Alternative spellings of this word include Marm.

In Hinduism

Ayurveda (science of life)

Toxicology (Study and Treatment of poison)

Source: Shodhganga: Kasyapa Samhita—Text on Visha Chikitsa

Marma (मर्म) refers to the “bitten spot” (of a snake bite) and represents an aspect of Agadatantra—“the ancient Indian science that alleviates the effects of poison”, as taught in the Kāśyapa Saṃhitā: an ancient Sanskrit text from the Pāñcarātra tradition dealing with both Tantra and Viṣacikitsā—an important topic from Āyurveda which deals with the study of Toxicology (Agadatantra or Sarpavidyā).—Tradition has it that Brahmā himself expounded the sarpavidyā to sage Kaśyapa [including topics such Marma—the bitten spot (of a snake bite)].

Unclassified Ayurveda definitions

Source: Wisdom Library: Āyurveda and botany

Marma is a medical term used in Ayurveda referring to the "vital parts".

Source: archive.org: Kalarippayattu (Ayurveda)

Marma (मर्म).—In Suśruta-saṃhitā, the sixth chapter under Śārīrasthāna section is devoted to identification of marma points, their vitality and the consequences of damaged marmas. The Kalari tradition acknowledges the identification of marmas asfound in Suśruta-saṃhitā. Accordingly, it is said that there are 107 marma points and they are divided broadly into five categories as marmas of the muscular, vascular, ligament, bone and joints. Suśruta then points out the number of marmas under each of these categories. Suśruta highlights the importance of marma by identifying four typesof blood vessels (sirā) that are generally situated in the marmas that maintain the body by nourishing the ligaments, bones, muscles and joints.

Vāgbhaṭṭa following the tradition of Suśruta takes up the discussionof marmas in the fourth chapter titled Marmavibhāga of Śārīrasthāna section in his Aṣṭāṅgahṛdaya. In the Sanskrit commentary to Aṣṭāṅgahṛdaya, titled ‘Sarvāṅgasundara ’ by Aruṇadatta the word marma is derived etymologically as that place when affected (severely) causes death. Some of the names of marmas as found described in Aṣṭāṅgahṛdaya are kṣipra, kūrcaśira, gulpha, indrabasti, jānu, āṇi, urvi, lohitākṣa, viṭapa, guda etc.

context information

Āyurveda (आयुर्वेद, ayurveda) is a branch of Indian science dealing with medicine, herbalism, taxology, anatomy, surgery, alchemy and related topics. Traditional practice of Āyurveda in ancient India dates back to at least the first millenium BC. Literature is commonly written in Sanskrit using various poetic metres.

Vastushastra (architecture)

Source: The India Center: Architecture (Vastu Shastra)

A Mandala (architectural plan which represents the cosmos) has certain points known as Marma which are vital energy spots on which nothing should be built. They are determined by certain proportional relationships of the squares and the diagonals.

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Vastushastra (वास्तुशास्त्र, vāstuśāstra) refers to the ancient Indian science (shastra) of architecture (vastu), dealing with topics such architecture, sculpture, town-building, fort building and various other constructions. Vastu also deals with the philosophy of the architectural relation with the cosmic universe.

Dhanurveda (science of warfare)

Source: archive.org: Kalarippayattu

Marma (मर्म).—The Kalari tradition acknowledges the identification of marmas asfound in Suśruta-saṃhitā. The Northern Kalari tradition follows the manna based on Suśruta and Vāgbhaṭṭa. However, the names of the marmas are given in Malayalam like chumayan, kazhuttukochi, kirikoḍam etc. The Kalari tradition identifies 64 marma points called abhyāsa-marma, of which 32 points can be aimed at during a combat and other 32 points can be aimed at when the opponent is immobilized and these points are aimed at unexpectedly. Again, 12 points aimed at by vaḍi or katti results in death and other 6 points aimed at by hand leads to immediate death.

Source: Knowledge Traditions & Practices of India: Martial Arts Traditions: A Survey

Marma (मर्म) refers to the ‘vital points’, as defined according to ancient Indian martial arts (dhanurveda).—The final stage of Kalarippayattu training involves Ayurvedic treatments for body and mind, techniques of marma (vital points) and therapeutic massages. The student learns how to treat injuries and diseases resulting from trauma. After the training, the kalari expert also becomes a healer.

context information

Dhanurveda (धनुर्वेद) refers to the “knowledge of warfare” and, as an upaveda, is associated with the Ṛgveda. It contains instructions on warfare, archery and ancient Indian martial arts, dating back to the 2nd-3rd millennium BCE.

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English Translation

Marma (मर्म) refers to the “vulnerable points”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.2.28. Accordingly as Śiva said to Satī:—“[...] people wounded with arrows by enemies are not so pained as when their vulnerable points (marma) are hit by the taunting words of kinsmen. O beloved, the wicked people do not observe that their own status is being hit when they attack good men endowed with the six qualities of learning”.

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The Purana (पुराण, purāṇas) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.

