Shloka 1

Hikkā-nidāna: Causes, Types, and the Grave Yamalā/Veginī Hiccup

Devanagari script

ऽध्यायः धन्वन्तरिरुवाच / हिक्रारोगनिदानञ्च वक्ष्ये सुश्रुत ! तच्छृणु / श्वासैकहेतुः प्राग्रूपं संख्या प्रकृतिसंश्रया

Transliteration

'dhyāyaḥ dhanvantariruvāca / hikrāroganidānañca vakṣye suśruta ! tacchṛṇu / śvāsaikahetuḥ prāgrūpaṃ saṃkhyā prakṛtisaṃśrayā

Translation

Dhanvantari sprach: „O Suśruta, höre. Ich werde die Ursachen der Krankheit namens hikkā (Schluckauf) darlegen. Ihre Hauptursache ist dieselbe wie bei śvāsa (Atemnot); die Vorzeichen sind zu erkennen, und ihre Arten werden nach der prakṛti (Körperkonstitution) eingeteilt.“

Word by Word

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• धन्वन्तरिः: Dhanvantari
• धन्वन्तरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन्वन्तरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• हिक्रारोगनिदानम्: the cause of the disease hiccup
• हिक्रारोगनिदानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिक्रा (प्रातिपदिक) + रोग (प्रातिपदिक) + निदान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (हिक्रायाः रोगस्य निदानम्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• वक्ष्ये: I will explain
• वक्ष्ये: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future/लृट्), उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• सुश्रुत: O Suśruta
• सुश्रुत: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुश्रुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• तत्: that (teaching)
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/लोट्), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• श्वासैकहेतुः: the single cause of dyspnea/breathing disorder
• श्वासैकहेतुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वास (प्रातिपदिक) + एक (प्रातिपदिक) + हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (श्वासस्य एकः हेतुः)

• प्राग्रूपम्: prodromal sign (preliminary form)
• प्राग्रूपम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राक् (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (प्राक्-रूपम् = पूर्वलक्षणम्)

• संख्या: classification/numbering
• संख्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्रकृतिसंश्रया: based on constitution (prakṛti)
• प्रकृतिसंश्रया: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक) + संश्रय (श्रि धातु-आधारित प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (प्रकृतौ संश्रया = प्रकृत्याश्रिता)

Speaker

Dhanvantari

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Disease understanding rests on nidāna (causes), pūrvarūpa (premonitory signs), and prakṛti-based classification; hikkā shares etiological ground with śvāsa.

Vedantic Theme: Prakṛti as the basis for embodied variation; knowledge (vidyā) as a means to reduce duḥkha in the body-mind complex.

Application: Assess constitution and early warning signs; treat hiccup with the same etiological vigilance as dyspnea; personalize management by prakṛti.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: teaching-setting

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: āyurveda/rogāṇāṃ nidāna sections attributed to Dhanvantari; Garuda Purana: vāta-prakopa discussions in respiratory disorders

Characters & Entities

• Dhanvantari
• Suśruta

FAQs

What is the importance of explaining nidāna (causes) and prāgrūpa (premonitory signs) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames an Ayurvedic method: knowing causes and early signs enables timely prevention and treatment, and the text emphasizes classification by prakṛti for accurate diagnosis.

How does this verse relate hikkā (hiccup) to śvāsa (dyspnea)?

It states that hikkā shares a common primary cause with śvāsa, implying both arise from related disturbances affecting the respiratory pathway and vital movement (vāyu).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat recurring hiccups as a health signal: observe early symptoms, note personal constitution and triggers, and seek appropriate care rather than ignoring persistent respiratory discomfort.