Shloka 49

Anupāna and the Doṣa-Effects of Foods, Waters, Dairy, Oils, and Preparations

Devanagari script

अक्षजं कफपित्तघ्नं केश्यं त्वक्श्रोत्रतर्पणम् / त्रिदोषघ्नं मधु प्रोक्तं वातलञ्च प्रकीर्तितम्

Transliteration

akṣajaṃ kaphapittaghnaṃ keśyaṃ tvakśrotratarpaṇam / tridoṣaghnaṃ madhu proktaṃ vātalañca prakīrtitam

Translation

ما كان منسوبًا إلى الماعز (akṣaja) يُقال إنه يُسكِّنُ كافا (kapha) وبيتّا (pitta)، ويُحسِّنُ الشعرَ ويُغذّي الجلدَ والأذنين. أمّا العسلُ فقد أُعلِنَ أنه يُهدِّئُ الدوشات الثلاث، ومع ذلك يُذكَرُ أيضًا أنه يزيد فاتا (vāta).

Word by Word

• अक्षजम्: born from sugarcane (sugarcane-derived)
• अक्षजम्: Visheshana (Adjectival predicate/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (प्रातिपदिक; √जन् धातु-सम्भव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; पञ्चमी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थः (अक्षात् जातम्/अक्षस्य जातम्) — neuter nominative/accusative singular

• कफ-पित्त-घ्नम्: destroying phlegm and pitta
• कफ-पित्त-घ्नम्: Visheshana (Adjectival predicate/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कफ (प्रातिपदिक) + पित्त (प्रातिपदिक) + घ्न (प्रातिपदिक; √हन् धातु-सम्भव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः — neuter nominative/accusative singular

• केश्यम्: beneficial for hair
• केश्यम्: Visheshana (Adjectival predicate/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: केश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन — neuter nominative/accusative singular

• त्वक्-श्रोत्र-तर्पणम्: nourishing the skin and ears
• त्वक्-श्रोत्र-तर्पणम्: Visheshana (Adjectival predicate/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्वक् (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रोत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + तर्पण (प्रातिपदिक; √तृप् धातु-सम्भव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः — neuter nominative/accusative singular; ‘तर्पण’ = तृप्तिकर/पोषक

• त्रि-दोष-घ्नम्: destroying the three doṣas
• त्रि-दोष-घ्नम्: Visheshana (Adjectival predicate/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + दोष (प्रातिपदिक) + घ्न (प्रातिपदिक; √हन् धातु-सम्भव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (त्रयः दोषाः) + उपपद-घ्न — neuter nominative/accusative singular

• मधु: honey
• मधु: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन — neuter nominative/accusative singular

• प्रोक्तम्: is said/declared
• प्रोक्तम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु) + प्र (उपसर्ग) ; प्रोक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — past passive participle ‘said/declared’

• वातलम्: vāta-increasing
• वातलम्: Visheshana (Adjectival predicate/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वातल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन — neuter nominative/accusative singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• प्रकीर्तितम्: is proclaimed
• प्रकीर्तितम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कीर्त् (धातु) + प्र (उपसर्ग) ; प्रकीर्तित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — past passive participle ‘is proclaimed’

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Complexity of guṇa-karma: a substance can be broadly balancing yet contextually aggravating (honey and vāta).

Vedantic Theme: Yathārtha-jñāna (accurate knowledge) over simplistic labels; discernment in action.

Application: Use goat-derived nourishment for hair/skin/ear support and kapha-pitta reduction; use honey judiciously—beneficial in many contexts but may increase vāta depending on use (e.g., dryness, excess, improper combination).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.169 (madhu and animal-derived dravya notes)

FAQs

What does Garuda Purana teach about honey (madhu)?

This verse calls honey tridoṣa-pacifying, while also noting it can increase vāta—indicating conditional use depending on constitution, season, and preparation.

How should we understand the apparent contradiction: tridoṣaghna yet vātala?

The verse preserves a nuanced Ayurvedic idea: a substance may generally balance doṣas but still aggravate one doṣa under certain contexts (dose, dryness, timing, combinations).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use honey thoughtfully—especially in vāta-prone dryness—favoring appropriate combinations and moderation as advised in traditional dietetics.