Shloka 28

Cikitsā-sāra: Doṣa Nidāna–Lakṣaṇa, Agni, Ajīrṇa/Āma Cikitsā, Daśamūla, and Prognostic Signs

Devanagari script

कृशस्य वृंहणं कार्यंस्थूलदेहस्य कर्षणम् / रक्षणं मध्यकायस्य देहभेदास्त्रयो मताः

Transliteration

kṛśasya vṛṃhaṇaṃ kāryaṃsthūladehasya karṣaṇam / rakṣaṇaṃ madhyakāyasya dehabhedāstrayo matāḥ

Translation

للنحيلِ تُتَّخذُ المعالجةُ المُغذِّيةُ المُقوِّية؛ وللسمينِ تُتَّخذُ المعالجةُ المُنقِصة. وأمّا متوسطُ البنية فالمشورةُ له حفظُ التوازن وصيانته. فهكذا تُعرَفُ ثلاثةُ أصنافٍ للأجساد.

Word by Word

• kṛśasya: of the emaciated (person)
• kṛśasya: Sambandha (genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; ‘of a thin person’

• vṛṃhaṇam: nourishing/strengthening (therapy)
• vṛṃhaṇam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛṃhaṇa (प्रातिपदिक; √vṛṃh/वृंह्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; कर्म/विधेय-नाम

• kāryam: is to be done
• kāryam: Kriya (obligation predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (कृ) (धातु)
• Form: भाव्यतार्थक कृदन्त (तव्यत्/यत्-प्रत्ययान्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘should be done’

• sthūla-dehasya: of the stout-bodied (person)
• sthūla-dehasya: Sambandha (genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthūla (प्रातिपदिक) + deha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः ‘sthūlaḥ dehaḥ’

• karṣaṇam: reducing/slimming (therapy)
• karṣaṇam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक; √kṛṣ/कृष्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• rakṣaṇam: protection/maintenance
• rakṣaṇam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक; √rakṣ/रक्ष्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• madhya-kāyasya: of the medium-built (person)
• madhya-kāyasya: Sambandha (genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhya (प्रातिपदिक) + kāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः ‘madhyaḥ kāyaḥ’

• deha-bhedāḥ: types of bodies
• deha-bhedāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deha (प्रातिपदिक) + bheda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘dehasya bhedāḥ’

• trayaḥ: three
• trayaḥ: Visheshana (of deha-bhedāḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (प्रातिपदिक, संख्या)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषणम्

• matāḥ: are considered
• matāḥ: Kriya (Predicate; passive participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √man (मन्) (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘are considered’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Yukti (appropriate means) and madhyama-mārga (middle way): different constitutions require different disciplines.

Vedantic Theme: Samatva (evenness) as a practical virtue; care of the instrument (body) supports higher pursuits.

Application: Choose therapy by condition: brṃhaṇa (nourishing) for emaciation, karśaṇa (reducing) for obesity, rakṣaṇa (maintenance) for medium build.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.168.30 (definition of sāmyam/balance)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What are the three body types mentioned in this Garuda Purana verse?

Thin (kṛśa), obese/stout (sthūla), and medium-built (madhya); each requires a different therapeutic approach.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not describe the soul’s post-death path; it teaches how to manage the living body through nourishment, reduction, or maintenance.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Choose goals realistically: nourish underweight bodies, reduce excess weight carefully, and prioritize balance and prevention for average build.