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Shira (शिरस्/शिरः) in Samskrt denotes head. In Ayurveda Shira is known as one of the 3 extremely significant marmas (seats of prana or life energy). A lot of discussion about anatomy, physiology of shiras and the various diseases, pathological processes related to it can be found in Ayurveda literature. In describing all these aspects, the viewpoint of Ayurveda of looking at it is quite different from that of modern/western medicine. The same has been described here.

Shira (शिरस्/शिरः) in Samskrt denotes head. In Ayurveda Shira is known as one of the 3 extremely significant [[Marma (मर्म)|marmas]] (seats of prana or life energy). A lot of discussion about anatomy and physiology of shiras along with various diseases, pathological processes related to it can be found in Ayurveda literature. While describing all these aspects, the viewpoint of Ayurveda of looking at it is quite different from that of modern/western medicine. The same has been described here.

== What is Shira according to Ayurveda ==

== What is Shira according to Ayurveda ==

प्राणाः प्राणभृतां यत्र श्रिताः सर्वेन्द्रियाणि च|

Shiras is also called as uttamanga in Ayurveda. Uttara means top or above and anga means a body part. Thus the part of body located in the topmost position is called as uttamanga. Also, uttama means best or of topmost quality/significance etc. Thus shiras is also known as that body part which is of topmost significance. The reason to call it of topmost significance is as follows,<blockquote>प्राणाः प्राणभृतां यत्र श्रिताः सर्वेन्द्रियाणि च| यदुत्तमाङ्गमाङ्गानां शिरस्तदभिधीयते||१२|| (Char. Samh. Su 17.12)</blockquote>Meaning: Shiras (head) is foremost among all organs as it is the part of the body where the life energy and all the vital centers of sensory and motor organs (indriyas) of a living-being are located. (Thus) It is vital (uttama) amongst all the other organs of the body.

यदुत्तमाङ्गमाङ्गानां शिरस्तदभिधीयते||१२|| (Char. Samh. Su 17.12)

Therefore it is clear that Shiras is the seat of all the sensory and motor organs according to Ayurveda. Also being one of the marmas, the life energy is also concentrated at this place. It indicates that, any injury to this part of the body will certainly affect indriyas, pranas and thus the entire life. It is also clear from the above discussion that, ancient Ayurveda scholars very well knew the level of seriousness of  neurological disorders, the center of all of which is situated in brain and nerves that are situated inside head.

 

Commentary-प्राणा इत्यादिनाऽङ्गेषु शिरःप्राधान्यं दर्शयन् प्रकृतशिरोरोगाणामेवात्यहितत्वं ^[१] दर्शयति; तेन नोत्सूत्रं शिरःप्राधान्याभिधानम्| श्रिता इव श्रिताः, शिर-उपघाते उपघातात्| उपरिष्टादङ्गमुत्तमाङ्गम्||१२||

=== Anatomy related Shiras ===

=== Anatomy related Shiras ===

Ayurveda acharyas have counted Shiras in one of the 6 angas knows as Shadangas in Human. <blockquote>तच्च षडङ्गं- शाखाश्चतस्रो, मध्यं पञ्चमं, षष्ठं शिर इति ||३|| (Sush. Samh. 5.3)<ref>Sushruta Samita Sharirasthanam Adhyaya 5 Sutra 3</ref></blockquote>'''Entrance or Gateway'''

 

द्वारं हि शिरसो नासा तेन तद् व्याप्य हन्ति तान्||८८|| Cha. Si 9.88

 

 

तच्च षडङ्गं- शाखाश्चतस्रो, मध्यं पञ्चमं, षष्ठं शिर इति ||३|| Sush. Samh. Sharirasthanam Adhyaya 5 Sutra 3)

चतुर्दशास्थ्नां सङ्घाताः; .....त्रिकशिरसोरेकैकः ||१६|| Su. Sha 5.16

Nose is counted as one of the bahirmukha strotasa (channel of passage for various body elements having opening on outer surface of body) along with 5 other such openings situated in head. The other 5 openings are 2 eyes, 2 ears and 1 oral cavity. <ref>Charaka Samhita Sharirasthana Adhyaya 7 Sutra 12-13</ref>

