Left Atrium Metaphorized (II): The Ocean and the Waters

The left atrium is the ocean[H1] . It contains an enormous quantity of “water” (see below). (The orb of the moon (left atrium) is said to be only “congealed water.”)

Oxygenated blood is the “waters.”

The pulmonary veins are oceans, containing “waters” (oxygenated blood).

The pulmonary vein oceans carry the (nectarine) waters (into the great left atrium ocean).

In the Vayu Purana, in the description of (the oceans surrounding Plaksa and other dvipas), the author clarifies on the increase and decrease in magnitude of the oceans. An ocean encompassing a dvipa is, in size, twice that of the previous one. The oceans are bodies containing copious amounts of water. 

In the Vayu Purana (49.131), we have the ocean being called “udadhi” on account of it being the store-house of waters:

udakasyādhānaṃ yasmāñca tasmādudadhirucyate

There are thus two distinct components: (1) the waters and (2) the ocean (containing that water). There is neither increase nor decrease in the amount of water. It remains the same. What changes is the “size” of the ocean. A simple analogy is applied—that of water being heated in a cooking pot. Just as the same water swells and expands in size with the increase in temperature, so also the (same) water in the ocean swells (49.128):

ukhāmyamagnisaṃyogāt jalamudricyate yathātathā mahodadhigataṃ toyamudricyate tataḥ

We have, also, in the Visnu Purana:

In this manner the seven island continents are encompassed successively by the seven oceans, and each ocean and continent is respectively of twice the extent of that which precedes it. In all the oceans the water remains at all times the same in quantity, and never increases or diminishes, but like the water in a caldron, which, in consequence of its combination with heat, expands, so the waters of the ocean swell with the increase of the moon. The waters, although really neither more nor less, dilate or contract as the moon increases or wanes in the light and dark fortnights.

This “swelling” of the waters comes about through the increase in the size of the water-body, the ocean.[1] The increase (and decrease) in the ocean again is the result of the waxing (and the waning) of the moon (49.129).

kṣayavṛddhirevamudadheḥ somavṛddhikṣayātpunaḥ

As one moves towards the alveolar zone, the “waters” (oxygenated blood) remain the same in volume; however are distributed across multiple, smaller oceans. Or: the same ocean expands in magnitude, as it were, (owing to increase in the number of pulmonary vein conduits) with the water remaining constant. The increase in the number of pulmonary vein conduits also represents the waxing of the moon and therefore, one may say: with the waxing of the moon, the ocean expands (although the volume of water remains constant); and reversely, with the waning of the moon, the ocean contracts (although the volume of water remains constant).

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[1] As one can observe from the actual situation below, this “increase in size” of the ocean is a rather figurative use of the term as it refers not to a literal increase but to an increase in the number of distribution channels (conduits).

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 [H1]Alternatively, the moon may not be represented as a ocean; it may simply be referred to as an orb of congealed water (oxygenated blood). Only the PV conduits may be referred to as oceans.

Left Atrium Metaphorized (I): The Moon and its Rays

The left atrium is the moon.

Oxygenated blood is amrta / soma.

The pulmonary veins are the rays / parts (kala) of the moon.

The moon’s rays are the carrier of nectar (into the moon). Or, the moon is the receptacle of nectar.

The moon waxes as one moves towards the alveolar zone; the number of its rays increases. (There are 10 rays / kalas at the segmental level.)

The moon wanes as one moves from the alveolar region towards the left atrium.

The left atrium could be represented as “moon with no ray” (amavasya); then, at the alveolar level, we would have “moon with all its rays” (purnima).

As the moon’s rays increase / the moon waxes, the total amount (volume) of amrta does not increase; the same amount is distributed across the rays / parts.

Brahma is the Personification of the Brain in the Puranas

In his Six Systems of Hindu Philosophy (p. 383), F.M. Muller writes:

Manas, generally translated by mind, but really a kind of central organ of perception, acting as a door-keeper, meant to prevent the crowding in of perceptions, to arrange them into percepts...One might feel inclined to translate Manas by brain...

Muller might have been hesitant to translate manas by "brain," but, to the reader engaged in interpreting the symbols  and personalities of the Puranas through the (profoundly) microcosmic literature of Sankaradeva, it soon becomes pretty apparent that manas represents the brain, the "mind-organ," and that Brahma is the personification of it in the Puranic texts. 

Understanding a Microcosmic Painting: 1. Brahma is the brain. 2. The lotus is the trachea (or bronchial tree). 3. Ananta is the respiratory diaphragm. Visnu is purusa, the spiritual personality (in the microcosm). Brahma atop the lotus seems to indicate neural control of breathing.

The General Structure of the Universe

The general structure of the universe, the "cosmic egg" (brahmanda) in the Puranas is given below. The ancient philosophers of the body split up the microcosm into a number of regions known as "lokas." There are a total of fourteen lokas but the important ones are depicted in the following illustration:

Considering this structure of the universe, the statements of the Puranas would not appear to be so hyperbolic! Mt. Meru, for instance, does indeed reach up to heaven. The earth is indeed perched on a serpent!

The Anatomical Model of the Puranas

The anatomical model of the Puranas is a particular conception of the human body, the “micro-universe” or “microcosm,” which is seen as populated by millions of neural entities. These are the “men” of the universe who maintain this microcosm. The other elements of the microcosm are regarded as some sort of passive entities or of lower categories (such as birds, beasts, etc.). Venous “rivers,” arterial “trees,” cartilaginous “mountains” form the landscape. The neural entities engage in the “work” of subsistence—primarily the cardio-respiratory work (which sustains the jiva)—in such a microcosmic world. They enter into a relationship of mutual benefit with the higher neural entities (devas) which are the controlling entities of the anatomical structures such as the “sun” (trachea), the “moon” (esophagus), etc., and do “food production” (respiratory metabolism) to sustain themselves. It is the “active” neural entities that operate on the “natural resources” of the creation.
The arteries provide the required nourishment to the neural entities. They are the goddesses, the “plants,” the “mothers” who do the work of nourishing. In the sense that these are also fertilized, as it were, by the neural entities with oxygen, they are also the “wives!” The great artery or the aorta is the “great mother” which nourishes and sustains all of the life-forms in this universe. From this standpoint, the arteries are the saktis—the sustaining or the nourishing entities—that give strength to the agents to perform their duties effectively.
The different amsas or parts of the aorta could be the different manifestations of prakrti (such as Laksmi and Parvati). The great artery is therefore the microcosmic manifestation of prakrti. It may also be referred to by various other names such as Aditi, Prithivi, etc. As the mother nourishes the child, so also the artery, the neural entity.
The “creation” and “destruction” of the universe, in this microcosmic context, are metaphors applied to the cycle of breathing. Pravrtti and nivrtti seem to be tied to the cycle of breathing. “Dharma” is this respiratory dharma of the body of the jiva which enables the jiva to survive.