In ancient times, who among the following categorically mentioned that ‘there are 360 bones in a human body’?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The correct answer is option 1 i.e. Charaka.
Charaka. In ancient India, Charaka, the great physician and author of the Charaka Samhita, categorically mentioned that there are 360 bones in the human body. His observations were part of early Ayurvedic anatomy, which combined medical knowledge with philosophical thought. Though modern anatomy identifies 206 bones, Charaka’s count included cartilage, teeth, and smaller bone fragments, showing his detailed understanding of human physiology.
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Shudaraka was an ancient playwright known for Mṛichchhakatika (The Little Clay Cart), not medical texts.
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Patanjali was a grammarian and philosopher who wrote the Yoga Sutras, focusing on yoga and language.
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Chanakya (Kautilya) was a political thinker and author of Arthashastra, related to governance and economics, not anatomy.