Achilles heel

a weakness or vulnerable point

Derivation of the Word 'Marma'

Amarakosha
मृ- मिनिनि्, मृ+ प्राणत्यागे (Amarakosha 3/5 Amarakosha explains that the word marma is derived from the
sanskrit term 'mri- manin' or 'mri- pranatyage'. It means that which causes death or death like miseries.
Shabdakalpadruma
मृ+ 'सर्व्वरधातुभ्यो मिनिनि्' (Shabdakalpadruma 4/144, chapter 3, pg. 941
Shabdakalpadruma mentions that the word marma is derived from 'mri' dhatu. Its meaning is explained
as sandhisthanam (i.e. joining point of various structures) or jeevasthanam (seats of life)
● मृ मनिन् सन्धिस्थानम्, जीवस्थानम् । श. क. द्रु ६/४४
Raj Nighantu

Raj Nighantukara opines that the word marma is derived from 'mri - manin', which
means seat of life (jeevasthana) or conglomeration of many important structures
(sandhi sthana) Thus, based on the above descriptions, Marma is derived from the
root word 'mri' with suffix 'manin'. The word 'Marman' is the singular form, which
means jeevasthanam (seat of life) or sandhisthanam (meeting place).
Etymologically each letter of word marma has got specific meaning - 'Ma' means
prana or vayu, Repha denotes house or seat. Therefore, 'Marma' means seat of
Prana or Vayu, where Prana is the vital life force that governs all the physical and
subtle processes of a living being
Of these meanings, the concept of "vital air" is used by Bhattacharyya to describe the concept
as used in Sanskrit texts dealing with pranayama, the manipulation of the breath.Thomas
McEvilley translates prāṇa as "spirit-energy".

The Vedic texts state that all living entities are sustained by the life-giving force called
Prana. The concept plays a central role in Ayurveda and yoga and their holistic view of
life.

We experience prana as breath, but it also exists in …...

 Su Sha 4/3

The entity which lives or survives(……Jivitam Sthitam)

A H Sha 4/38
अग्निः सोमो वायुः सत्त्वं रजस्तमः पञ्चेन्द्रियाणि भूतात्मेति [१] प्राणाः ||३||

Su saa 4/3
तत्र प्राणास्त्वक्कलादयश्च विवरणीयाः; तेषु प्राणानामतीव देहस्थितिहेतुत्वात् प्रागुपादानमाह- अग्निरित्यादि| अग्निरत्र पाचकभ्राजकालोचकरञ्जकसाधकानां पाञ्चभौतिकानां सर्वधात्वनुगानां चोष्मणां
शक्तिरूपतयाऽवस्थितो वाचोऽधिदैवत्वमापन्नो बोद्धव्यः| श्लेष्मरसशुक्रादीनां तोयात्मकानां भावानां रसनेन्द्रियस्य च शक्तिरूपतयाऽवस्थितो मनसोऽधिदैवत्वमापन्नः सोम इति| वायुः पञ्चात्मकः
प्राणादिभेदेन| सत्त्वरजस्तमांसि तु प्रकृ तेरष्टरूपाया गुणाः| इन्द्रियाणि श्रवणदर्शनस्पर्शनरसनघ्राणानीति पञ्च| भूतात्मा शुभाशुभकर्मभिः परिगृहीतः कर्मपुरुषः| एते चाग्नीषोमादयः प्राणयन्ति
जीवयन्तीति प्राणाः| तत्राग्निस्तावदाहारपाकादिकर्मणा प्राणयति, सोमश्च सौम्यधातोरोजःप्रभृतेः पोषणेन, वायुश्च दोषधातुमलादीनां सञ्चारणेनोच्छ्वासनिःश्वासाभ्यां च, सत्त्वं रजस्तमश्च
मनोरूपतया परिणतं भूतात्मनः शरीरान्तरग्रहणमोक्षणे हेतुरिति तदपि प्राणयति, पञ्चेन्द्रियाणि चक्षुरादीनि रूपादिग्रहणकर्मणा प्राणयन्ति, एवं भूतात्मा कर्मपुरुषोऽप्यशेषस्यैव कर्मराशेश्चेतनाहेतुरिति
[२] प्राणयति||३|| dalhana
Acharya Sushruta’s illustration of twelve Prana together constituting life is explained by Acharya Dalhana as
follows7 Agni (Tejas fire) is present in the body in the form of five kinds of Pitta and firey element present in the
Dhatus (tissues) it is the presiding deity of Vaak (speech) and supports life by performing functions such as
digestion of food etc , Soma (Ap-water) is present in the form of five kind of Kapha, moisture in the Dhatus
(tissues) is the presiding deity of Rasenendriya (tongue) and supports life by nourishing all liquid tissues. Vayu
is present in the body in five kinds (Prana, Udana etc) and supports life by respiration, movement and
regulations of Doshas, Dhatus and Malas. Satva, Rajas and Tamas exert influence on the Manas (mind) and
decides its nature. Panchenendriya (five sense organs) support life by perceiving objects such as light, sound
etc. Bhutatma (soul) also known as Karmapurusha is the cause of consciousness (activity) of all factors and is
the performer of all actions both good and bad. All the above together constitute Prana (life)
Su saa 4/3

