The Sushruta Samhita — trans. Bhishagratna

Thus the forty-four Marmas of the upper and the lower extremities have been described. 43-46.

Marmas on the Thorax etc. :— Now we shall describe the Marmas, situated in the region of the thorax and the abdomen (trunk). A hurt to the Guda-Marma*, which is attached to the large intestine and serves as the passage of stool and flatus, ends fatally (within twenty-four hours of the hurt). An injury to the Vasti-Marma,t situated inside the cavity of the pelvic region and the bladder and composed of small muscles and blood (and which serves as the receptacle of urine), proves fatal within the day, except in the cases of extracting the gravel, only when the injury to the organ is short of complete perforation of both of its walls. The urine oozes out through the aperture in the case where only one of its walls has been perforated, and which may be closed and healed up with proper and judicious medical treatment. An injury to the

* It is a Mansa-Marma to the length of four fingers' width and be. long? to the Sadyo-maraka class.

+ It is a ligament combination (Snayumarma) to the length of four fingers, belonging to the Sadyah-Pranhara class.

Natbhi-Marma,* the root of all the Siras and situated between the Amdsaya (stomach) and the Pakv^s'aya (intestines) ends in death within the day. 47-50.

A hurt to the Hridaya-Marma,t which is situated in the thorax between the two breasts and above the pit of the Amasaya and forms the seat of the qualities of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas, proves fatal within the day. An injury to the Stana-mula-Marmas,]: situated immediately below each of the breasts and about two fingers in width fills the Koshtha (thorax) with deranged Kapha, brings on cough, difficult breathing (asthma) and proves fatal. An injury to any of the Stana- Rohita-Marinas,§ situated above the nipples of the breasts about two fingers in width, fills the cavity of the Koshtha (thorax) with blood, producing symptoms of cough and asthma, and ends fatally. An injury to the Apalaipa-Marmas,!! situated below the Ansa-kuta (balls of the shoulders) and above the sides (meeting of the different branches of the sub-clavicle veins ue. axilla', transforms the blood of the organism into pus and proves fatal thereby. 51-54.

An injury to any of the Vayu-carrying vessels, known as the Apastambha-Marmalf (meeting of the bifurcated branches of the bronchi lying on both the sides 2t It is a S'ira-Marma to the length of four fingers and of the Sadyah- Pranahara class.

+ It is a S'ira-Marma, two fingers in length and of the Kalantara class.

§ It is a Mansa-Marma about half a finger in length and of the Kalantara class, (according to Vgabhata, of the Sadyo-Maraka class).

II It is a S'ir^.Marma, half a finger in length, and of the Kalantara class.

of the breast), fills the Koshtha with the deranged Vayu (tympanites) accomapanied by cough and dyspepsia, and terminates in death. Thus the twelve Marmas situated in the thorax and abdomen are described. 55-56.

PriShtha Marmas :— Now we shall discourse on the Marmas in the back (of a man). An injury to any of the Katika-tarunas* (sacro-iliac articulation), situated in the region of the S'roni Csacrum) on both sides of the spinal column, gives rise to an excessive haemorrhage and consequent pallor and ends in death. A hurt to any of the Kukundara Marmas | (lit : — a hollow — the great sacro-sciatic notch), situated on both sides of the spinal column and in the region slightly below the waist (in the loins), results in complete anaesthesia and inoperativeness of the lower extremities. A hurt to the Nitamva-Marmas,| attached to the side above the Sroni (pelvis) and attached inside to the muscles of the waists, gives rise to Sosha (atrophia) in the lower extremities, weakness and ultimately brings on death. An injury to the PairsVa-Sandhi-Marmas § (caelic axes) which are situated just at the middle below the extremities of the sides (P^rsva) and which lies attached at the middle between the loins at their lower regions, feels the Koshtha (abdomen) with the blood and results into death A hurt to the Vrihati-Marmas 1]

t They ate Joint-matmas (Sandhi), half a finger in length and of the Vaikalyakara group.

J It is a bone Marma, half a finger in length, and of the Kalantara clas§, li They are S'ira-Marmas (arterial anestomsis) to the lengt of half a finger and belong to the KaUntara class.