Shloka 12

Therapeutic Formulations for Glandular Swelling, Skin Diseases, Heat-Afflictions, Bleeding Disorders, Respiratory Complaints, and Vomiting

Devanagari script

अम्लतक्रं सगोमूत्रं क्वथितं लवणान्वितम् / कांस्यघृष्टं खरं लेपात्कुष्ठदद्रुविनाशनम्

Transliteration

amlatakraṃ sagomūtraṃ kvathitaṃ lavaṇānvitam / kāṃsyaghṛṣṭaṃ kharaṃ lepātkuṣṭhadadruvināśanam

Translation

يُؤخَذُ لبنُ المخيضِ الحامضُ مع بولِ البقرة، فيُغلَى ويُمزَجُ بالملح، ثم يُفركُ في إناءٍ من البرونز ليشتدَّ أثرُه؛ فإذا وُضِعَ لِطاخاً أذهبَ الكُشْثا والدَّدْرُو.

Word by Word

• अम्लतक्रम्: sour buttermilk
• अम्लतक्रम्: Karma (Listed preparation/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्ल (प्रातिपदिक) + तक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय — अम्लं तक्रम्

• सगोमूत्रम्: together with cow’s urine
• सगोमूत्रम्: Karma (Qualifier of amlatakram/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय-उपसर्गसदृश) + गोमूत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष — गोमूत्रेण सह (सह-समासार्थ)

• क्वथितम्: boiled
• क्वथितम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्वथ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अम्लतक्रम्) — 'boiled'

• लवणान्वितम्: mixed with salt
• लवणान्वितम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लवण (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्वित (प्रातिपदिक from अन्वि/अनु-इ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त (PPP) 'endowed'; तत्पुरुष — लवणेन अन्वितम्

• कांस्यघृष्टम्: rubbed with bronze (vessel/implement)
• कांस्यघृष्टम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कांस्य (प्रातिपदिक) + घृष्ट (प्रातिपदिक from घृष् धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त (PPP) 'rubbed'; तत्पुरुष — कांस्येन घृष्टम्

• खरम्: strong/harsh
• खरम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: खर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् — 'strong/rough/pungent'

• लेपात्: by applying as a paste
• लेपात्: Hetu (Cause/Reason हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लेप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन — 'from/by application as a paste'

• कुष्ठदद्रुविनाशनम्: destroyer of leprosy and ringworm
• कुष्ठदद्रुविनाशनम्: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + दद्रु (प्रातिपदिक) + विनाशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष — कुष्ठस्य दद्रोः च विनाशनम्; विशेषणम् (उक्त-लेपः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra, as part of instructional narration)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Endurance and practicality in treatment; using appropriate tools and processes to transform substances into medicine.

Vedantic Theme: Tapas-like perseverance in remedial action; transforming the impure into the curative through process (saṃskāra).

Application: Boil sour buttermilk with cow’s urine and salt; rub/prepare in a bronze vessel to strengthen; apply as paste for kuṣṭha/dadru.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.190 (external lepa preparations for skin disease)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What remedy for kuṣṭha (skin disease) is described in Garuda Purana 1.190.12?

It prescribes a lepa (paste) made by boiling sour buttermilk with cow’s urine, adding salt, and rubbing it in a bronze vessel before topical application to reduce kuṣṭha and dadru.

Why does the verse mention rubbing the mixture in a bronze (kāṁsya) vessel?

The text indicates that processing in a bronze vessel makes the preparation “khara” (strong in potency), implying a traditional method to intensify the paste before applying it as a lepa.

What is a practical takeaway from this verse today?

It illustrates the Garuda Purana’s inclusion of practical, traditional health instructions; if one explores such remedies today, it should be done cautiously and with qualified medical guidance, especially for serious skin conditions.