Shloka 22

Rajayakshma Nidana: Causes, Pathogenesis, Symptoms, and Prognosis

Devanagari script

रसो ह्यस्य न रक्ताय मांसाय कुरुते तु तत् / उपष्टब्धः समन्ताच्च केवलं वर्तते क्षयी

Transliteration

raso hyasya na raktāya māṃsāya kurute tu tat / upaṣṭabdhaḥ samantācca kevalaṃ vartate kṣayī

Translation

وأما هو فإن الرَسَ (rasa)، جوهر الغذاء، لا يتحوّل عنده إلى دمٍ ولا إلى لحم؛ وإن أُسنِد من كل جانب، فإنه لا يلبث إلا بقاءً واهيًا—ليذوي ويستهلك فحسب.

Word by Word

• rasaḥ: nutritive fluid/essence (rasa)
• rasaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• asya: of him/this (patient)
• asya: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय

• raktāya: for blood
• raktāya: Sampradana (Dative/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (रक्तम्), चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन

• māṃsāya: for flesh/muscle
• māṃsāya: Sampradana (Dative/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māṃsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन

• kurute: produces / makes
• kurute: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• tu: but
• tu: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वयबोधक निपात (but/indeed)

• tat: that (result)
• tat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• upaṣṭabdhaḥ: obstructed / held back
• upaṣṭabdhaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: stambh (धातु) → upaṣṭabdha (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying kṣayī)

• samantāt: from all sides
• samantāt: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samantāt (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: 'from all sides/entirely')

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• kevalam: only / merely
• kevalam: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kevala (प्रातिपदिक used adverbially)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial use)

• vartate: remains / continues
• vartate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛt (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• kṣayī: a consumptive person (one with wasting)
• kṣayī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣayin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Mixed

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Processes may continue superficially while essential transformation fails; recognize the limits of material support when inner conversion is blocked.

Vedantic Theme: Anityatā of the body; distinction between sustaining appearance and true flourishing; impetus toward detachment.

Application: In chronic wasting, assess dhātu-pariṇāma (tissue conversion) rather than only intake; focus on deep nourishment, rest, and correcting root causes.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.152 (dhātu-pariṇāma failure in kṣaya)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of ‘rasa’ (bodily essence) in the Garuda Purana’s after-death description?

This verse uses ‘rasa’ to show that in the post-death/preta-like condition the nutritive essence no longer transforms into stable tissues like blood and flesh, indicating a state of depletion rather than growth.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

It points to an intermediate, weakened condition where the being is sustained yet unable to rebuild a gross body—highlighting vulnerability and gradual wasting until proper rites/merit support the onward journey.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It encourages timely performance of death rites and ethical living (dharma) so that one’s post-death passage is supported rather than marked by depletion and suffering.