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Jaina Biology
According to modern Biology, "twelve pairs of nerves originate in different parts of the brain and innervate primarily the sense-organs, muscles and glands of the head. The same twelve pairs, innervating similar structures, are found in all the higher vertebrates-reptiles, birds and mammals, fish and amphibia have only the first ten. Like all nerves these are composed of neurons, some have only sensory neurons, some are composed almost completely of motor neurons and others are made up of both sensory and motor neurons."27
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As explained in the Suśruta, the cranial nerves are as follows: "(1) Four pairs of sensory nerves carrying sensory impulses from the sense-organs to the heart, viz. the optic, auditory, olfactory and gustatory nerves, 28 and (2) six pairs of motor or mixed nerves, e. g. three pairs of motor nerves for the eye (Motores oculorum, Pathetic and Abducentes) working on the levator palpebrae and other muscles of the orbit; one pair of motor nerves for articulation (the Hypoglossal); one pair of motor nerves for the larynx the pheumogastric), and another pair connected with mammae and (in the case of the male) the seminal duct".29 Other motor or sensori-motor impluses are carried by some of these cranial nerves, viz. those which produce sighs and sobs, yawning, laughter, and hunger. Evidently some of the functions of the pneumogastric and the spinal accessory nerves are intended, as also phrenic and other nerves of the servical plexus".
Spinal Nerves :
All spinal nerves are mixed nerves, having motor and sensory components in roughly equal amounts, as they are suggested by the reference in Jaina Biology to Iḍa, Susumna and Pingala nãḍis30 along the spinal cord. The Susumna is the cenrral cord in the vertebral column, 26a Pannavana 15, Indriyapada, Samthaṇad aram. Putthadaram and Pävitthadaram, etc. 27. Biology, p. 366.
28.
Urddhvagahgabḍar upara sagandhapraśväsochva savijṛmbhitakṣuddhasitakathitaruditādiņvisesän abhiva hautah sariram dharayanti ta stu hrdayamabhipratipannāstridha Jayante tastrimsat täsantu vatapittakaphagonitarasan dve dve vahatastadasa gat darūparasagandhān aştabhirgṛhnite dvabhyam bhasate, dvabhyam ghoşam..karoti/dvabhyam svapiti /dvābhyaṁ pratibudhyate/dve ca asruvahinyau / dve stanasamśrite te eva gukram harasya stanābhyam abhivahatah //" Here Dhamanis act as nerves. Suśruta, Sarirasthana. Chap. IX.
29. The Positive Science of the Ancient Hindus, p. 218.
30. "Etto näḍiddaram, nadi ca tiha bhanamti tavviuno.
Padhama iḍā para piṁgala y taiya
Susumaņa ya (3123)", Samvega Ramgasala, p. 243 "see Yogasästra of Hemacandra "Ida ca pingala caiva susumna ceto nadikah.....(61)
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