Thanuology is an lndegenous System of Medicine which deals
with the study of Secret locations of life-centres in the human body, and its associations with the human body and its treatment, if traumatised.
DERIVATION OF THE TERM THANUOLOGY
The term Thanuology is derived from the name Almighty. Thanu, who is also named Siva. An ancient story is behind this derivation. It is said that Lord Siva happened to see his sons Ganapathy and Murugan, during their childhood, fighting and wrestling with each other. In the course of their single combat each one was pulling and hitting the other. Lord Siva stopped their fighting and enlightened them about the presence of various secret points (life centres) of the body and the ill-effects produced if these life-centres were traumatised. It is also said that the Siddhars, who had the blessings of Lord Siva, taught this Science to the people for their well being.
The word 'Thanuology' may be a new one to Modern Science.
But it is an ancient Indian Medical Science, not yet generally widely known among the people of India.
THANUOLOGY AND OTHER MARTIAL ARTS
Thanuology is an art as well as a Science. As an art it can be employed to attack a person to disable him (which is not normally done) and as a science, it helps persons recoup from the impact of such attacks. The Science of Thanuology was therefore utilized by ruling kings of those days to treat the wounded and the disabled soldiers who were injured in the wars by their enemies.
Thanuology has also some similarities to other Martial arts such as Silambun, sword fighting, Kalari etc. In these arts, the life centres of men are made known to practitioners to enable them to achieve their ends. These Martial arts were extensively practised by the people of Tamil Nadu and patronised by the ancient kings. The mastery over these arts helped the people and the soldiers to protect the country from the attack of enemies.
DANGERS OF JUDO & KARATE
Martial Arts like Judo, Karate etc., have become very popular under the patronage of Foreigners like Japanese and Chinese. The Martial Arts are used now-a-days liberally by the people of India for defence purposes. By its extensive use, many persons become victim to attacks. The impact in the body of the victims causes damage or injury to life-centres. The person who is injured, may physically be rendered temporarily or permanently useless. The aim of the person who practices Martial arts such as Karate or Judo is to over-power his opponent. But, his victory is achieved by causing damage to the life centres of the body of his opponent. The impact of injuries inflicted upon others is not taken note of. One should not forget such injury may at times be fatal. It should be remembered that, once the life centre of the body is impaired, such impact develops different types of ailments in later days. It assumes major proportions and causes various ailments as the age of the Victim advances. All these are due to ignorance of the effect of the damage caused to life centres by the practitioners of Martial arts. Almost in all cases the victims do not live long if they are not promptly treated for by expert Thanuologists.
It is Thanuology that brings to light the complete scientific
aspects of such impacts. Thanuology is therefore excellent as a Science, besides being an art.
SHORT HISTORY OF THANUOLOGY
These martial arts, and also Thanuology were the boons of Lord Siva who conferred them on the three Tamil Kings, Chera, Chola, and Pandiyan. Realising its misuse by Chofa and Pandiya Kings, Siva had left with them the martial arts, and withheld the science of Thanuology by the divine emissaries viz., lyen and Keyan. This science was thus left with a few Tamilian families of the South of erstwhile Travancore. The richness and delicacy of this science has made these families secretive about it and it has been handed down from father to son, and Guru to disciple. Thanuology is purely a Tamilian Science.
Other Martial arts are extensively used and easily available for learning.
LIFE CENTRES
The ancient Greek story, that our children learn in the preparatory class illustrates that the death of the Giant Goliath was brought about by the shepherd boy David by a hit at a Vital spot on the temple. It would be an indication that the human body has a large number of life-centres and its defection would cause ailments and sometimes death.
Hundreds of Life centres of the human body lie dormant within bones, nerves, veins, muscles, joints and inner organs and are found either deep or at the surface of the body. Vital life-centres are dominant on bones and joints; Medium life-centres on nerves; striking life-centres on veins; Inner life-centres on muscles, and chronic life-centres on blood clots formed due to impacts on the body.
As the flow of electricity is controlled by switches, the flow of life of the human body is controlled at the life-centres. Whenever the life centres are traumatised by a hit or a cut, either directly or indirectly, then the whole body is left out of control. In other words the whole body is paralysed. This is manifested by symptoms like fainting, fits, sprain, swelling, bleeding, shivering, fractures, dislocations or even death.
FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN BODY
Based on the fundamental principles, the human body is governed by 96 Thathuvams. There are 108 important life-centres in the human body, of which 12 are vital life-centres, and 96 Medium life-centres. Those 108 life-centres are seated in 5 broad regions. Twenty five life centres are at the head region, 45 life-centres at neck-umbilicus region, 9 life centres at umbilicus-anus region, 14 life centres at upper limb region and 15 life centres at lower limb region.
LI FE CENTRES AND TRITHOSAS
According to Indian Systems of Medicine, Trithosas (which are the three humours on the body) condition the health of the human body. Vatha, Pittha and Kaba act in the proportion of 4:2:1 respectively. Its variation in proportions will lead to diseases.
In Thanuology, Vatham (Wind) dominates at bones and joints; Pittha (heat) at muscles; and Kaba at nerves. The impact of life-centres brings variations in the Trithosas. All diseases are classified under these three principles.
SIGNS OF LIFE CENTRES, I F DEFECTED
Wherever the life centres are really defected the relevant place will be felt chill. Normally the pranavayu may stick up. There may be wounds and pains. There may be signs and symptoms, peculiar to the defection of the particular life-centre. If the symptoms found on the victim, vary from time to time, and also uneasiness prevails upon, one can easily conclude that these are the signs of a serious case. Further in case the controlling (key) centre is neutralised and no change could be felt in the condition of the victim, one can very well conclude it is also a very serious case.
