The Sushruta Samhita — trans. Bhishagratna

Hence, in a case of piercing or of injury to any of these Marmas, the hand or the leg should be immediately amputated at the wrist or at the ankle (respectively). 82.

The medical authorities have described the Marmas to have covered half in the scope of Salya Tantra (Surgery), inasmuch as a person hurt in any of the Marmas dies presently (i. e., within seven days of the hurt). A deformity of the organ is sure to result from an injury to one of these Marmas, even if death be averted by a course of judicious and skillful medical treatment. 83.

The life of the patient is not to be despaired of even in the case of fracture or crushing of a bone of the Koshtha, Sirah and Kapdla or perforation of the intestines etc , if the local Marmas are found not to be in any way hurt or affected. Recovery is common in cases of cuts (pierce) in the Sakthi, Bhuja, Pdda and Kara or in any other part of the body and even where a whole leg or hand is found to be severed and carried away if the Marmas are not in any way hurt or affected. 84.

These Marmas form the primary seats of the Vayu, the Soma (lunar) and Tejas (fiery principles of the organism), as well as of the three fundamental qualities of Satva, Rajas and Tamas, and that is the reason why a man, hurt in any of the Marmas, does not live. 85.

An injury to a Marmaof the Sadyah-Prdnahara class (in which death occurs within a day) is attended with the imperfection of the sense organs, loss of consciousness, bewilderment of Manah (mind) and Buddhi

IQO THE SUSHRUTA SAMHITA. [Chap VI.

(intellect) and .various kinds of pain. An injury to a Marma of the KAlantara group (of a person) is sure to be attended with the loss of Dbatus (blood etc.) and various kinds of supervening symptoms (Upadrava) which end in death. The body of a person, hurt in any of the Vaikalyakara Marmas, may remain operative only under a skillful medical treatment ; but a deformity of the affected organ is inevitable. An injury to any of the Vis'alyaghna Marmas ends in death for the reasons mentioned above. An injury to any of the Rujdkara Marmas gives rise to various kinds of pain in the affected organ, which may ultimately bring about a deformity of the same, if placed under the treatment of an ignorant and unskillful Vaidya (Surgeon). S6.

An injury to any of the Rujdkara Marmas gives rise to various kinds of pain in the affected organ, which may ultimately bring about a deformity of the same, if placed under the treatment of an ignorant and unskillful Vaidya (Surgeon). S6.

An injury to the adjacent part of a Marma, whether incidental to a cut, incision, blow (Abhighdta), burn, puncture, or to any other cause exhibits the same series of symptoms as an actually affected one. An injury to a Marma, whether it be severe or slight, is sure to bring deformity or death.* Sy.

The diseases which are seated in the Marmas, are generally serious, but they may be made to prove amenable with the greatest care and difficulty. 88-89.

* Gayadasa does not read this verse.

Thus ends the sixth Chapter of the S'arira Sthanam in the Sus'ruta
Samhita, which treats of Marmas.

CHAPTER VII.

Now we shall discourse on the Siriram which treats of the description and classification of Sira or vascular system * ( ^irsL-Varnana-Vibhaktinama ^ariram).

There are seven hundred Sirds (vessels) in the human organism (except those which cannot be counted for their extremely attenuated size). The vessels (Siras) by their contractibility and expansibility &c , sustain and nourish the organism in the same manner as streamlets and canals serve to keep a field or a garden moist and fruitful. From the principal or central trunk hundreds of small and minute vessels branch off and spread all over the body, just as small or minute fibres are found to emanate from the large central vein of the leaf of a plant. They originate from the umbilical region and thence they spread all over the body upwards and downwards and obliquely. 2.

IVIemorable Verses :— All the Siras (vessels)

that are found in the organisms of created beings, originate from the umbilical region (Nabhi)-)* and thence they spread all over their bodies. The life of an organic animal is seated in the vessels surrounding its navel which forms their starting point. The navel in its turn rests on or is attached to the Pranas (the lifecarrying vessels — nerves attached to it) in the same t Most probably the idea is derive! from the appearance of the S'iras in their foetal state.

* The Sanskrita term S'ira denotes veins, nerves, arteries and lymphatic vessels as well. Some read S'ird- Varna (different colours of the Siras) in lieu of S'ira-varnana (description of S'iras).

p. 192

Some read S'ird- Varna (different colours of the
Siras) in lieu of S'ira-varnana (description of S'iras).

t Most probably the idea is derive! from the appearance of the S'iras in their foetal state.

p. 192

manner as the nave of a wheel supports the spokes, and the spokes in their turn support the nave. 3-4.

Principal ^iraS:-Of these Siras (vessels), forty are principal ones, of which ten are Vayu-carrying Siras (nerves), ten are Pitta-carrying Siras (veins), ten convey Kapha (lymphatic vessels?) and ten are bloodcarrying Siras (arteries). Of these the Vayu-carrying Siras, situated in the specific receptacle of that bodily principle (Vata), are again found to branch out in one hundred and seventy five smaller branches (ramifications). Similarly, each of the remaining Pitta-carrying, Kaphacarrying and blood-carrying vessels (Sirds) situated in their specific receptacles, {ie , in the receptacles of Pitta, Kapha and spleen and liver respectively) are found to branch out in as many numbers (one hundred and seventy-five), — thus making a total of seven hundred in all. 5.

Their Specific Locations :- There are

twenty-five Vayu-carrying Siras (nerves) in one leg and the same count applies to the other. Similarly there are twenty five Vatyu-carrying Siras (vessels) in each of the hands. There are thirty-four Vayu-carrying vc^ssels in the Koshtha trunk) ; of these eight occur in the pelvic regions attached with the anus and the penis ; two in each of the sides, six in the back, six in the Udara (cavity of the abdomen), and ten in the region of the chest. There are forty-one Vayu-carrying Sira's (vessels) situated in the region above the clavicles. Of these fourteen occur in the neck ; four in the two ears ; nine in the tongue ; six in the nose and eight in the two eyes. Thus we have finished the description of the one hundred and seventy-five Siras that carry Vayu. 6. What has been said of these Vayu-carrying vessels (Siras) will also hold good to the rest (in blood-carrying,

Chap. VII.] SARIRA STHANAM. 193

Pitta-carrying and Kapha-carrying channels in the respective regions of the body), with the exception that in these three cases, ( Pitta, Kapha and blood ) ten occur in the eyes and two in the ears in lieu of eight and four respectively, as in the case of VAyu-carrying Siris (vessels). Thus we have described the seven hundred Sirds with their branches. 7.

Memorable Verses— The Vdyu-carrying