Shloka 4

Arśa-nidāna: Causes, Prodrome, Doṣa-types, and Complications of Hemorrhoids

Devanagari script

शुष्काग्रावाविभेदाश्च गुदस्थानानुसंश्रयाः / अर्धपञ्चाङ्गुलिस्तस्मिंस्तिस्रो ऽघ्यर्धाङ्गुलिस्थिताः

Transliteration

śuṣkāgrāvāvibhedāśca gudasthānānusaṃśrayāḥ / ardhapañcāṅgulistasmiṃstisro 'ghyardhāṅgulisthitāḥ

Translation

Mit trockenen, spitzen Enden und ohne Risse liegen sie im Bereich des Afters. Dort, innerhalb eines Raumes von etwa viereinhalb Fingerbreiten, sind drei Kanäle/Schnüre in Abständen von ungefähr eineinhalb Fingerbreiten angeordnet.

Word by Word

• शुष्क-अग्र-आवाविभेदाः: dry, pointed fissures/splits (types)
• शुष्क-अग्र-आवाविभेदाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुष्क (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक) + आव (प्रातिपदिक) + विभेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (विशेषण-विशेष्यभाव)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• गुद-स्थान-अनुसंश्रयाः: located in/attached to the anal region
• गुद-स्थान-अनुसंश्रयाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुद (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थान (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुसंश्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष; विशेषणम् (आश्रय/स्थान-निर्देश)

• अर्ध-पञ्च-अङ्गुलिः: (a measure of) four and a half finger-breadths
• अर्ध-पञ्च-अङ्गुलिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्गुलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—द्विगु (परिमाणवाचक)

• तस्मिन्: in that (place)
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तिस्रः: three
• तिस्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक

• अघि-अर्ध-अङ्गुलि-स्थिताः: situated at (a distance of) half a finger-breadth (each)
• अघि-अर्ध-अङ्गुलि-स्थिताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अघि (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्गुलि (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √स्था)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष; विशेषणम् (परिमाण-निर्देश: ‘अर्धाङ्गुलि-स्थित’)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Accurate knowledge of bodily loci and measures is essential for correct diagnosis and intervention.

Vedantic Theme: Pramāṇa-based clarity (yathārtha-jñāna) within vyavahāra; the body as an object of knowledge, not the Self.

Application: Use careful measurement and localization in clinical assessment; avoid guesswork in anorectal conditions.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Geographic Context

Type: bodily locus

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana medical passages describing nāḍī/śirā measures and loci; Ayurvedic anatomical measurement conventions (aṅgula-pramāṇa) echoed in Purāṇic medical material

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of describing channels near the guda-sthāna in the Garuda Purana?

This verse uses precise bodily measurements to map subtle/physiological pathways referenced in Preta Kanda teachings, grounding after-death doctrines in a technical description of the body’s internal structures.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

Indirectly: by detailing specific internal locations and measured intervals, it supports the text’s broader framework that the preta’s experience and movement are linked to defined channels and seats within the body/subtle body.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat it as a reminder that Garuda Purana’s death-ritual guidance is presented with technical precision—encouraging careful, disciplined observance of rites and a respectful, methodical approach to scripture and practice.