Durvasa (innervator of the pulmonary artery?) garlanding Airavata is surely the "attaching" of the pulmonary arterial conduit to the “neck” of the lobar bronchus. Airavata is a dik-gaja and the four dik gajas are the lobar bronchi [Padma p. description of dik gajas helps in ascertaining the identity of these great "elephants;" they are the heaviest bronchi.]. The crushing and scattering of this garland by this king-elephant, the mount of Indra, one of the four higher neural entities (dik palas), would surely mean the splitting/ dichotomization of the great artery into (segmental?) branches. As Sankaradeva says in the Anadi Patana, the great elephants of the quarters always remain in a state of “arrogance” and “wildness.” Is Airavata the left inferior lobar bronchus, as this seems to be the direction (east) in which Indra is situated.
So, like in the other tales of the Puranas, the anatomy of the lungs is used to tell a story.
No comments:
Post a Comment