Only after the prescribed time limit, if the patient survives, he can be given the required treatment for recovery.
the human body.
INFLUENCE OF MOON UPON HUMAN BODY
There are many secrets about the influence of the moon upon Milk of moon also works in fifteen places in each of the two sides of the human body. These places are also the active life-centres. After the full moon day, it is active at 15 places from toe to head on the left side, and after the New Moon day it is active at other places on the right side of the body. In these days, the respective place of humanbody wherein the milk of moon rests is defected due to injuries, death occurs in all pro babilities. Knowledge about this, would help the Thanuologist to give appropriate treatment for satisfactory relief to victims.
THANUOLOGY IS THE GIFT OF SIDDHAS
The classifications of life-centres, Centre of forces in the physical tenements, diagnoses, and the forms of treatment etc., are the fruits of centuries of research conducted by Tamil "Seers" who are styled as "Siddhas" and whose expressions and findings are transcribed in hundreds of works. Their works are of immense importance and guidance to later generations for a rational and healthy life, and wonders beyond all possible comprehension of the common people as well as academicians.
SHARE OF DISEASES TO THANUOLOGY
As Scientific development and progress takes place in the world, accidents are on the increase. This cannot be avoided. As a result 50% of the population suffers from various kinds of diseases. So also, when a man falls off from a height or from a running train, or a vehicle, he is treated by the orthopaedic surgeon for the broken bones and other visible injuries.
The impact of invisible injuries especially to life-centres as well as inner organs like lungs, heart, liver, head, brain etc., are left without being cared for. As a result, we find a large number of victims suffer, even after their bones were set right and other external injuries have been healed. Their ailments assume greater proportion, as their age advances.
MODE OF TREATMENT
If the impact of vital centres are not treated according to Thanuology, victims may suffer from nonspecific ailments like Tuberculosis, Asthma, pains and other inexplainable complaints. For treatment of diseases like Tuberculosis and Asthma the worrying factor for the present Medical specialists is the paucity of basis of such diseases. Thanuology opens up a new vista to such people who are in a dilemma as to the original causes of diseases. To avoid such a situation we have to treat the vital life-centres of Victims under the following methods.
Elakkumurai (Neutralising the damage caused.)
Thadavu Murai (Massage the effective points)
Curing the defections by special methods.
Kattumurai (Bandages)
Maruthuvam (application of medicine).
Shanthi Mural (Divine Treatment) etc.
From the above explanation it is clear that Thanuology is more
a Science than an art and has all similarities to other modern medical sciences.
DIFFERENTIATION OF DISEASES
It is seen in some southern Districts like Tirunelvelli district Kanyakumari district etc., of Tamilnadu that the physician is in the habit of enquiring of the patient as to whether he had any injury or impact to life-centres of body. This is to make sure that the impact on life-centres requires treatment under Thanuology. If the answer from the patient is in the negative, he is given normal treatment. This sort of enquiry helps the doctor to select the correct type of Treatment and medicines. There are, in fact, some symptoms like fever, pain, uneasiness, etc., which are common to both type of diseases. Ignorance will not help the Doctor to cure the ailment. It will complicate the condition of the patient rather than curing the ailment.
SPECIAL POINTS
It is useful to take careful note of certain points as guidelines for treatment of patients by Thanuology. Timely treatment of life-centres will ensure abundant hope and ample chance for recovery of ailment. The life which is cornered due to vital spots being traumatised, begins to regain its original vigour and vitality and runs as usual through the regions of the body, sooner the patient recovers from the defections of life-centres.
CONCLUSION
Thanuology which has many advantages is now readily at hand for us to enjoy its benefits. The information given in this article is meagre.
This science has hundreds of valuable unpublished treatises which the medical world is yet to know. The works such as "VARMA
MUTHIRA1" "VARMA KAAVIAM", "UDAL PAATHI VUVIR PAATHI UDDALUVIR PAATHI", "YELUMBU MURIVU SARI", "VARMA KANNADI", "VARMA VIMANAM" etc., are some of the treatises inTamil, to illustrate the meaning of Thanuology.
M/s Siddha Medical Literature Research Centre Madras 600 102 have collected a good number of works, written in Tamil verses. They are written in Gudgen leaves and of a few centuries old. This Institute has been in the extensive study and research of Thanuology since a decade, under the chief Faculty Dr.S.Chidambaratham and have published six treatises (in Tamil) titled "PADUVARMA THIRATTU", "VARMA SUT CHAM", "VARMANI THIRAVUKOL", "VARMA KAIMURAI YEDU", "THODUVARMA THIRATTU", "VA'RMA THEERPPU" and have plans to bring out new publications in English.
It is also learnt that M/s SMLRC have applied for Indian Medical Council for permission to, conduct courses leading to Ph.D. in Thanuology.
From the above said facts it will be seen that Thanuology has wide scope and usefulness to people all over the world. It is high time that the Government are to undertake comprehensive study of Thanuology by Institutes. The very popularisation of Thanuology through the medium of colleges, Hospitals and Research centres will certainly go a long way to satisfy the long felt need of the people of the world.
The extract of speech delivered by Dr. S. Chidambarathanu Pillai, Hony Editor, "Siddha System of life" on "The Role of Thanuology on Modern Medical Science" at the 2nd International Congress on traditional Asian Medicine to be held in Surabaya, Indonesia from 2'nd to 7'th September 1984.