Shloka 14

Strīroga–Prasava Cikitsā, Bāla-Rakṣā, Rasāyana and Vājīkaraṇa Prayogas

Devanagari script

अपामार्गस्य वै मूले गर्भवत्यास्तु नामतः / उत्पाट्यमाने सकले पुत्त्रः स्यादान्यथा सुता

Transliteration

apāmārgasya vai mūle garbhavatyāstu nāmataḥ / utpāṭyamāne sakale puttraḥ syādānyathā sutā

Translation

عند جذر نبات الأپامارغا (apāmārga)، إذا نُطِقَ باسم المرأة الحامل، ثم اقتُلِعَ الجذر اقتلاعًا تامًّا، قيل إن مولودًا ذكرًا يولد؛ وإلا فأنثى.

Word by Word

• अपामार्गस्य: of apāmārga (Achyranthes aspera)
• अपामार्गस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपामार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha-bodhaka (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (निपात/अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• मूले: in/at the root
• मूले: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• गर्भवत्याः: of the pregnant woman
• गर्भवत्याः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भवती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha-bodhaka (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (contrastive particle)

• नामतः: by name; as named
• नामतः: Hetu/Prakara (Manner/हेतु-प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नामतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb)

• उत्पाट्यमाने: when being uprooted
• उत्पाट्यमाने: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत् + √पाट् (धातु) (कृदन्त; यक्-प्रत्यय, वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि/भावे; शानच्/मान)
• Form: सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि कृदन्त (locative absolute sense)

• सकले: entire/whole
• सकले: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; विशेषण

• पुत्त्रः: a son
• पुत्त्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• स्यात्: would be; may be born
• स्यात्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• सुता: a daughter
• सुता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritualized action (kriyā) is believed to shape outcomes; speech (nāma-ucchāraṇa) and act (utpāṭana) are linked to phala.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala sambandha within vyavahāra; the text reflects popular causality models rather than non-dual ultimacy.

Application: If used at all, treat as cultural/ritual belief; avoid harmful practices and prioritize maternal health and ethical considerations.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: forest/grove edge

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.202.15 (apāmārga root for pregnancy pain); Garuda Purana 1.202.17 (protective measures against graha/poison)

Characters & Entities

• Apamarga (herb)

FAQs

What is the importance of apāmārga in this Garuda Purana verse?

The verse presents apāmārga (a sacred medicinal herb) as a ritual medium: uprooting it while invoking a pregnant woman’s name is described as a rite connected with progeny outcomes.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana themes like dharma and ritual practice?

It reflects the Purana’s inclusion of prayoga-style instructions—practical rites and traditional observances—alongside broader teachings, showing how intention (nāma-ucchāraṇa) and action (utpāṭana) are linked in ritual logic.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It can be read as a historical record of ritual-herbal traditions; in modern practice, one may focus on ethical prenatal care and prayerful intention rather than literal gender-outcome rites.