In the above aphorism the mentioning of Agni, Soma and Vayu together represents Tridosha, hence the
presence of Prana in complete body is indirectly highlighted
Where are these live attributes or Prana resides or located in human body.??
 Cha su Dashapranayataniya 29/3

Sutrasthana to Shaarirsthana, Acharya has replaced two Shankha Pradesh with Nabhi and Mamsa

Shaarirsthana, Sharirsankhaya shaarir 7/9

Definitions of 'Marma

Acco to susruta

● मर्माणिमांससिरास्नाय्वस्थिसन्धिसन्निपाताः

तेषु स्वभावत एव विशेषेण प्राणास्तिष्ठन्ति .......॥ सु शा ६/१

Marma (fatal spots) are confluence of muscles, veins, ligaments, bones and
joints. These are the places where the Prana (vital life force) resides naturally
● मारयन्तीतिमर्माण्युच्यन्ते।ड सु शा ६/३
 According to A H
● मांसास्थिस्नायुधमनीसिरासन्धिसमागमः|

स्यान्मर्मेति च नेनात्रसुतरांचजीवितंस्थितम्॥ अहृ शा ४/३८

Marmas are the sites where muscles, bones, ligaments, artery, veins and joints meet each other .
Prana is especially located there, and if they get afflicted, it may lead to death.
● विषमंस्पन्दनंयत्रपीडितेरुक्चमर्मतत्। अहृ शा४/३७

● मरणकारित्वान्मर्ममरणसदृशदुःखदायित्वाद्वा।अद. अहृशा४/३७ Ashtanga Hridaya Sharira, Aruna Dutta Tika 4/37

Those locations, which when injured lead to destruction of life, are called Marmas
According to Ashtanga Sangraha

Marmas are the sites where muscles, veins, ligaments, bones and joints meet. If
they get traumatized, Prana gets destroyed [44,45].
According to Acharya Chakrapani

The meeting point of muscle, vein, ligament, bone and joint is called Marma, which
are dependent on these components [46].
According to Acharya Bhava Prakash

The meeting point of vein, ligament, joint, muscle and bone is called Marma point
[48,49]. Prana especially resides in these points [48,49]
Lakshanas (Nature / Signs) of Marma

According to Acharya Sushruta

मर्माणिमांससिरास्नाय्वस्थिसन्धिसन्निपाताः

तेषु स्वभावत एव विशेषेण प्राणास्तिष्ठन्ति .......॥ सु शा ६/१

Marma (fatal spots) are confluence of muscles, veins, ligaments, bones and joints
Prana (vital life force) especially resides in these locations; hence if the Marmas are
injured, they produce their respective effect
According to Acharya Dalhana

मारयन्तीित ममारिण ।। (Sushruta Sharira, Dalhan Tika 6/3)

