EAP810/1/1/118

Title in original script: வர்ம கண்ணாடி

The manuscript is made of a text composed of palm leaves numbered from 1 to142. Its condition is good; a few leaves (n° 85, 86, 123-126) are broken, some are darkened by fungus infestation or slightly bitten by rodents. Size of the manuscript 32,0cm x 3,4cm. The palm leaves of the text are numbered in Tamil and Arab from 1 to 142; there are two additional leaves and five blank leaves: three at the beginning and two at the end of the text. The manuscript is in good condition. The leaves n° 85, 86 and 123 to 126 are broken, some are darkened by fungus infestation or slightly bitten by rodents.

The text, entitled Varma Kaṇṇāṭi, is written in verses. It describes numerous vital spots (varmam) located in the human body: naraṅkal kuṟṟi, konṭai kolli and cīṟum kolli; piṭari varmam, caruti varmam, poṟcey varmam, paṭci varmam, pāla varmam, oṭṭu varmam, uṟakka varmam, cimai varmam, kākkaṭṭai varmam, catti varmam, tivaḷai varmam, enti varmam, piṟatārai varmam, kuttu varmam, uḷpuṟṟu varmam, kūmpu varmam, nēr varmam, aṭappu varmam, muṇṭellu varmam, piṉcaruti varmam, piḷḷai varmam, cuḷukki varmam, uḷḷuṟukki varmam, caṭappiṟa varmam, kiḷippira varmam, puca varmam, viḷaṅku varmam, cuḻiyāṭi varmam, cuḷukki varmam, naṭṭellu varmam, kaccai varmam, aṇi varmam, āntai varmam, moḻi varmam, veḷḷai varmam, maṇipanta varmam, āntai varmam, kavaḷi varmam, mūṭṭu varmam, muṇṭaka varmam, acaivu varmam, kāl veḷḷai varmam, cuṇṭōtari varmam, paṭa varmam, katir varmam, kōṇa caṉṉi varmam and uṟumi varmam; caṅku tiri kālam, kuṟṟi kālam, utira kālam, cevi kuṟṟi kālam, mantira kālam, pōykai kālam, naṭcattira kālam, kāmpūri kālam, valamūrti kālam, aṭappa kālam, tilartta kālam, miṉveṭṭi kālam, mantira kālam, kaṇṇāṭi kālam, ācāmai kālam, caya kālam, pūṇūl kālam, kai kūṭṭu kālam, vāyu kālam, aṉṉa kālam, kalliṭai kālam, valampuri kālam, iṭampuri kālam, taṭcaṇai kālam, uppu kuṟṟi kālam, kuṇṭi kai kālam, viṟti kālam, kaṇṇu pukai kālam, kutirai muka kālam and kompēri kālam; valiya atti curukki and ciṟiya atti cuṟukki; velluṟumi and valluṟumi.

The text describes the vital spots linked to vāta nāṭi (vāta varma nāṭi) located in head and neck, those linked to pitta nāṭi in the region situated between neck and umbilicus and linked to kapa nāṭi in the region between umbilicus and toes. It provides some information on physiological concepts such as the five sense organs (poṟi añcu), the ten types of pulse (taca nāṭi), blood vessels (nāṭi), nerves (narampu) and nerve knots (muṭiccu)., the ten types of air (taca vāyu), the three systems of the body (maṅṭalam mūṉṟu) and the three passions (mummalam).

The text presents methods to injury vital spots (varma koḷḷum vitam) in an adversary and in a pregnant woman (karppa peṇ). It explains how to relax (aṭaṅkal muṟai) injured vital spots. It provides some formulas used in varmam therapy and the name of apparatus (karuvikaḷ) serving to prepare medicines.