Shloka 24

Visarpa Nidāna-Lakṣaṇa

Causes, Types, and Prognosis of Rapidly Spreading Eruptive Disorders

Devanagari script

असाध्याः कृतसर्वोत्थाः सर्वे चाक्रान्तमर्मणः / शीर्णस्नायुशिरामांसाः क्लिन्नाश्चशवगन्धयः

Transliteration

asādhyāḥ kṛtasarvotthāḥ sarve cākrāntamarmaṇaḥ / śīrṇasnāyuśirāmāṃsāḥ klinnāścaśavagandhayaḥ

Translation

Unheilbar sind jene, die aus der Beteiligung aller Doṣas entstehen, sowie jene, bei denen vitale Punkte (Marmas) betroffen sind. Wenn Sehnen, Gefäße und Fleisch zerstört sind, weichen die Teile auf und verströmen einen leichenartigen Geruch.

Word by Word

• असाध्याः: incurable
• असाध्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असाध्य (नञ् + साध्य)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुषः (Masculine, Nominative plural; incurable)

• कृतसर्वोत्थाः: arisen from all causes/doṣas
• कृतसर्वोत्थाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (√कृ; क्त) + सर्व + उत्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; क्त-कृदन्त + तत्पुरुषः (Masculine, Nominative plural; 'arisen from all (doṣas)')

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative plural)

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

• आक्रान्तमर्मणः: with vital spots affected
• आक्रान्तमर्मणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आक्रान्त (आ + √क्रम्; क्त) + मर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; क्त-कृदन्त; तत्पुरुषः (Masculine, Nominative plural; 'with vital points afflicted')

• शीर्णस्नायुशिरामांसाः: with decayed tendons, veins, and flesh
• शीर्णस्नायुशिरामांसाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शीर्ण (√शॄ; क्त) + स्नायु + शिरा + मांस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (Masculine, Nominative plural; 'with decayed tendons, veins, and flesh')

• क्लिन्नाः: oozing, wet
• क्लिन्नाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्लिन्न (√क्लिद्; क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; क्त-कृदन्त (Masculine, Nominative plural; oozing/wet)

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

• शवगन्धयः: foul-smelling like a corpse
• शवगन्धयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शव + गन्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (Masculine, Nominative plural; 'corpse-smelling')

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Limits of intervention: sarvadoṣa involvement and marma affliction mark asādhyatā; discern when disease has crossed a threshold.

Vedantic Theme: Acceptance of finitude of the body; vairāgya through recognition of decay and inevitability.

Application: Identify incurable markers—tridoṣic involvement, marma invasion, destruction of tendons/vessels/flesh, sodden tissue, cadaveric odor—shift goals to palliation, hygiene, and compassionate care.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.163.23: treatable categories contrasted with this verse’s asādhyatā criteria; Garuda Purana 1.163.21: corpse-odor and tissue sloughing as severity signs

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda
• Tridosha (Sannipata)
• Marma

FAQs

What makes a condition ‘asādhya’ (incurable) according to this verse?

It becomes incurable when all doṣas are involved (sannipāta), when marmas (vital points) are affected, and when there is clear tissue breakdown with foul, corpse-like odor.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not discuss post-death travel or Yama’s realm; it is a medical-prognostic teaching embedded in Vishnu’s discourse to Garuda.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Severe spreading lesions with tissue necrosis and foul odor indicate a medical emergency—this verse frames those signs as late-stage, high-risk, and often beyond simple remedies.