Changes

Caraka has explained that the body parts can be divided and re-divided into innumerable individual components called ‘Paramānus’‘Paramānus’. These are innumerable because of their huge number, highly minute structure and limited perceptive ability of sense organs (Ca. Śā. 7/17). This statement indicates that there existed a concept of minute and numerous individual living units in the body. Today we call such microscopic units by the name ‘Cell’. ‘Anu ‘Anu Srotas’ is another such very similar term, probably indicative of a cell. Some scholars even held the view that the living body is nothing but the resultant of aggregation of such innumerable ‘Srotāmsi’‘Srotāmsi’. (Ca.Vi. 5/4). ‘Srotāmsi’ ‘Srotāmsi’ is the plural form of ‘Srotas’. The term ‘Srotas’ means an individual ‘Cell’ - ‘Anu ‘Anu Srotas’ and also an individual ‘Organ System’ -‘Sthūula Srotas’. A tissue is a group of structurally and functionally similar cells. ‘Srotāmsi’ ‘Srotāmsi’ are structurally similar to their corresponding tissues. Also, each ‘Srotas’ is functionally (Metabolically) related to its corresponding tissue.<ref name="Concept of a Cell"/>