Primary texts on martial arts
Wrestling in the Mahabharata, the Mallapurana and the Marmasastram.
The essentials
Wrestling in the Mahabharata: Wrestling (mallayuddha, bahuyuddha) appears in several episodes. Bhima wrestles and kills Jarasandha, the powerful king of Magadha, in a long duel. While living in disguise at the court of Virata, Bhima also defeats the wrestler Jimuta and later kills Kichaka. These accounts describe grappling, throws and holds, showing that wrestling was an honoured skill of warriors. Bhima's final combat with Duryodhana is a mace fight (gadayuddha).
Mallapurana: A medieval Sanskrit text associated with the Jyeshthimallas, a community of professional wrestlers in Gujarat. It describes the wrestlers' origins, kinds of wrestlers, training exercises, diet, the seasons suitable for wrestling, the preparation of the arena and the rules of bouts. It shows that wrestling was a systematic discipline with its own rules.
Marmasastram: Marma means a vital point of the body where injury can cause serious harm or death. The Sushruta Samhita lists 107 marmas and classifies them by the structures involved (muscles, vessels, ligaments, bones, joints) and by the effects of injury. In Kalarippayattu and in the Tamil varmam tradition, knowledge of these points is used both in combat and in treatment, such as massage and reviving the injured. Such knowledge was traditionally taught only to trusted, disciplined students.
Key points
- Bhima – Jarasandha, Kichaka; mallayuddha.
- Mallapurana – Jyeshthimallas of Gujarat; training, diet and rules.
- Sushruta Samhita – 107 marmas.
- Marma knowledge: combat and healing.
Exam tips
- Remember the number 107 and the community linked with the Mallapurana.
Common mistakes
- Saying Bhima killed Jarasandha with a mace; it was in a wrestling duel.