WHY EYES ARE IMPORTANT AMONG ALL THE SENSE ORGANS..

1. SARVENDRIYANAM
NAYANAM
PRADHANAM
Dr.NIJIL A.V. BAMS
PG SCHOLAR MS (AYU)

2. Introduction
“Sarvasya gatrasya sirah pradhanam
Sarvendriyanam Nayanam Pradhanam
Shannam rasanam lavanam pradhanam
Bhavet paneeyan udakam pradhanam”.(Neeti satakam.- Chanakya)
Head is important among the body.
Eyes Are Important Among All Senses.
Salt is important among ‘6’ tastes.
water is important among liquids.
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3. All-out efforts should be made by men to protect the eyes throughout
the period of life ;For the man who is blind this world is useless, the
day and night are the same even though he may have wealth.
(A H.U.13/98)
Its proved that 80% of the knwoledge are gained through
vision(direct knowledge perception).
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 श्रोत्र त्वक घ्राणरसनै: श्रेष्टैरपि समन्वित:।
बलवणााध्युिेतो अपि नष्ट द्रुक कु ड्य सपिभ:॥ (च .सू ८/९)
If a person is endowed with all other sensory faculties, strength
,beautiful appearance,etc., but without eye sight , he will be as
useless as an insect.
Salakya tantra has got synonym as Caksurveda.
Salakya tantra is one among the ashtangas of Ayurveda and for
that it got a synonym like Caksurveda .it shows the importance
of the netra.

5. 5 In Sushrutha, Uttara sthana first chapter is about the netra.
On dalhana commentry he says,
 तत्र सवेषु उत्तमान्ग्स्थेषु सम्ख्यापिपभवााच्येषु नयनगत रोगापभधानम,
सवेन्वियाणाम मध्ये नयनस्य प्रधानत्वात ।
 Among the uttamangas as nayana is pradhaana so first
explains about the rogas affecting nayana.
 In sushrutha samhitha Uttara stana first 19 chapters are about
netra rogas and pratishedas.
 In Ashtanga Hridaya, 9 chapters of Uttarastana are
exclusively for netra rogas.

6. 6 In sharangadhara samhitha a chapter is for netra karma vidhi and
explains the different netra treatment methods and anjanas,
rasakriyas etc
 In vangasena eye diseases are described in a chapter with 575
slokas which is lengthiest one compared to other chapters.
 सौवीरमन्ग्जनम पनत्यम पितमक्ष्णस्ततो भजेत ।
चक्षुस्तेजोमयम तस्य पवशेषात श्लेष्मतो भयम ॥
योजयेत्सप्तरात्रे अस्मात्स्रावणारथम रसान्ग्जनम । (A H SU. 2/5 )
 Vagbhata mentioned Sauveeranjana as one of the dinacharya in
sutrastana 2nd chapter.
It shows the importance of netra to be preserved on daily basis as
anjana.

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 Vagbhata mentioned Asru vega as the one among the
adharaneeya vega,
If suppressed cause symptoms like िीनस, अपक्ष पशर ह्रुि वेिना,
मन्य्थम्भ, अरुपच, भ्रम. गुल्मा etc .
 Following are some of the prayers for normal functioning of
eye which is described in Yajurveda.
o चक्षुषे त्वा मिीना ियो अपस ।
o त्वा चक्षुषा िश्यापम ।
o चक्षुष्याअग्ने अपस चक्षुम िापि ।
o य आगन िुनश्चक्षु: ।
This shows how netra is to be protected, as its an important
indriya among all.

8. Anatomical aspects
 Netra is located in the Uttamanga (shiras).
 Eye is highly Sensitive Organ in the body (eg: A dust particle
create severe irritation).
 It is supplied by End Arteries.
 It is continued by Optic Nerve (2nd Cranial Nerve.).
 It has direct contact with Meningeal Layers Of Brain.
 It has two Avascular Structures (Cornea & Lens).
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9. Synonyms of netra are,
 Nayana Chakshu
 Akshi Netra budbuda
 Akshigolaka Nayana budbuda
 Netragolaka Drishti
 Linga Lingaakara
 Trimurti Shivashakti
 Trikala Bhutasaraka etc..
 Nayana is the only indriya which has got innumerous synonyms as
like this in classics.
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10. Ayurvedic view
Sushrutha acharya mentioned detailed anatomy of netra other than
any other organ in the body.
 Shape as , Suvrttham Gosthanakaram.
PANCHAMAHA BHUTA ( PANCHA BHUTA PRASADAJAM NETRAM )
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11. Dhathu relations
 Rasa -Eye Lids, Cornea, Tears, Aqueous Humour.
 Rakta -Vascular Coat Of Eye.
 Mamsa -Intra And Extra Ocular Muscles.
 Medas -Lens, Vitreous humour, Fat In The Orbital Cavity.
 Asthi -Bones Of Orbital Cavity, Part Of Naso Lacrimal Duct,
Nervous Coat.
 Majja -Eye Lashes, Eye Brows, Excreta Of Eye.
 Sukra -Luster Of Eye, Oiliness Over Eye Lids, Strength Of Eye.
As Nayana is composed of saptha dhathu in defferent level or parts its
considered as important.
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12. 12
Mandala-Sandhi- Patala (Layer-Joint-Segment)
 • Mandalas- 5, sandhis-6, patalas-6 in number.
 • Diseases of mandalas are described separately.
 • Disease of sandhis are described as a whole.
 • Patala gata diseases described under vartma gata , drishti gata,
sandhi gata diseases.
 • Sadhya- Asadhyata described based on depth of Patala.eg:
linganasa – 4th Patala.
 • Vagbhata says‘2’ siras of foot have their course up to eye, by
which applied sneha reaches to eye.

