The Shvasankriya (respiration) consists of two words; Nishvas (inspiration) the act of breathing air inside the body through nose and Ucchvas (expiration), the act of breathing air outside the body through nose. The prana vayu is inspired through pranvaha srotas during inspiration. The inhaled prana vayu carries out the function like prinana, jivana and stimulates jatharanala (stimulation of digestive fire, and oxidation process). Respiratory system physiology is not directly described in

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... trayi (Charaka, Sushruta, Astanga Hridaya). The process of respiration, respiratory disorders has been described in various Ayurvedic texts but its vivid description is not available as a whole. Description of different parts of respiratory tract organs and functions are found in description of pratyana sharir, srotas, kosthanga, prana vata, udana vata, rakta dhatu, rasa dhatu and diseases of nasa, kantha, pranavaha srotas etc. In this article an attempt has been made to understand respiratory system functional anatomy and physiology as it is described in Ayurveda by various scholars in view of modern science.