The Sushruta Samhita — trans. Bhishagratna
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The Janu, the
Kurpara, the Simanta, the Adhipati, the Gulpha, the
Manivandha, the Kukundara, the Avarta and the
Krikatika arc Saudhi-Marmas. 10—14.
Chap. VI.] SARIRA ST HAN AM. 1/5
Qualitative classes :— Again these Marmas (vital unions of the body) are under five distinct heads, namely, Sadya-Pranahara, (fatal within twenty-four hours), Kalantara-Pranahara, (fatal within a fortnight or a month), Visalyaghna (fatal as soon as a dart or any other imbedded foreign matter is extracted therefrom), Vaikalyakara, (maiming or deforming) and Rujakar (painful) [according as an injury respectively produces the aforesaid effects]. Of these, nineteen Marmas belong to the Sadya-Prdnahara group ; thirty-three to the Kalantara-Pranahara group ; three to the Visalyaghna group; forty-four to the Vaikalyakara group ; and eight to the Rujcikara group. 15.
Memorable Verses :— To the Sadya-Praina-
hara group (fatal in the course of a day if anywa\' hurt) belong the four Sring^takas, one Adhipati, the two Sankhas, the eight Kantha-Sirds, the Guda, the Hridaya, the Vasti and the Nabhi. To the Kailadltara- Pranahara group (fatal later on, if any way hurt) belong the eight Vaksha-Marmas, the five Simantas, the four Tala-Marmas, the four Kshipra-Marmas, the four Indra-vastis, the two Katika-tarunas, the two Parsva-Sandhis, the two Vrihatis, and the two Nitamvas. To the Visalyaghna class belong the two Utkshepas and the one Sthapani. To the Vaikalyakara (deforming) group belong the Marmas, known as the four Lohitakshas, the four An is, the two Jdnus, the four Urvis, the four Kurchchas, the two Vitapas, the two Kurparas, the two Kukundaras, the two Kakshadharas, the two Vidhuras, the two Krikatikas, the two Ansas (shoulder), the two Ansa-phalaka.s, (shoulderblades), the two Apangas (tips of eyes), the two Nials, the two Manyas, the two Phanas and the two Avartas. A learned physician should know that the two Gulphas,
176 THE SUSHRUTA SAMIIITA. [Chap. VI.
the two Mani-vandhas and the four Kurchcha-S'irah (of the hands and legs) belong to the Rujakara group (painful if hurt). A piercing of the Kshipra-Marma ends in an instantaneous death ; or death may follow at a later time. 16-2 t.
Firm unions of Mdnsa (muscles), Sira (veins), Snayu (ligaments), bones or bone-joints are called Marmas (or vital parts of the body) which naturally and specifically form the seats of life (Pratna), and hence a hurt to any one of the Marmas invariably produces such symptoms as arise from the hurt of a certain Marma.* 22.
The Marmas belonging to the Sadya-Pranahara group are possessed of fiery virtues (thermogenetic) ; as fiery virtues are easily enfeebled, so they prove fatal to life (in the event of being any way hurt) ; while those belonging to the Kalantara-Pranahara group are fiery and lunar (cool) in their properties. And as the fiery virtues are enfeebled easily and the cooling virtues take a considerable time in being so, the Marmas of this group prove fatal in the long run (in the event of being any way hurt, if not instantaneously like the preceding ones). The Vis'alyaghna Marmas are possessed of Vataja properties (that is, they arrest the escape of the vital Vayu) ; so long as the dart does not allow the Vayu to escape from their injured interior, the life prolongs ; but as soon as the dart is extricated, the Vayu escapes from the inside of the hurt and necessarily proves fatal. The Vaikalyakaras are possessed of Saumya (lunar properties) and they retain the vital fluid owing to their steady and cooling virtues, and hence tend only to deform the organism
* Some are of opinion that hallucination, delirium, death, stupor and coma as described in the Sutrast anam are the results of injuries to thes Mar as.
Chap. VI.] SARIRA STHANAM. IJJ
in the event of their being hurt, instead of bringing on death. The Ruj^kara Marmas of fiery and Vataja properties become extremely painful inasmuch as both of them are pain-generating in their properties. Others, on the contrary, hold the pain to be the result of the properties of the five material components of the body (Pancha-bhautika). 23.
Different Opinions on the IVIarmas : —
Some assert that Marmas, which are the firm union of the five bodily factors (of veins, ligaments, muscles, bones and joints), belong to the first group (Sadya-Pranahara) ; that those, which form the junction of four such, or in which there is one in smaller quantity, will prove fatal in the long run, in the event of their being hurt or injured (Kdldntara-Pranahara).* Those, which are the junction of three such factors, belong to the Vis'alya-Prcinahara-f* group ; those of the two belong to the Vaikalyakara X
* The Marmas, such as Stana-mula, Apalapa, Apastambha, Simanta, Katika-Taruna, Parsva-Sandhi, Vrihati, and Nitamva belonging to the Kalantara-maraka group, are devoid of Mansa (muscles) ; and the 'Marmas' known as Stanarohita, Talahridaya, Kshipra, and Indravasti, belonging to the same class, are devoid of Asthi (honest t The Ulkshepa marma, belonging to the Vis'alya.pr^nahara group, is devoid of Mansa (muscles) and Sandhi (joint).
X The Sthapani- Marma, belonging to the Vaikalyakara class, is devoid of Mansa (muscle), S'ira and Snayu ; (he Lohitaksha-marma (of the same group) is devoid of Snayu, Sandhi and Asthi (bones) ; the Janu-marma (of the same group) is devoid of Mansa, S'ira and Snayu: the Urvi-marma (of the said group) is devoid of Asthi, Mansa and Snayu ; the Vitapa-marma (of the same class) is devoid of Mansa, Sira and Asthi ; the Kurpara-marma (of the same class) is devoid of Mansa, S'ira, and Snayu ; the Kukundara-marma (of the same class) is devoid of Mansa, S'ira and Sandhi ; the Kakshadhara-marma (of the same class) is devoid of S'ira, Asthi, and Sandhi ; the Vidhura-marma (of the said group) is devoid of Mansa, Sira and Sandhi ; the Krikatika-marma is devoid of Mansa, S'ira, and Sandhi; the Ansa-marma (of the same group) is devoid of Mansa, Snayu and Sandhi ; the Ansa-phalaka-marma
2\p. 178 group ; and those in which only one of them exists belongs to the last or pain-generating type (Rujdkara)*.
But the fore going theory is not a sound one, inasmuch as blood is found to exude from an injured joint which would be an impossibility in the absence of any vein, ligament (Snayu) and muscle being intimately connected with it. Hence every Marma should be understood as a junction or meeting place of the five organic principles of ligaments, veins, muscles, bones and joints. 24-25.
IVletrical text:— This is further corroborated by the fact that the four classes of Sira or vessels (which respectively carry the Vdyu, Pitta, Kapha and the blood) are found to enter into the Marmas for the purpose of keeping or maintaining the moisture of the local ligaments (Snayu), bones, muscles and joints and thus sustain the organism.f The Vayu, aggravated by an injury to a Marma, blocks up (those four classes of vessels) in their entire course throughout the organism and gives rise to great pain which extends all over the body. All the internal mechanism of a man (of which a Marma has been pierced into with a shaft or with any other piercing matter) becomes extremely painful, and seems as if it were being constantly shaken or jerked, and symptoms of syncope are found to set in. Hence a careful examination of the affected Marma should