snayu are rope like fibrous structures which help to binds together the mamsa, asthi & medas in joints & different structures of the body and maintain the body postures by providing weight carrying capacity.

1. Snayu Sharira
Dr.Priyanka Poonia
Assistant Professor
Rachana Sharira dept.
NAMC, Agra

2.  The word Snayu formed from the
Root/dhatu- Sna
Prataya-Un & Yuk
Means – binding material.
 According to Vachaspatya & Siddant Kaumudi Snayu is a
strilinga shabda. It function is binding the body.
 स्थिरकठिनअवलंबन धातु: शरीरस्य यत्र प्रठतवधयन्ते मांस पश्येयन्ता स्नायव |(प्रत्यक्षशारीरम्)
 Asthi is hard and stable Dhatu which gives support to Mamsa,
Peshi and Snayu .
Introduction
Vyutapti of
term Snayu

3. स्नायु: इठत शाणाकार उपधातु ठवशेष: येन दनंठष नह्मते । (डल्हण)
स्नायवो बंधनं प्रोक्ता देहे मांस अस्थि मेदसाम् । (शां. पवव:)
तासां च सववशरीरावयवठनबन्धनं दशवयन्नाह | (डल्हण)
मांसठसरास्नाय्वस्थिजालाठन प्रत्येक
ं चत्वारर; ताठन मठणबन्धगुल्फससंठरितताठन
परस्परठनबद्धाठन परस्परगवाठक्षताठन चेठत, यैगववाठक्षतठमदं शरीरम् | (सु.शा.5/12)
Snayu are shanakar, rope like structures(just like a string of a bow).
Their main function is bandhana or binding. They bind together the
Mamsa(muscles), Meda (synovial joint) & Asthi (bones). Some are hairy
thin, have a network appearance & minute. They cannot be visible with
naked eyes.
Introduction

4.  क
े ठचत् अवसन्न सुठषर पयवन्ता: शणतलवत् स्नायु जालवन्तो दुदवषवना: । (सु.स.)
 Snayu are basically fibrous structures or their
modifications. These fibers are arranged in bundle like Shan
or Hemp fibres.
 They may be long straight, round, circular, porous, network
like or tendril or irregular shaped.
Shape

5. Synonymous
Following synonyms are used for Snayu
शणजक्षौमसत्राभ्ां स्नाय्वा बालेन वा पुनः | (सु.स.25/21)
 Shanaja- hard fiber
 Kshomasutra- hard thread
 Snayu- binding material
 Bala- hair

6. Embryological development
गर्वस्य क
े शश्मरितुलोमास्थिनखदन्तठसरास्नायुधमनीरेतःप्रर्ृतीठन स्थिराठण ठपतृजाठन |
(सु.शा.3/33)
मेदसःस्नेहमादाय ठसरास्नायुत्वमाप्नुयात् |
ठसराणां तु मृदुःपाकःस्नायनां चततः खरः | (सु.शा.3/33)
Developmentally the snayu is originated from pitraja bhava. When
meda dhatu undergoes metabolic process then sira & snayu are formed.
Siras are formed by mridu paka while snayu are formed by khara paka of
meda dhatu.

7. Snayu as Updhatu
रसात् स्तन्यं ततो रक्तमसृजः कण्डराः ठसराः|
मांसाद्वसा त्वचः षट् च मेदसः स्नायुसम्भवः|| (च. ठच.15/17)
During the formation of any Dhatu it will produce their own
upadhatu. Developmentally the medas dhatu undergoes metabolic
process (transformation), the major part of it convert into Asthi dhatu
& minor part forms Snayu upadhatu.

8. Functions of Snayu
नौयविा फलकास्तीणाव बन्धनैबवहुठर्युवता |
र्ारक्षमा र्वेदप्सु नृयुक्ता सुसमाठहता |
एवमेव शरीरेऽस्िन् यावन्तः सन्धयः िृताः |
स्नायुठर्बवहुठर्बवद्धास्तेन र्ारसहा नराः |
न ह्यथिीठन न वा पेश्यो न ठसरा न च सन्धयः
व्यापाठदतास्तिा हन्युयविा स्नायुः शरीररणम् || (सु.शा.5/33-35)
Just as a boat built with wooden planks placed side by side, when
tightly fastened by ropes in many ways becomes capable of carrying
weight in water, steered by a man, similarly the human body will be
able to carry weight, so long as the joints are fastened tightly by
Snayu in many ways. Neither Asthi, Peshi, Sira nor sandhi kills a
person when injured just as Snayu.

9.  स्नाय तुठववधा ठवद्यात्तास्तु सवाव ठनबोध मे |
प्रतानवत्यो वृत्ता पृथ्व्व्य शुठषरास्तिा || (सु.शा.5/30)
Depending upon size, shape, position of Snayu in the body total
Snayu is divided into four types. These are-
1.Pratana
2.Vrata
3.Prathu
4.Shushira
Snayu Prakara

10. Pratana Snayu
प्रतानवत्यः शाखासु सववसस्न्धषु चाप्यि | (सु.शा.5/31)
Pratana means a tendril, a shoot, a low
spreading plant.
These are long fibers & network shaped.
Located in extremities & joints of the body.
These have branching pattern & like a
creeper & tendrils.

11. Vrata Snayu
वृत्तास्तु कण्डराः सवाव ठवज्ञेयाः क
ु शलैररह | (सु.शा.5/31)
महास्नायोस्तु ‘कण्डरा’ इठत सञ्ज्ज्ञा (डल्हण)
Vrata means round or circular.
These are round/circular cord like
structure but large in size.
Also known as Kandra.
According to Bhavaprakash these are
also present in shakha & sandhi.

