Shloka 56

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

Devanagari script

अर्शांसि सुखसाध्यानि न चिरोत्पत्तिकानि च / मेढ्रादिष्वपि वक्ष्यन्ते यथास्वं नाभिजानि तु

Transliteration

arśāṃsi sukhasādhyāni na cirotpattikāni ca / meḍhrādiṣvapi vakṣyante yathāsvaṃ nābhijāni tu

Translation

Arśas (Hämorrhoiden) sind leicht zu behandeln und entstehen nicht erst nach langer Zeit. Auch solche am Penis und an anderen Teilen werden nach ihren jeweiligen Merkmalen beschrieben — doch Angeborenes (seit der Geburt) wird hier nicht mitgerechnet.

Word by Word

• अर्शांसि: piles / hemorrhoids
• अर्शांसि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्शस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• सुखसाध्यानि: easily curable
• सुखसाध्यानि: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक) + साध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः—सुखेन साध्यानि (easily curable)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपातः (negation)

• चिरोत्पत्तिकानि: of long duration / long-developed
• चिरोत्पत्तिकानि: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चिर (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्पत्तिक (प्रातिपदिक; उत्पत्ति से)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः—चिरस्य उत्पत्तिः यस्य/येषां (long-developed)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थ

• मेढ्रादिषु: in the penis etc. (regions)
• मेढ्रादिषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेढ्र (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; समासः—मेढ्रे आदि (meḍhra etc.) इति; अधिकरणम्

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपातः (also/even)

• वक्ष्यन्ते: will be stated
• वक्ष्यन्ते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Future/लृट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; ‘will be described/said’

• यथास्वम्: according to each (case)
• यथास्वम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; ‘according to each (case)’

• नाभिजानि: arising from the navel
• नाभिजानि: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाभि (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (प्रातिपदिक; √जन्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः—नाभेः जातानि (born from the navel)

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपातः

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Arśas (hemorrhoids) are generally easy to treat and quick in onset; variants by location (including genital) are described by features; congenital types are excluded from this discussion.

Vedantic Theme: Right knowledge of categories (bheda-jñāna) reduces fear and confusion; discernment in scope and definition.

Application: Do not overgeneralize: classify by site and onset; reassure patients about common, treatable forms; refer congenital/anatomical anomalies for specialized evaluation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.156: arśas-lakṣaṇa and bheda by sthāna; exclusion of nābhijā/sahaja types

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of arśas (piles) in the Garuda Purana’s teachings?

This verse frames arśas as a manageable bodily disorder—emphasizing practical body-care as part of dharmic living, and setting up a systematic description of types and locations.

How does this verse relate to the Garuda Purana’s broader message?

Although the Garuda Purana is famous for afterlife themes, it also contains conduct and health instruction; here, Vishnu gives a clinical classification approach, distinguishing treatable acquired conditions from congenital ones.

What is a practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat health issues early and systematically—identify the type and location of a condition and seek appropriate treatment rather than ignoring symptoms or assuming they are untreatable.