________________
184
Jaina Biology
a contractile vacuole, a small vesicle in the protoplasm which empties water from the interior of the cell as fast as it is taken in”. 36
"Earth worms have in each segment of their bodies a pair of specialized organs, called nephridia, which function in excretion" 37
"The excretory system of insects consists of organs called malpighian tubules. Waste products from the body cavity diffuse into these tubules and are excreted into the digestive tract, whence they are carried to the exterior with the undigested food”. 38.
The urinary systems of all the five-sensed vertebrates are essentially the same.39 It is to be noted here that the child developing in the mother's womb does not pass urine or faeces, 40 as the excretory system of it is non-functional at this stage. All its waste products go the stream of the blood of the mother wherefrom they are excretory systems of the mother. 41
The evolution of the urinary system is complicated by the fact that in many animals the reproductive system (U)pastha) has come to share some of the structures of the urinary system.42 so that several organs play, a dual role. This relationship is so close that according to modern Biology, "the two systems are frequently considered together as the urogenital system.”43
36. Biology, p. 331. 37. Biology, p. 335. 38. Ibid. 39. Ibid. 40. Tandula Veyaliya, 16, p. 35 ; Biology, p. 336. 41. Bhagavati Sutra 1.7, 61-2 ; Tandula Veyaliya, 3. p. 7.
"Jivassa ņam gabbhagayassa samānassa natthi uccärei vă pāsavaņci vā, etc. /" 42. (U)pasth is the genital, one of the nine orifices through which urine is excreted.
"DVārāṇyathātrāpi navaiva dehe 1/" Kalyāņakaraka, 3.5.
Mūtram saretaḥ sapurişaraktam sravatyadhastādvivaradvaye ca", Ibid. 3.11. 43. Biology, p. 336.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
