Shloka 6

Viṣa-hara Yogas: Puṣya-Nakṣatra Remedies for Serpents, Stings, and Compounded Poisons

Devanagari script

महाकालस्य वै मूलं पिष्टं तत्काञ्जिकेन वै / वोड्राणां डुण्डुभानां च तल्लोपो हरते विषम्

Transliteration

mahākālasya vai mūlaṃ piṣṭaṃ tatkāñjikena vai / voḍrāṇāṃ ḍuṇḍubhānāṃ ca tallopo harate viṣam

Translation

جذرُ «مهاكالا» إذا سُحِقَ ومُزِجَ بـ kāñjika (عصيدةٍ حامضة) أزال السُّمَّ؛ وإذا استُعمِلَ طِلاءً دفعَ أيضًا سُمَّ voḍrā وسُمَّ ḍuṇḍubha (سُمَّ الحيّة).

Word by Word

• महाकालस्य: of Mahākāla
• महाकालस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाकाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; समासः—महान् + कालः (कर्मधारय)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; अर्थे—एव/खलु (emphasis)

• मूलम्: root
• मूलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• पिष्टम्: pounded/ground
• पिष्टम्: Karma qualifier (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पिष् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; मूलम् इति विशेषणम्

• तत्काञ्जिकेन: with that sour gruel
• तत्काञ्जिकेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + काञ्जिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—तत् + काञ्जिकम् (तत्पुरुष)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; अर्थे—एव/खलु

• वोड्राणाम्: of the Voḍras (a people/region)
• वोड्राणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वोड्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• डुण्डुभानाम्: of the Ḍuṇḍubhas (a people/region)
• डुण्डुभानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: डुण्डुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Qualifier (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; लोपः इति विशेषणम्

• लोपः: removal/cessation
• लोपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• हरते: removes
• हरते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• विषम्: poison
• विषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Preservation of life through right knowledge and timely remedy is a dharmic act.

Vedantic Theme: Loka-saṅgraha (welfare of beings) as an expression of righteous living; embodied life as a field for dharma.

Application: Use specified plant root paste with kāñjika as an antidotal application/administration for venom-related afflictions (including voḍrā/ḍuṇḍubha conditions).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.191 (viṣa-pratiṣedha/auṣadha section; adjacent verses 1.191.7-10 continue antidotes)

Characters & Entities

• Mahākāla (herb)
• kāñjika (sour gruel)
• viṣa (poison)
• ḍuṇḍubha (serpent)

FAQs

What is the importance of poison-removal remedies in the Garuda Purana?

This verse preserves practical protective knowledge—stating that a specific herb (Mahākāla) prepared with kāñjika is used as an antidote, reflecting the Purana’s role as a guide for both spiritual and worldly welfare.

How does this verse relate to Garuda’s association with poisons and serpents?

Garuda is traditionally linked with overcoming serpent-poison; the verse fits that thematic stream by describing an antidotal preparation that ‘removes poison,’ including serpent-related afflictions (ḍuṇḍubha).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat it as historical textual evidence of traditional antidote lore; for real poisoning or snakebite, seek urgent medical care, while using the verse for study of classical Indian toxicology and ritual-protective traditions.