Clinical Approach to Marma Chikitsa

Dr. Gaurav Phull is a graduate from RGGPGAC, Paprola, H.P. and did his M.S in Shalya Tantra from same college. He was All India Topper in PG entrance examination. He has also worked as a house physician in Shalakya dept. at Paprola, H.P. Afterwards he served as Assistant Professor at MBAC, Muktsar, Punjab and now he is pursuing PhD. Presently, he is working as Clinical Registrar at CBPACS,New Delhi. He is a life time member of AAIM (Association of Anaesthetist of Indian Medicine), VIBHA, NASYA, and VAP. He qualified for the certificate course on "Basic Life Support" by IAP. He is running a separate unit for "Marma Chikitsa and Pain Management Clinic" at CBPACS and has visited as an Expert/Resource person for Marma and other surgical/parasurgical procedures in many multi-speciality workshops conducted by Dept. of Ayush. He received the Best Paper award in a national seminar at Khanpur, Haryana. He is determined to become a multi-faceted clinician and explore the vast potential of Ayurveda for the benefit of ailing humanity.

Dr. Rekha Phull did her graduation and M.D in Kayachikitsa from RGGPGAC, Paprola, H.P. Afterwards she did PGDHM from NIHFW, Munirka, New Delhi and now pursuing PhD. She qualified for the certificate course on "Basic Life Support" by IAP. As a PG scholar, she assisted efficiently in conducting various ROTP's and CME's. She has participated as a "Youngest Guest Speaker" in national seminar held in dist. Mandi, H.P. She worked as a Lecturer in Kayachikitsa dept. at Bharat Ayurvedic College, Muzzafarnagar and MLRA college, Charkhi Dadri. Presently working as Associate Prof. & In-Charge HOD Kayachikitsa dept at SGT University, Gurugram. She strives to become an efficient teacher and a renowned clinician in the field of Ayurveda.

I am happy to write these few words by way of Introduction to and appreciation of Dr. Gaurav & Dr. Rekha Phull's book entitled " Clinical Approach to Marma Chikitsa". OSLER has classified author's in three categories:- Creator, Transmutor and Transmitter. The first is instinctive, inspired, original and intellectual type. He is rare, he may be one in a million. The second is of similar type but somewhat less in original, all comprehensive concepts but more practical and more worldly. He makes the knowledge of the first type more intelligible, practical and useful such authors are created in every new age or rather they may be creators of new age. They are respected more or less equally as the first type and placed nearly in the same category as the first. The third type is copyist but they sense the purpose of keeping the torch of knowledge burning. A good author should have qualities of all the three. Disease and pain had existed for ages even before advent of human brain, so they were accepted as natural experiences. The revolt against them was slow, the rebellion against pain being delayed far onger than the fight against disease.

Marma Chikitsa, a professional art of healing is both a blessing as well as :beauty in action. To witness the change of the body and mind is unique, , at visible experience. The skill requires patience, guidance as well as -tuition. We all have the capacity to cultivate the tools needed to :evelop healing hands. Even our words or intentions are valuable tool -.- at enhance the practice. The system of Marma as chikitsa or therapy -elated to Kalaripayattu, a martial art form from the southern parts of people.

--e earliest mention of Marma is found in Rigveda, where Indra is said have defeated Vritra by attacking his marma with a vajra. Sushruta :entified and defined 107 vital points of the human body in his _shruta Samhita. Marmas are akin to vehicles used for communication in the body, mind and spirit.

Humanity has been toiling hard to get rid of ever increasing ailments since its origin. As the world is getting more developed, more civilized, more educated, simultaneously the numbers of diseases are also increasing. Ayurveda is a divine science which has stood by the test of time and serving the humanity since very beginning. The rich heritage of ancient literature is a proof that Ayurveda has been the major science to deal with the sufferings of the people in India. It is believed to have its inception from the revered Brahma himself. Since then Ayurveda has its zenith and was part of normal daily lifestyle and major source of treatment until last few centuries when India suffered from invaders. The Britishers rule led to the discouragement of the use of Ayurveda and it was fallen long into oblivion. The medical science of western world dominated our country since then. Only after the independence, the revival of Ayurveda started and it is slowly regaining value. We, the stakeholders of this beautiful science have the onus to show the urgency and toil harder to take it to its deserved place in -1parting the treatment to the people. We have to take pledge to carry to new heights and make this Indian system of Medicine- the system of our country. This book has been written as a small ::htribution in that direction with a strong faith that it will benefit the people.

Marma Chikitsa is one of the pillars of Ayurvedic treatment and a very ortant tool for fulfilling the very aim of Ayurveda i.e. total health : prevention from diseases. But unfortunately, this marvellous --,nce of Marma Chikitsa was ignored in recent centuries, probably e to lack of transfer of its practical knowledge by the old Luckily, there has been some revival of its usage in last few due to sincere efforts of some curious clinicians. It is now gaining Jlarity world-wide and more number of physicians/practitioners of -veda are focussing to learn this divine science. Marma Chikitsa.

**Contents and Sample Pages**