An outline of Tamil Marma Sastra and Varmas

An Outline of Tamil Marma Sastra—The use of metals, minerals and particularly mercury in medicine was an ancient practise in India. And this was a part of Tantrik legacy inherited by Ayurveda. This legacy is conspicuous in the so called Sidha system of medicine, which is now prevalent mostly in Tamil Nadu. An old system dating back to the prevedic period and strongly Tantrik in orientation, it got mixed up with the cult of the nine million sidhas (nava koti sidhars). The Sidhas who supposedly defied death preached a philosophy of transmuting the gross physical body composed of impure matter (asudhamaya) to the refined body of naturally pure matter, thereby rendering the body immutable and free from disabilities and limitation (Pranava Tanu and Baindhava Tanu). Liberated while alive (Jeevanmukti), the person who is possessed of this refined body, transact freely with the world of impure matter as well as the world of pure matter and is distinguished by the skills (Sidhis) that facilitate these transactions. In Tamil Sastra there are one hundred and eight marmas and the word marma is usually connoted as Varma.

Historians classify ancient Indian physicians as belonging to two sects. (i) The Saiva sect (ii) the Vaisnava sect. The Saiva sects comprising the early dravidians held Lord Siva to be the repository of all knowledge. The eighteen Sidhars including the great Agasthya Maharshi belong to this clan. The Vaisnava sect comprising the early Aryans hold Lord Brahma to be the repository of all knowledge. Atreya school, Dhanvanthiri School, and Bhaskara School of thought belong to this sect. The Dravidians had their own systems of Dhatu chikitsa and Marma chikitsa which they practised and developed. From the very early days the Nadar castes along with the dravidian rulers, who were responsible for territorial integrity and defence, were considered the sole masters and propounders of marma vidya. To these people who were always engaged in bodily combat and warfare, the knowledge of the marmas was very much essential. There are various stories regarding the origin of varma. One story goes like this. Lord Siva and Goddess Parvati happened to see a hunter lying unconscious after a fall from a tree. The Goddess pleaded with Lord Siva to awaken the fallen hunter. 21

In response to her request the lord touched the wounded hunter with a stick and chanted a Mantra over him. Parvati then sprinkled some water on the hunter's face and he immediately regained consciousness. The eighteen sidhars of Tamil tradition are as follows 1. Agasthya (Agattiar), 2. Thirumoolar, 3. Bhogar, 4. Gorakkar (Gorakshanadhar), 5. Sattai muni, 6. Nandeesar, 7. Konkanar 8.Kamalamuni, 9. Idaikkadar, 10. Sundarandar, 11. Roma muni, 12. Brahma muni, 13. Maccha Muni, 14. Varaha muni, Varaha muni, 15. Kurma muni, 16. Punnakeeswar, 17. Kailasanadhar and 18. Kunkannar (cf A.V. Subramania Aiyar The poetry and philosophy of Tamil sidhas 1957 page 72). It is however doubtful if all these are historical personages. Among the rishis, Agasthya Maharshi with a number of classical treatises on marma to his credit, is the first and foremost. He is supposed to have lived during the time of Lord Rama in the Agasthyakootam mountains a little to the northeast of the present Neyattinkara taluk of Trivandrum district. Some opine that Agasthya was an Aryan sage who had migrated from the Himalayas and did his life work in South India (present day Tamil Nadu.) It is also said that he had established a centre in the Sidha koota 22

hills in present day Tirunelveli. Rishi Agasthya is considered as the father of marma chikitsa. The works and teaching of Lord Agasthya and his predecessors were said to be Munnool. The literature and teachings thereafter is termed as Pinnool. An important Tamil work on which the sidha physicians mainly rely even now is ascribed to this sage Agasthyar namely Agattiyar Charakku. In the classical list of sidhars the second important personality is that of Bhoghar. He is said to be a pre Christian Taoist Chinese, who came to India and settled down on the Pazhani hills in Tamil Nadu. Another Chinese who accompanied him and became the authority on medical alchemy here in Tamil nadu is known as Pulipani. Besides these three, the name of Thirumoolar whom tradition assigns to 3000 B.C.(?) is associated with the founding of the Sidha school. 23

Table No. I No. Name Birth Star Kaal Age Decade Samadhi 1. Nandeeswar Vaikasi Visakam 04 680 03 Kailasam 2. Thirumoolar Karthikai Poosam 03 200 27 Chidambaram 3. Agasthiyar Margazhi Aayilyam 03 4 Yuga 48 Ananthasayanam 4. Sattaimuni Aavani Maheeram 04 660 08 Seerkazhi 5. Karuvoorar Chithirai Ashtam 02 300 42 Thanjavur 6. Pulasthiyar Aavani Anusham 04 660 08 Papanasham 7. Korakkar Karthikai Aayilyam 01 080 11 Thirukona malai 8. Kamalamuni Vaikasi Poosam 02 4000 12 Thiruvaroor 9. Pampatti Karthigai Maheeram 03 163 04 Marutha malai 10. Edaikkadar Purattassi Thiruvathira 02 100 18 Thiruvannamalai 11. Siva vakkiar Thai Maham 12. Konkanar Chithirai Uthradom ས། ས 02 81 20 Kumbakonam 02 1200 11 Thirupathi 13. Bhogar Vaikasi Bharan 02 300 18 Pazhani 14. Machamuni Adi Rohini 01 300 62 Thirupparankundram 15. Punnakesar Vaikasi Chithirai 02 112 18 Changanassery 16. Kalangi Chithirai Aswathy 04 3000 10 Kanchipuram 17. Sundarar Avani Revathy 03 800 28 Madurai 18. Theraiyyar Pankuni Moolam 02 700 90 Pothigaimalai 24

The method of description of each varma in Tamil marma sastra is characteristic. The location of varmas are mentioned along with the different symptoms of the injuries. The different techniques applied to relieve the symptoms are dealt in detail. The description of drugs like thailams, grithams etc. are also given. Adankal the most important marma vignan are techniques to relieve emergency symptoms of marmabhigatha. The techniques are usually strikes, hits, blows or presses to certain particular locations in the body. These vulnerable points are not visible as they lie beneath the skin. The word varmam also means that which remains hidden. The points at which these structures lie intertwined are not visible and are located only at a few points. These points are so finely placed that all cannot locate and identify them easily. Injury to these varmas cause severe pain and affects the normal functioning of the body. The how and why of various symptoms that results have remained a mystery. Hence the name Varmam. 25

I. In Tamil words like Vasi, Purani, Kattu, Ouirmayka, Prana, Kala, Choka, Saram, Yoga, Param, Idam, Sutcham, Edu, Adavu and Siras are used as synonyms of varma. The main causes for the impact of the nerve centres. II. 1. Fall from a tree or height. 2. Fall while running. 3. Impact of a stone thrown at a high speed from a sling. 4. Hit sustained by a thick and rough stick (cudgel). 5. By leaping. 6. Swooning by excessive sex. Contributory Factors a. Fall in a disorderly / zig zag manner. b. Massaging the body in a excessive way C. d. e. f. (Mattirai) than that is optimum. Impacts caused by the body thrown due to lack of balance. Lifting heavy weights while holding the breath. Pain from catch and cramps. By fighting particularly with strong persons. 26

III. General Signs and symptoms Mathirai i. The eye balls roll ii. The black pupils appear white. iii. Janni (Convulsions/? Delirium) with hiccup will occur. iv. Breathing with difficulty. V. Swelling in the lower part of the abdomen. The quantum of measurement of impact to nerve centre is known as mathirai.