Pancaratra (worship of Nārāyaṇa)

Source: archive.org: Catalogue of Pancaratra Agama Texts

Marma (मर्म) refers to the “18 vital parts”, as discussed in chapter 4 (Yogapāda) of the Padmasaṃhitā: the most widely followed of Saṃhitā covering the entire range of concerns of Pāñcarātra doctrine and practice (i.e., the four-fold formulation of subject matter—jñāna, yoga, kriyā and caryā) consisting of roughly 9000 verses.—Description of the chapter [pañcabhūtasthāna-nirṇaya]:—[...] Bhagavān enumerates the 18 vital parts [marma] and tells in which ones are to be found the five elements [bhūtas]—Earth [pṛthivī] being located in the vital parts of the legs. Water [ap] being located in the vital parts of the lower abdomen, Fire [agni] being located in the vital parts of the stomach. Air [vāyu] being located in the vital parts of the chest, and Ether [ākāśa] being located in the vital parts of the head. Further, he indicates that the Vyūhas of the Lord may be understood to pervade these various vital areas. Whoever practises Yoga, understanding the body to be the abode of these elements and of the Lord’s forms, will achieve mokṣa (9-25a).

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Pancaratra (पाञ्चरात्र, pāñcarātra) represents a tradition of Hinduism where Narayana is revered and worshipped. Closeley related to Vaishnavism, the Pancaratra literature includes various Agamas and tantras incorporating many Vaishnava philosophies.

India history and geography

Source: Wikipedia: India History

Marma (மர்ம) or Marmavidyā (Sanskrit; in Tamil: Varmakkalai) is an Indian traditional art of pressure points. It combines massage, alternative medicine, traditional yoga and martial arts in which the body's pressure points (varmam) are manipulated to heal or cause harm. The healing application called Vaidhiya Murai is part of Siddha medicine (siddha vaidyam). [...]

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The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as mythology, zoology, royal dynasties, rulers, tribes, local festivities and traditions and regional languages. Ancient India enjoyed religious freedom and encourages the path of Dharma, a concept common to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.

Languages of India and abroad

Marathi-English dictionary

Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionary

marma (मर्म).—n (S) Secret quality; the latent power, property, or virtue of. Ex. sarva padārthāmadhyēṃ jīṃ īśvarānēṃ marmēṃ ṭhēvilīṃ āhēta tīṃ kōṇhāsa samajatāta? 2 A vital member or organ; a mortal spot. Hence fig. A vulnerable point; a sore or tender place; a secret failing or foible. 3 The secret meaning or purpose (of a passage, a speech &c.); the point, sting, bearing, aim, drift. 4 The art, trick, secret, mystery; the hidden skill or appropriate mode (of a contrivance, a process, a business). Ex. ghaḍyāḷāntalēṃ marma samajata nāhīṃ; adyāpi ślōka lāvaṇyācēṃ marma tulā samajalēṃ nāhīṃ. 5 The enemy or antidote; the corrective; the thing of opposite and counteracting qualities. Ex. kēḷācēṃ marma tūpa; gaṃvhācēṃ marma kāṅkaḍī.

Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-English

marma (मर्म).—n Secret quality. A vital member. The secret meaning. The secret. The antidote, corrective. Ex. kēḷyācēṃ marma tūpa gavhācēṃ marma kākaḍī.

context information

Marathi is an Indo-European language having over 70 million native speakers people in (predominantly) Maharashtra India. Marathi, like many other Indo-Aryan languages, evolved from early forms of Prakrit, which itself is a subset of Sanskrit, one of the most ancient languages of the world.

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Marma (मर्म):—[from marman] in [compound] for marman.

context information

Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.

Hindi dictionary

Source: DDSA: A practical Hindi-English dictionary

Marma (मर्म) [Also spelled marm]:—(nm) vulnerable / vital part (of the body); essence; core; secret; real meaning; ~[ghātī] one who strikes at the most vulnerable point, who makes a fatal stroke; ~[jña] one who knows the inner meaning; having deep penetration into the secret; ~[pīḍā/vedanā/vyathā] intense mental agony; -[prahāra] fatal stroke, vital stroke; -[bheda] revelation of a secret; see -[prahāra; bhedī] moving, touching; poignant; heart-rending; —[vacana] touching words; subtle words; —[vākya] secret/real utterance; ~[bedhī] see ~[bhedī; ~sthala] a vulnerable point; vital spot; —[jānanā] to know the inner secret; —[chūnā] to touch one’s inner being, to move deeply; —[pānā] to get at the depth of, to know profoundly; —[lenā] to try to know the essence of.

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Kannada-English dictionary

Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Marma (ಮರ್ಮ):—[noun] a son of one’s son or daughter; a grandson.

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Marma (ಮರ್ಮ):—

1) [noun] any vital, sensitive or vulnerable spot or part of the body.

2) [noun] any of the places or parts where two bones are joined, so that they can move; a joint.

3) [noun] the mind or heart as the seat for inner feelings.

4) [noun] something hidden or that requires to be kept concealed; a secret or mystery.

5) [noun] the hidden meaning or interior motive.

6) [noun] a man appointed to execute something in a secret or clandestine manner.

context information

Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.

Nepali dictionary

Source: unoes: Nepali-English Dictionary

Marma (मर्म):—n. 1. underlying meaning; the inmost feeling; hidden significance; the core idea; 2. inward pain or agony; 3. heart; core; 4. a vital spot in the body;

context information

Nepali is the primary language of the Nepalese people counting almost 20 million native speakers. The country of Nepal is situated in the Himalaya mountain range to the north of India.

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