सप्तमी मांसधरा नाम व्रीहिद्वयप्रमाणा, भगन्दरविद्रध्यर्शोऽधिष्ठाना | यदेतत् प्रमाणं निर्दिष्टं तन्मांसलेष्ववकाशेषु, न ललाटे सूक्ष्माङ्गुल्यादिषु च; यतो वक्ष्यत्युदरेषु- ‘व्रीहिमुखेनाङ्गुष्ठोदरप्रमाणमवगाढं विध्येत्’ (चि.१४) इति ||४||
Meaning of the śloka
As the developing mixture of shukra and shoNita is transformed, seven layers of skin are said to form like the film on milk. The first, avabhAsinI, displays all complexions and five kinds of shade; it is eighteen twentieths of a grain-width thick and is the site of sidhma and padmakaNTaka. The second, lohitA, is sixteen twentieths and is the site of tilakAlaka, nyaccha, and vya~gga. The third, shvetA, is twelve twentieths and is the site of carmadala, ajagallI, and maShaka. The fourth, tAmrA, is eight twentieths and is the site of various kilAsa and kuShTha disorders. The fifth, vedinI, is five twentieths and is the site of kuShTha and visarpa. The sixth, rohiNI, is one grain-width and is the site of granthi, apacI, arbuda, shlIpada, and galagaNDa. The seventh, mAMsadharA, is two grain-widths and is the site of bhagandara, vidradhi, and arshas. These measurements apply in fleshy regions, not the forehead or fine parts such as the fingers.
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prāṇasadbhāva ēva śukraśōṇitasya pariṇāmēna tvagādisambhava ityanantaraṁ tvagādivyākaraṇaṁ kurvannāha- tasyētyādi| tasya śukraśōṇitasya| ēvampravr̥ttasya bhūtātmādhiṣṭhitasya| tāsāmityādi| sarvavarṇān gaurādikān| avabhāsayatīti ‘bhrājakēnāgninā’ iti śēṣaḥ| pañcavidhāṁ pañcātmikāṁ, pañcamahābhūtakr̥tatvāt| caśabdāt prabhā'pi grāhyā| “āsannā lakṣyatē cchāyā prabhā dūrāt prakāśatē” (ca.i.7) iti tayōrbhēdaḥ| tasyāstvacaḥ pramāṇaṁ nirdiśannāha- sētyādi| vrīhiratra yavaḥ, pratyēkaṁ vrīhivistārasya viṁśatirbhāgāḥ parikalpanīyāḥ, tē cāṣṭādaśa bhāgā avabhāsinyāḥ pramāṇam, ēvaṁ vakṣyamāṇēṣvapi viṁśatibhāgēṣu ṣōḍaśaprabhr̥tayō bhāgā bōddhavyāḥ| aṅguṣṭhōdarapramāṇamiti ētēnaitaduktaṁ bhavati- saptānāṁ tvacāṁ samudāyēnāṅguṣṭhōdarapramāṇamasti; aṅguṣṭhōdaraṁ tu viṁśatitamabhāgōnaṣaḍyavapramāṇam||4||
Meaning of the commentary
The commentary says that skin and related structures arise through transformation of reproductive material only when the life principle is present. AvabhAsinI displays fair and other colors through bhrAjaka agni; shade is fivefold because it derives from five elements, and radiance is also included. Shade is visible nearby, whereas radiance is seen from a distance. Here vrIhi is interpreted as yava, whose width is divided into twenty parts; the layer measurements are fractions of that width. It further interprets a later surgical instruction to mean that the seven layers together measure just under six yavas at the pulp of the thumb.
Key terms
- avabhAsinI (avabhasini)
- The first skin layer, said to display complexion and shade.
- vedinI (vedini)
- The fifth layer, associated by name and context with sensation.
- rohiNI (rohini)
- The sixth skin layer in this sevenfold classification.
- mAMsadharA (mamsadhara)
- The seventh and deepest listed skin layer, described as supporting flesh.
- vrIhi/yava (vrihi/yava)
- The grain-based unit used for the stated thicknesses; the commentary interprets vrihi as yava.