Are the Intertwining Snakes of the Caduceus the Nadis of Hindu Psychology?

Abstract

Objective of this paper is to discover the thinking behind the two snakes displayed in the Caduceus. The snake has been used as a symbol of healing over the last four millennia. The Caduceus with two snakes intertwining on a staff is used today by a number of medical practitioners and associations as their symbol. However, no credible explanation of the use of this symbol is forthcoming. We aim to provide an explanation for the use of this symbol relying on Hindu psychology. Our study design was to read the Western- and Hindu anatomical-, physiological- and psychological understandings of the spinal cord and ganglia side by side and lay out the similarities and differences. Then we examine how the understandings of the two systems concord with each other and to extract a possible understanding of the Caduceus from the common understanding. We find that the physical dimension of the two ganglia of the Western system concord with two “tantrikas” of the Hindu system. The Western system considers the spinal cord to be a tube which concords with the sparse mention of the spinal cord in the Hindu system. Western system sparsely mentions the psychic dimension of the two ganglia and the spinal cord while the Hindu system mentions the same prominently as the three “nadis.” Thus, while both the systems recognize the existence of the three pathways, the Western system is focused on the physical dimension while the Hindu system is focused on the psychic dimension. It holds that the cleaning of these pathways leads to good health. The Hindu system visualizes the psychic dimension of the three pathways together as a snake. Especially, it considers two nadis on the side to criss-cross and intertwine around the central nadi which concords with the Caduceus. The recognition of the psychic dimension of the three pathways as depicted in the Hindu system can provide a psychic method of treatment of various diseases. We conclude that the Caduceus is correctly used as a symbol of healing or good health. The snake symbolizes the psychic dimension of the three pathways of the spinal cord and ganglion. Recognition of the psychic dimension and its symbolism embedded in the snake can provide a new meaning to the Caduceus and also a new line of treatment.