Shloka 25

Cikitsā-sāra: Doṣa Nidāna–Lakṣaṇa, Agni, Ajīrṇa/Āma Cikitsā, Daśamūla, and Prognostic Signs

Devanagari script

देशकालवयोवह्निसाम्यप्रकृतिभेषजम् / देहसत्त्वबलव्याधीन्बुद्ध्वा कर्म समाचरेत्

Transliteration

deśakālavayovahnisāmyaprakṛtibheṣajam / dehasattvabalavyādhīnbuddhvā karma samācaret

Translation

Hat man Ort, Zeit, Alter, das Verdauungsfeuer (agni), das Gleichmaß (der doṣa), die Konstitution (prakṛti) und das passende Heilmittel erkannt—und Körper, Geist, Kraft und Krankheiten geprüft—so soll man danach die angemessene Behandlung ausführen.

Word by Word

• देशकालवयोवह्निसाम्यप्रकृतिभेषजम्: the medicine (considering) place, time, age, digestive fire, balance, and constitution
• देशकालवयोवह्निसाम्यप्रकृतिभेषजम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक) + वयस् (प्रातिपदिक) + वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + साम्य (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक) + भेषज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः—समाहार-द्वन्द्व-प्रायः (देशादीनां समाहारः), ‘(one should know) the medicine with reference to place, time, age, digestive fire, balance, constitution’

• देहसत्त्वबलव्याधीन्: the body, mental strength, physical strength, and diseases
• देहसत्त्वबलव्याधीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक) + बल (प्रातिपदिक) + व्याधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; समासः—इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (देहः च सत्त्वं च बलं च व्याधयः च), द्वितीया-बहुवचन

• बुद्ध्वा: having understood
• बुद्ध्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: बुध् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), परस्मैपदी; ‘having understood/after knowing’

• कर्म: action; procedure
• कर्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• समाचरेत्: should perform; should practice
• समाचरेत्: Kriya (Predicate action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; विध्यर्थः (should do/practice)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Proper therapy follows correct assessment of desha, kala, age, agni, dosha-samya, prakriti, suitable medicine, and evaluation of body, mind, strength, and disease.

Vedantic Theme: Right action grounded in right knowledge (yathartha-jnana leading to yathocita-karma); discernment (viveka) before intervention.

Application: Before treatment, perform a structured intake: environment, season, age, digestion/metabolism, constitution, mental state, strength, and disease profile; then individualize therapy.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.168.24 (four limbs of treatment); Garuda Purana 1.168.25*1 (regional effects on doshas)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

Why does the Garuda Purana emphasize place, time, and constitution in treatment?

Because therapy must match context—region/season, age, digestive capacity, and prakriti—otherwise even good medicine may not work as intended.

Does this verse mention mental factors in healing?

Yes. It includes sattva (mental steadiness) along with deha (body) and bala (strength) as key assessments before undertaking treatment.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Personalize care: consider climate/season, age, digestion, baseline constitution, mental resilience, and strength before choosing diet, medicine, or procedures.