Note: Nos. 1 to 5 making up a total of twenty-four are called the powers of the soul; whereas Nos. 6 to 17 making up a total of 72 which together with the above said 24(in 1 to 5) constitute 96 Tatwas.
The Siddhars school fully recognises these ninety-six Tatwas and further add that the human body is composed of 72,000 blood-vessels, 13,000 nerves, 10 main arteries, 10 vital airs(Prana), all together in the form of a net-work; and it is, owing to the derangement of the three humours becomes liable to 4448 diseases. This is well explained in the following verses from lswara’s Meignana Nadi:
of this ten vital airs, five play an important role in the physiological unetions necessary for the preservation of the physical body and they are:
1. Chief Prana - Regulates the respiratory system.
2. Apana - helps excretions from the lower organs, evacuation &
generation.
3. Vyana - Principle of circulation of energy throughout the entire nervous system.
4. Udana - regulates the function of higher organs of the brain.
5. Samana - the principle of digestion on assimilation.
Tatwa is the primordial and eternally existing basic essence.
The knowledge of Siddhars in this respect cannot be taken as abstruse speculations; and in their arguments, we can see evinced such depths of though, acumen and discernment as would lead one to think that their systems of logic or reasoning regarding the physiological principles are remarkably striking and interesting.
Now coming to the psychological aspect of the human body, we find that the five great elements of modern thinkers play a great part in the composition of the human body. According to Hindu conception, two more elements mix., Mind and Buddhi should also be taken into consideration. Each elements playing its own part goes to b ring about the harmonius working of the human and other animals bodies. There are, nine gates(ten in women) described for the play of forces of the five senses in the human body in which lives the soul commonly known as Jivatma a miniature representation of Paramatma, the universal soul in contra- distinction to the former. The human body is therefore considered to be a temple of God.
There are in our body several supports to the soul for the existence and continuation of life; and these supports are closely connected by Prana. Siddhars attach much more importance to this Prana which is the Life principle of the Universe absorbed and specialised b y every human being. This Prana stimulates the two very active centres viz. the brain and the heart. The positive matter flows along the vertebral column and is gathered up in the Medulla oblongata and this flow we call Sushumna, and it stimulates the spinal column with all its ramifications; Pingala is the channel for the current which work in the right half of the body through the right sympathic system and Idakala is the channel for the currents working in the left half of the body or the left sympathetic. These channels of life-forces are called in Tamil Nadis. The forces of Prana which diverge from either way from these Nadis are only the ramifications and the nervous system is but the plexuses or webs(physical) for the play of the force of Prana through the physical body. As the Prana courses itself through, the lungs inspire, and as it recedes the process of exhalation sets in.