"Varmakalai is a fusion of art and science"

INTRODUCTION

Man, living as one of the livings being in this world fought with animals and his co-existents in order to strive for his life. In the process he had many occasions of fall or wounds on his body, inflicted by animals or his fellow beings. Man had tried to pull his limbs or tried to massage his affected body to get relief from pain and such afflictions. So, the Varma Science can be said to be born with the early man, with his strife for life. As ages had passed by, man has developed the methods and standards of his approach to treatment as ‘Nature treatment’ methodical treatment and then to this present level of modern treatment. The system of present modern treatment has come down to us through many research work done in the recent centuries. To this, a great contribution has been given by the western countries who were able to accumulate diversified information from all over the world with the new growth of communication systems. At the same time, the Eastern or Oriental knowledge in these fields have been mostly kept hidden or buried. The social circumstances too have contributed to the hiding of the knowledge in the east, especially, in India.

The deep knowledge of the Orientals in this field, when analyzed in the methodical ways of research has certainly made the west wonder for such depth of knowledge in them. It is understood that the deep knowledge of these Indians had given them amazing power to refrain from food for quite a long time, without any negative effects to the body, contrarily, attaining greater power to lift himself up in the air or walk on the water or to demonstrate such powers irrelevant to the size of his body etc. Such knowledge is fast vanishing from our place due to certain culture of strange beliefs, negligence, social jealousy or indifference of the people or their administrators. Common people are simply attracted to things easily to believe or cheaper to avail. In this case, people naturally lose faith in putting their effort to get things of hard or dedicated works. They indulge in for easy and cheaper things. So, naturally, they lose their culture or traditional treasures.

It is easy to understand that the great Art-Science, the Varmakalai, which demonstrates the great power in man, in his own body, related to this Universe, is being hidden and buried from the world for various reasons. Although there is a great benefit to the humanity through this Varma Science, it should not be forgotten that this art is also equally or even more dangerous to be practiced by imprudent persons. For this reason, a system was followed to maintain and pass on this Science from an Asan (Master) to his disciple. This fact is clearly seen from the varma texts of present days. So, the ‘Worthiness’ of the disciple was considered the main criteria to teach this Art-Science.

There are certain oral histories as well as historical records to indicate that the social growth of man has spread out, there have been occasions that such records have been systematically noted down as a book, to be handed over to such disciples or such leaders of the social groups (eg., Parthipakesaram University, Chitharal University etc., in Kumari district). In certain level of period, this has acquired some religious importance because it was the easy way that common people can be instructed. The effect of such can be observed from the social traditions of common people, like performing Thoppukkaranam, Ukki, etc. This was the ancient ‘Touch-Therapy’ among the tamils. Through these practices certain energizing centres of the body were really actuated to alert their brain power, memory etc. Unfortunately some of the practices have gone lately, simply religious.

Insights from Varma Science

According to the Varma Arriviyal, the universe is made up of smaller atoms and yet, still smallest particles of atoms called “Paramaanu”. The Prapancham or the Universe is a combination of such paramaanus. From this union of such paramaanu comes the energy, and through its separation comes the ‘Sound’ or Natham which is of immeasurable intensity and along with that sound has emanated the “Vinthu” or Light. The separation of the light being called Sathakkiyam is diversified into individual units, each independent to rule by itself, but having inter-connection to govern as a whole as well as in itself independently controlling or creating the life in itself termed as Isa-varmam = Isvarmam or the life-source or the life itself. Man is a part of such evolution. So he is able to turn down or boost up his social or the circumstantial life around him.

In the outer space the status of the paramaanu is with life, without life, and also with the characters of life. They are also empowered to energize and function within themselves. Whichever functions actuating itself is termed as Thoola karanam, and because of this, depending on the situations and changes in the nature; there occurs defects and diseases in Man. This is the phenomenon of Varma science as the first stage.

The Varma Science is an Art which draws the attention of many, these days. As this Art-Science is recorded in a ‘hidden’ or with ‘Deeper technical terms’ it would not be an easy task to understand it from the Text, without the help of a ‘Guru’ to ‘Touch’ and show it to us. This is very clear from the Tamil Varma-proverb, “Thottu kaatta Vithai, Chuttu Pottalum Varaathu” (The Wisdom that is taught without ‘Touching’ will not come even if you Burn yourself’). It is a basic fact of this Science that unless one dedicatedly serves the Master and gets his confidence by devotion and gets the Art by direct contact, it is not possible to learn this Art uniquely. If you think that you have learnt this Art from the texts, by yourself, or from some incomplete, ‘Quake Aasans’ you will be simply fooling yourself.

The vital points referred to in the Sastra are very much related to the system of physiological organs of the body. In order to understand the secrets behind the Varma Treatise, you need to know the Thathuvams (basic principles) of the Science of Udal, (Body), the Science of Gnanam (Wisdom), and the Science of Siddhar (Guru or the Centre of Knowledge). The secrets of Varma Science can be taught or demonstrated only by such Aasans (Masters) who know the roots of the Nadis in the body, the Unions of the Nadis, the positions or the ‘resting places’ of Prana (life), the status of ‘actuation, impact, dormancy’ of the Panchabhootha circulation in the body. Others can simply mis-lead you. The Varma texts are written in different periods and in different circumstances by different Aasans or Gurus.

As the Varma Art could be used to benefit a Society, or sometimes even destroy a society, hurt them, or otherwise, sometimes it can improve or upgrade them, it has been strictly ruled by its originators that this Art Science may be given only to the Santors who have the real aptitude for the Art, love, humility, righteousness, fellow-feeling and at the same time valour to maintain it. This has been the rule followed by the Aasans from time immemorial. Because of this strict principle, there are incidents that the Guru-disciple relations had been broken and the disciple being discontinued or driven away, in the history of the Art. The Master has the authority to select or discord a disciple depending on these factors of merits. There are incidents that the Aasans have confused certain non-tasteful disciples about the location of the varma points and such things have resulted in various names for the same point and it is being recorded in various forms in the various texts. Analyzing all such confusions found in different texts, efforts have been taken here to straighten such things to a clear and better form, through this IRIVS.