Any injury to marma points may lead to death

According to Acharya Vagabhatta

● विषमंस्पन्दनंयत्रपीडितेरुक्चमर्मतत्। अहृ शा४/३७

That part of the body is Marma, where, on giving extreme (extraordinary) spandan
(vibration) or on pressing, there is extraordinary pain
According to Acharya Charaka

In case of affliction in any marma point, there is more pain (excruciating type) than any other part of
the body, because of the specific attachment of chetana (consciousness) to these spots

According to Acharya Sharangadhara

The Marma points in the body are mostly the foundational locations of life - this has been told by the
ancient sages. Prana especially resides in the Marma locations
Stimulating marma points …. Seat of prana … stimulate inherent power of human
to heal itself

Prognostic tool

Part of the body

Importance of Marma
चतुर्विधा यास्तु सिराः शरीरे प्रायेण ता मर्मसु सन्निविष्टाः |
स्नाय्वस्थिमांसानि तथैव सन्धीन् सन्तर्प्य देहं प्रतियापयन्ति ||१८||
[१]

ततः क्षते मर्मणि ताः प्रवृद्धः समन्ततो वायुरभिस्तृणोति |

विवर्धमानस्तु स मातरिश्वा रुजः सुतीव्राः प्रतनोति काये ||१९||
रुजाभिभूतं तु ततः शरीरं प्रलीयते नश्यति चास्य सञ्ज्ञा |
[१]

अतो हि शल्यं विनिहर्तुमिच्छन्मर्माणि यत्नेन परीक्ष्य कर्षेत् ||२०||

Importance of marma as per dalhana
सप्तोत्तरं मर्मशतम् |

तानि मर्माणि पञ्चात्मकानि भवन्ति; तद्यथा- मांसमर्माणि, सिरामर्माणि, स्नायुमर्माणि, अस्थिमर्माणि, सन्धिमर्माणि चेति |

न खलु मांससिरास्नाय्वस्थिसन्धिव्यतिरेके णान्यानि मर्माणि भवन्ति, यस्मान्नोपलभ्यन्ते ||३|| Su Sha 6

● सप्तोत्तरंमर्मशतम्…||सु शा ६/३
● तत्रैकादश मांसमर्माणि, एकचत्वारिंशत् सिरामर्माणि, सप्तविंशतिः स्नायुमर्माणि, अष्टावस्थिमर्माणि, विंशतिः सन्धिमर्माणि चेति |
● तदेतत् सप्तोत्तरं मर्मशतम् ||४||
तेषामेकादशैकस्मिन् सक्थ्नि भवन्ति, एतेनेतरसक्थि बाहू च व्याख्यातौ, उदरोरसोर्द्वादश, चतुर्दश पृष्ठे, ग्रीवां प्रत्यूर्ध्वं सप्तत्रिंशत् ||५||
तत्र सक्थिमर्माणि क्षिप्रतलहृदयकू र्चकू र्चशिरोगुल्फे न्द्रबस्तिजान्वाण्युर्विलोहिताक्षाणि विटपं चेति, एतेनेतरत्सक्थि व्याख्यातम् |

उदरोरसोस्तु गुदबस्तिनाभिहृदयस्तनमूलस्तनरोहितापलापान्यपस्तम्भौ [१] [२] चेति |

पृष्ठमर्माणि तु कटीकतरुणकु कु न्दरनितम्बपार्श्वसन्धिबृहत्यंसफलकान्यंसौ चेति |

बाहुमर्माणि तु शिप्रतलहृदयकू र्चकू र्चशिरोमणिबन्धेन्द्रबस्तिकू र्पराण्युर्वीलोहिताक्षाणि कक्षधरं चेति; एतेनेतरो बाहुर्व्याख्यातः |

जत्रुण ऊर्ध्वं चतस्रो धमन्योऽष्टौ मातृका द्वे कृ काटिके द्वे विधुरे द्वे फणे [३] द्वावपाङ्गौ द्वावावर्तौ द्वावुत्क्षेपौ द्वौ शङ्खावेका स्थपनी पञ्च सीमन्ताश्चत्वारि
शृङ्गाटकान्येकोऽधिपतिरिति ||६||