12.  षोडश कण्डराः-
 तासां चतस्रः पादयोः,
 तावत्यो हस्तग्रीवापृष्ठेषु; तत्र हस्तपादगतानां कण्डराणां नखा अग्रप्ररोहाः,
 ग्रीवाहृदयठनबस्न्धनीनामधोर्ागगतानांमेढ्रं,
 रितोठणपृष्टठनबस्न्धनीनामधोर्ागगतानां ठबम्बं,
 मधोरुवक्षोंऽसठपण्डादीनां च || (सु.शा.5/11)
These are round Snayu.
Total 16 in number.
Out of 16, 4 are present in Hasta(upper extremity), 4 in
Pada(lower extremity), 4 in Griva (neck) & 4 in Prasta (back).
Kandra

13. Prathu Snayu
पार्श्वोरठस तिा पृष्ठे पृिुला ठशरस्यि | (सु.शा.5/32)
 Prathu means broad, large, wider or great.
These are thick & flat in shape.
Located in trunk region( Parshava,Prasta &
Urah) & head region.
It may be fascia or aponeurosis of our body.

14. Shushira Snayu
आमपक्वाशयान्तेषु बस्तौ च शुठषराः खलु | (सु.शा.5/32)
Shushira means porous, hollow or cavity.
These are soft porous fiber with lumen.
Located at the ends of amashaya, pakvashaya
& basti.
These are muscles fiber which form the orifices
or sphincters of organs.

15.  नवस्नायुशताठन, तासां शाखासु षट्शताठन, द्वे शते ठत्रंशच्च कोष्ठे, ग्रीवां प्रत्यर्ध्वं सप्तठतः|
(सु.शा.5/29)
 नव स्नायुशताठन | (च.शा.7/14)
 स्नावनां नवशती | (अ.हृ.शा.3/17)
Acharya Caraka
Total 900
Acharya Susruta
600 in extremities
230 in trunk
70 in head & neck
Total 900
Snayu Sankha
Acharya Vagbhata
Total 900

16. S.N. Text books No.
1. Caraka Samhita 900
2. Astanga Hrudaya 900
3. Astanga Samgraha 900
4. Sharangdhara Samhita 900
5. Bhela Samhita 900
6. Susruta Samhita 900
7. Bhava-prakasha 900
Snayu Samkhya

17. एक
ै कस्यां तु पादाङ
् गुल्ां षस्ननठचता स्तास्रंशत्, तावत्य एव तलकचवगुल्फस
े षु, तावत्य एव
जङ्घायां, दश जानुठन, चत्वाररंशदरौ, दश वङ्क्षणे, शतमध्यधवमेवमेकस्िन् सस््थ्व्न र्वस्न्त;
एतेनेतरसस्ि बहू च व्याख्यातौ | (सु.शा.5/29)
 एक
ै कस्यां तु पादाङ् गुल्ां षस्नन-
 स्तास्रंशत्-
 तावत्य एव तलकचवगुल्फस
े षु-
 तावत्य एव जङ्घायां-
 दश जानुठन-
 चत्वाररंशदरौ-
 दश वङ्क्षणे-
 शतमध्यधवमेवमेकस्िन्-
 एतेनेतरसस्ि-
 बहू च-
Total 600 in extremities
(150× 4)
Same in Foot(30)
150 in one side of lower limb
Same in other (150)
Same in Arms (150-150=300)
Total 30 in 5 finger
6 in each finger
10 in Janu(knee)
40 in Uru(thigh)
10 in Vakshana(Hip region)
Same in Jangha, leg(30) 30+30+30+10+40+10=
150

18. Total 230 in Trunk
(60+80+60+30)
षठष्टः कट्ां, पृष्ठेऽशीठतः, पार्श्ववयोः षठष्टः, उरठस ठत्रंशत् | (सु.शा.5/29)
 षठष्टः कट्ां,
 पृष्ठेऽशीठतः,
 पार्श्ववयोः षठष्टः,
 उरठस ठत्रंशत्
60 in Kati(abdomen)
30 in Thorax
80 in Prasta (Back)
60 in Parshava (flank)

19. 36 in Neck
Total 70 in Head & Neck
(36+34)
षट्ठत्रंशद्ग्रीवायां, मठनव चतुस्रंशत्; | (सु.शा.5/29)
 षट्ठत्रंशद्ग्रीवायां,
 मठनव चतुस्रंशत्; 34 in Head

20. Modern Aspect
Snayu are basically bundle of fibrous connective or their modifications
which binds the body parts or structures together. It may be in the
form of-
Ligament- connects one bone to another bone. Presents in joints.
Tendon- connects bone to muscles.
Fascia- connects one muscles to another muscles or organs.
Aponeurosis- broad & large tendon, distributed over a large area.

21. Applied Anatomy
 Just the injury on ligament or tendon produced
symptoms like inflammation, swelling, pain along with
disturb movement of particular part of the body.
 A severe injury sometime may causes partial or complete
loss of function of the particular part of the body.
 Snayu bears the body weight & gives a proper posture to
the body.

22. यः स्नायः प्रठवजानाठत बाह्या ाभ्न्तरास्तिा |
स गढ्ं शल्माहतुं देहाच्छक्नोठत देठहनाम् |
न ह्यथिीठन न वा पेश्यो न ठसरा न च सन्धयः
व्यापाठदतास्तिा हन्युयविा स्नायुः शरीररणम् || (सु.शा.5/35-36)
 Sushruta has said that one, who knows Snayu
externally as well as internally, can be able to pull
the foreign particle (Shalya) out of the human body
with safety & without causing any pain.
 Again Sushruta said that the injury of Snayu are
more severe than Mamsa, Sira, Asthi & Sandhi.
Which is followed by excessive pain & delayed
healing.
Importance of Snayu