Nadivijnanam and Nadiprakasham

Author(s): J C Sikdar
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

Page 90

presentation of his work. He cautioned all that one could not acquire the knowledge of the science of pulse by study of the Sastra (Sastrapathanat ) or by Sastra (adhyapanadapi ). One becomes well-versed in the knowledge of the science of pulse by practice, such as, touching, feeling of the pulse of a patient etc,, with a full concentration of mind of yoga (Spiritual exercise) to know the movement of the pulse.
A Summary of the contents of Nadiprakasam (Chapterwrise)
Nadiprakasam of Sri Sankara Sen contains three Udoyta (Chapters). The first Udoyta consists of nine verses, dealing with the concept of the position of an imaginary tortoise situated in the naval regions of the male and female persons and the method of examination of the pulse of both the sexes.
Prathama udyotah (Chapter); Verses 1-6 describe that all the nerves of the human body are connected with the four legs of a tortoise situated in the neval region. This tortoise is urddhamukhah (having its face upwards) in the body of woman, while it is adhomukhah (having its face downwards) in the body of man.1
Due to this difference of the position of the tortoise in the neval region of both the sexes, the
(1) "Strinam urddhamukhah kurmah, puinsam adhomukhah". Nadiprakasam, Commentary, its upyotah. VV. 1-6
Introduction
69