Shloka 56

Jvara-Nidāna-Lakṣaṇa: Causes, Doṣic Types, Āma/Nirāma Stages, and Prognosis of Fever

Devanagari script

विषमो विषमारम्भः क्षपाकालेन सङ्गवान् / दोषो रक्ताश्रयः प्रायः करोति सन्ततं ज्वरम्

Transliteration

viṣamo viṣamārambhaḥ kṣapākālena saṅgavān / doṣo raktāśrayaḥ prāyaḥ karoti santataṃ jvaram

Translation

Das unregelmäßige (intermittierende) Fieber beginnt unregelmäßig und neigt dazu, sich mit der Nachtzeit zu verbinden. Die körperliche Doṣa, die meist im Blut ihren Sitz hat, bewirkt anhaltendes, fortdauerndes Fieber.

Word by Word

• विषमः: irregular
• विषमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विषम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• विषम-आरम्भः: irregular onset/beginning
• विषम-आरम्भः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विषम (प्रातिपदिक) + आरम्भ (प्रातिपदिक; आ-√रभ् (धातु) + घञ्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• क्षपा-कालेन: by/at night-time
• क्षपा-कालेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षपा (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘रात्रिकालेन’

• सङ्गवान्: accompanied/associated
• सङ्गवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सङ्गवत् (प्रातिपदिक; सङ्ग + वत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण—‘सङ्गयुक्तः/सहचरः’

• दोषः: doṣa
• दोषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• रक्त-आश्रयः: located in/depending on blood
• रक्त-आश्रयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रय (प्रातिपदिक; आ-√श्रि (धातु) + घञ्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण—‘रक्ते आश्रितः’

• प्रायः: mostly/usually
• प्रायः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रायः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• करोति: causes/makes
• करोति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• सन्ततम्: continuous
• सन्ततम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सन्तत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण—‘निरन्तरम्’

• ज्वरम्: fever
• ज्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

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

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Pitta

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Viṣama-jvara pattern: irregular beginning, nocturnal linkage, and doṣa lodging in rakta leading to sustained fever.

Vedantic Theme: Observation of patterns (lakṣaṇa) and loci (āśraya) to understand embodied suffering; disciplined attention as a form of knowledge.

Application: Monitor night-time exacerbation; address rakta involvement (cooling, anti-inflammatory measures as appropriate) and avoid aggravating factors that heat blood.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.147 (classification of jvara types; rakta-āśraya mention)

FAQs

What is the importance of doṣa and rakta (blood) in this Garuda Purana verse?

The verse states that when a doṣa takes shelter in the blood (rakta-āśraya), it commonly manifests as a persistent, ongoing fever, highlighting the locus-based understanding of disease.

How does this verse relate to the Garuda Purana’s broader teaching (beyond afterlife topics)?

It shows the text also preserves practical dharmic knowledge such as Ayurveda—classifying symptoms like irregular onset and night association to understand and manage illness.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat persistent or irregular fevers as medically significant; note timing patterns (e.g., night aggravation) and seek qualified care—this mirrors the verse’s emphasis on careful symptom observation and underlying causes.