Shukra literally means semen virile, sperm, lucid, clear.[1] In human physiology, Shukra dhatu is a body component having reproductive capacity. It is generally equated with semen (SAT-B.445).[2]
Shukra dhatu is described to be of two forms in Ayurveda textbooks:
- The one that is ejaculated during the process of mating, which is responsible for fertilization of ovum and thus embryogenesis. This is semen in males.
- The one that is formed from predecessor majja dhatu (the tissue that fills the bony cavities). This in turn circulates all over the body both in males and females.
Reproduction is the function of this second form of shukra too. Therefore, on careful examination, it seems that the first form of shukra stands for the semen in general and for sperms in particular; and, the second form of shukra stands for hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis of hormones that circulate all over the body.[3]
References
- ↑ Available from https://spokensanskrit.org/index.php?tran_input=zukra&direct=se&script=hk&link=yes&mode=3 accessed on 16/06/2020
- ↑ Available from http://namstp.ayush.gov.in/#/sat accessed on 16/06/2020
- ↑ Patwardhan Kishor. 2018 Grahani Chikitsa Adhyaya available from http://www.carakasamhitaonline.com/mediawiki-1.32.1/index.php?title=Grahani_Chikitsa#Vidhi_Vimarsha_.28Applied_Inferences_.29 accessed on 08/06/2020