6 in number, kapala asthi Su sha 5.19-20

Shiras is known as one of the vital points or marmas. <blockquote>सप्तोत्तरं मर्मशतं यदुक्तं शरीरसङ्ख्यामधिकृत्य तेभ्यः| मर्माणि बस्तिं हृदयं शिरश्च प्रधानभूतानि वदन्ति तज्ज्ञाः||३||

प्राणाश्रयात्, तानि हि पीडयन्तो वातादयोऽसूनपि पीडयन्ति| (Char. Samh. chi 26.3-4)</blockquote>Total 107 marmas have been listed by Ayurveda scholars. Among them 3 are extremely significant and vital. Shiras is one of these 3 vital marmas. Since this is the seat of life energy any disturbance in this point will lead to disturbance in life in total.

सप्तोत्तरं मर्मशतं यदुक्तं शरीरसङ्ख्यामधिकृत्य तेभ्यः|

प्राणाश्रयात्, तानि हि पीडयन्तो वातादयोऽसूनपि पीडयन्ति| (Char. Samh. chi 26.3-4)

The internal structure of pathways of various sensory and motor organs along with seat of prana (life energy) is said to be present in a particular manner in Shiras. Ayurveda acharyas have explain this structure in a simplified way with the help of a similie. They say that, like the radiating spicules of the rays of sunlight that seem to be present far away somewhere from the sun but originate from only one center i.e. Sun, all these Indriyas and prana (life energy) are situated in Shiras but could be seen/manifested anywhere else over the body. <blockquote>शिरसि इन्द्रियाणि इन्द्रियप्राणवहानि च स्रोतांसि सूर्यमिव गभस्तयः संश्रितानि, (Ch siddhi 9.4)</blockquote>

 

 

पञ्च सन्धयः शिरसि विभक्ताः सीमन्ता नाम, तत्रोन्मादभयचित्तनाशैर्मरणं; Su sha 6 .27

 

नव महन्ति छिद्राणि- सप्त शिरसि, द्वे चाधः||१२||

 

एतावद्दृश्यं शक्यमपि निर्देष्टुम्||१३|| (Charaka Samhita Sharirasthana Adhyaya 7 Sutra 12-13)

 

शिरसि इन्द्रियाणि इन्द्रियप्राणवहानि च स्रोतांसि सूर्यमिव गभस्तयः संश्रितानि, (Ch siddhi 9.4)

 

Commentary- शिरस आश्रयत्वमाह- शिरसीत्यादि| इन्द्रियप्राणवहानि स्रोतांसि यद्यपि प्रदेशान्तरेऽपि भवन्ति ^[९] , तथाऽपि शिरसि विशेषेणैवैतानि प्रबद्धानीति सूर्यमिव गभस्तय इति दृष्टान्तेन दर्शयति| शिरआश्रयत्वं च यथोक्तस्रोतसां तदुपघातेन विशिष्टोपघातदर्शनादुन्नीयते|

Effect of head injury

Effect of head injury

तेषां त्रयाणामन्यतमस्यापि भेदादाश्वेव शरीरभेदः स्यात्, आश्रयनाशादाश्रितस्यापि विनाशः; तदुपघातात्तु ^[५] घोरतरव्याधिप्रादुर्भावः; तस्मादेतानि विशेषेण रक्ष्याणि बाह्याभिघाद्वातादिभ्यश्च||५|| ??Char. Samh. chi 26.3-4)

तेषां त्रयाणामन्यतमस्यापि भेदादाश्वेव शरीरभेदः स्यात्, आश्रयनाशादाश्रितस्यापि विनाशः; तदुपघातात्तु ^[५] घोरतरव्याधिप्रादुर्भावः; तस्मादेतानि विशेषेण रक्ष्याणि बाह्याभिघाद्वातादिभ्यश्च||५|| ??Char. Samh. chi 26.3-4)