Shrotra

Shrotra is a Sanskrit term that primarily denotes the ear and, by extension, the sense of hearing. In classical Indian philosophy and medicine, shrotra is used to refer to the organ of hearing as one of the body’s six sense organs (jnana-indriyas). The word derives from the root shru- “to hear” with a suffix that forms the organ or instrument.

In Ayurveda and related Sanskrit literature, shrotra is described as the organ that receives auditory stimuli and transmits information to the mind. The sense of hearing is discussed alongside other indriyas, with traditional explanations often linking auditory function to the balance of doshas and to the ear’s condition within broader concepts of channels and physiological regulation. In modern biology, hearing involves outer, middle, and inner ear structures and the auditory nerve transmitting signals to the brain. The Ayurvedic concept of shrotra thus represents a cultural-linguistic framework for understanding hearing rather than a direct anatomical term used in contemporary medicine.

Shrotra also appears in Sanskrit texts in compound terms and as a descriptor in discussions of perception. In Indian cultural and scholarly contexts, the term is sometimes encountered as a surname. Historically, the title Shrotriya signified a Brahmin learned in the oral and textual tradition, including knowledge of Ayurveda.