Shloka 20

Rasa-Dravya Varga: Sweet, Sour, Salty, Pungent, Bitter, Astringent; Snehana and Svedana Guidelines

Devanagari script

कषायो ग्राहको रोपी स्तम्भनक्लेदशोषणः / एको ऽत्यर्थं सेव्यमानो हृदये चाथ पीडकः / मुखशोषज्वराध्मानमन्यास्तम्भादिकारकः

Transliteration

kaṣāyo grāhako ropī stambhanakledaśoṣaṇaḥ / eko 'tyarthaṃ sevyamāno hṛdaye cātha pīḍakaḥ / mukhaśoṣajvarādhmānamanyāstambhādikārakaḥ

Translation

الطعم القابض (كشايا) ماصٌّ ومُبرِئ؛ يُضيِّق ويُجفِّف الرطوبة. ولكن إذا استُعمِل القابض وحده بإفراط، فإنه يضغط القلب أيضًا ويُحدِث جفاف الفم، والحمّى، وانتفاخ البطن، وتيبّس العنق، وسائر العلل المشابهة.

Word by Word

• कषायः: astringent (decoction/astringent taste)
• कषायः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कषाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• ग्राहकः: absorbent, binding
• ग्राहकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ग्राहक (प्रातिपदिक; √ग्रह् (धातु) + ण्वुल्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of कषायः)

• रोपी: healing, restorative
• रोपी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रोपिन् (प्रातिपदिक; √रुह्/√रोप् (धातु) + इन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• स्तम्भनक्लेदशोषणः: causing stoppage, drying moisture, desiccating
• स्तम्भनक्लेदशोषणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्तम्भन + क्लेद + शोषण (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (collective) विशेषण

• एकः: one, alone
• एकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• अत्यर्थम्: excessively, too much
• अत्यर्थम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्यर्थम् (अव्यय; अत्यर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) → अव्ययीभाव/क्रियाविशेषणरूप)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• सेव्यमानः: being used/consumed
• सेव्यमानः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √सेव् (धातु) + यमान (कृदन्त; वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि कृदन्त/शानच्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मणि वर्तमानकृदन्त (present passive participle)

• हृदये: in the heart
• हृदये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• अथ: then, moreover
• अथ: Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (particle: then/now)

• पीडकः: pain-causing, oppressive
• पीडकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पीडक (प्रातिपदिक; √पीड् (धातु) + ण्वुल्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• मुखशोषज्वराध्मानम्: dryness of mouth, fever, and bloating
• मुखशोषज्वराध्मानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख + शोष + ज्वर + आध्मान (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (collective)

• अन्य: other
• अन्य: Qualifier
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (समासपूर्वपद) विशेषण; here as qualifier within compound

• स्तम्भ: stiffness, obstruction
• स्तम्भ: Qualifier
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (समासपूर्वपद)

• आदि: and so on
• आदि: Qualifier
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; ‘etc.’-अर्थे (ādi)

• कारकः: causing/producing
• कारकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कारक (प्रातिपदिक; √कृ (धातु) + ण्वुल्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अन्य-स्तम्भ-आदि-कारकः = causing other stiffness etc.)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Mātrā (proper measure) and avoidance of ekānta (one-sided excess) even in beneficial substances.

Vedantic Theme: Madhyamā-pratipad (the balanced way); sattvic regulation of the body as an aid to clarity and duty.

Application: Use astringent therapies judiciously; monitor signs of overuse (dry mouth, fever, bloating, stiffness) and adjust diet/medicine accordingly.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.173 (Ayurveda section: guṇa-doṣa, dravya-varga, mātrā)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What does the Garuda Purana say about the kaṣāya (astringent) property?

It is described as binding and healing and as drying excess moisture, but the verse stresses that excess use becomes harmful and creates systemic distress.

How does this verse reflect the Garuda Purana’s approach to dharma in daily life?

It frames health as a disciplined practice: even beneficial qualities become harmful when pursued one-sidedly or in excess, aligning bodily restraint with dharmic moderation.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If using astringent-heavy diets or herbs (drying regimens), watch for dryness, bloating, or strain and rebalance with appropriate foods and professional guidance.