13.  Visual Path Way -
Cornea Aqueous Humour
Pupil Lens Vitreous
Humour Retina
Optic Nerve Optic Chiasma
Optic Tract Lateral Geniculate
Body Optic Radiations
Visual Cortex.
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VATA PITTA KAPHA
Prana - Dharana Ranjaka-
Chromatographores of
iris, pigmented layer of
retina
Tarpaka –
Aqueous humour &
vitreous humour, Tears
Udana – Bala , smriti Bhrajaka – Lids, cornea,
lens
Sleshmaka – B/w 6
sandhies in eyes
Vyana – Unmesha ,
Nimesha
Alochaka – Rods and
cones of retina
------
Doshas in netra

15.  Out of Gnyanendriyas all other 4 indriyas are depend on
vision & its previous memory to fulfill their function.
For eg; Tactile - It Cannot Differentiate With Out Vision if
pricked with Thorn / Needle.
 So netra is important among the indriyas.
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16. Pathological aspects
 Eye diseases are more in number than any other organs.
Acc. To Sushrutha – 76 eye diseases are told which is most number given
by Sushrutha for any organ.
And adopted 4 types of general and two types of specialised classification.
General classification On the basis of,
o predominance of dosha
o part of eye affected
o prognosis
o surgical treatment
The specialised classification includes;
o Eye injuries
o Eye diseases of children
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17. out of that acco. Part affected devided as,
Sandhigata rogas – 09
Suklagata rogas – 11
Vartamagata rogas - 21
Krishnagata rogas – 04
Drishtigata rogas – 12
Sarvagata rogas - 17
 Acc. To Vagbhata -- 94 in total
This shows the importance of netra which has got the maximum
number of diseases.
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18. 18 During Examination or Rogi pareeksha, Darshana pareeksha has
got an important role among all.
Eg-
1. Mutra Pariksha - Shapes Of Taila Bindu
2. Mala Pariksha - Colour
3. Ano Rectal Examination - Arsho Yantra Veekshana.
4. Twak - Eka Kushta, Sidhma Kushta etc
5. Vrana - Srava Varna ( Colour Of Discharge)
6. General examination - gait,bala,built,pallor,icterus,clubbing
etc
 From birth to death in diagnosis darshana pareeksha is used ,
ie,
Apgar scoring of new born Death conformation (dilation
of pupil)

19. Therapeutical aspects
Netra kriya kalpas are highly beneficial in netra chikitsa. It’s a
bahiparimarjana chikitsa and has several advantages over oral
administration
 Sushrutha samhitha has reserved a full chapter (Utta.18) to expound
kriyakalpa.
 Ashtanga Hridaya and sangraha have described these procedures in
two separate chapters entitled : ‘Ascyotana-anjana vidhi’ and
‘Tarpana-putapaka vidhi’
 Sarangadhara samhitha- ‘Netra prasadan karmani’ adhyaya.
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 By giving seperate chapter for these procedures of netra its
understood that how Netra is pradhana among the Indriyas.
 Treating through eyes give good result in some diseases such
as Shirashoola, Kamala, Sleeplesness etc .
 In good qualities of a doctor an Eagle Eye (In Diagnosis)
was described.

21. 21Marmas
अपान्ग:
भ्रुिुच्छान्तयोरधो अक्ष्णो बह्यतो अिन्ग्गौ |
Its वैकल्यकर ममा & पसरा ममा
आवर्त
भ्रुवोरुिरर पनम्नयोरावतो नाम |
Its वैकल्यकर ममा & सन्वि ममा
श्रुन्गाटक
घ्राण श्रोत अपक्ष पजह्वा सतिाणीयम पसराणाम मध्ये पसर सपििात श्रुन्ग्गाटकापन |
Its सध्यो प्राणहर ममत & पसरा ममा
 These three marmas are situated in and around netra & injury to this may
result in severe conditions & can lead to death of the person also.

22. Literary aspects
 Eye is the only organ to have a
Upanishad by its name “Chakshushya
Upanishad” .
 Indian writers used eye as a tool to
Praise Beauty of a person
eg: Padmaksha
 Naming the person with the name of
eye eg: Meenakshi, Kamakshi,
Lohithakshan,Nayana
 Psychological State of hero /villain was
narrated by the expression of eye
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23. 23EYE DONATION
Eyes are one of the most important sensory organ in human body
because it renders vision and the power to see. Visually impaired
people feel that their life is incompletes they can’t see things.
Corneal blindness is common among them . In these eye donation
can be done by replacing the cornea.
In this case from a person two blinds can get the vision.
NPCB
National programme for control of blindness.
Centrally sponsored scheme with the goal to reduce the prevalence of
blindness.
Launched in 1976 in india as the first country to launch the programme

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 Eyes are that best protect us from danger among all the sense
organs.
 Sight and vision help to connect people with their surrounding.
 Our world is filled with an extreme veriety of colours ,shape
and patterns.
 Our eyes are not just performing a task they are the portal
through which our brain can tell us about our world, learn new
things and make wonderful memories. All of which are reason
why vision is such an important thing to taken care of.
 Thus we can say that,
“SARVENDRIYANAM NAYANAM PRADHANAM”

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THANK YOU…