Shloka 42

Anupāna and the Doṣa-Effects of Foods, Waters, Dairy, Oils, and Preparations

Devanagari script

परं वातहरं वृष्यं पित्तश्लेष्मकरं दधि / दोषघ्नं मन्थजातन्तु मस्तु स्रोतोविशोधनम्

Transliteration

paraṃ vātaharaṃ vṛṣyaṃ pittaśleṣmakaraṃ dadhi / doṣaghnaṃ manthajātantu mastu srotoviśodhanam

Translation

Geronnene Milch (dadhi) besänftigt besonders das vāta und wirkt vṛṣya, kraftspendend; doch vermehrt sie pitta und kapha. Buttermilch (takra), durch das Schlagen gewonnen, vernichtet Störungen und reinigt die srotas, die Körperkanäle.

Word by Word

• परम्: supreme; excellent
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण (neuter nom/acc sg; adjective)

• वातहरम्: removing vāta
• वातहरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वात (प्रातिपदिक) + हर (√हृ, धातु; कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (vātasya haraḥ) (neuter nom/acc sg)

• वृष्यम्: aphrodisiac; virility-promoting
• वृष्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण (neuter nom/acc sg)

• पित्तश्लेष्मकरम्: producing pitta and kapha
• पित्तश्लेष्मकरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पित्त (प्रातिपदिक) + श्लेष्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (√कृ, धातु; कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (पित्तश्लेष्मयोः) + तत्पुरुष (कर) (neuter nom/acc sg)

• दधि: curd; yogurt
• दधि: Vishaya (Topic/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन (neuter nom/acc sg)

• दोषघ्नम्: destroying doṣas
• दोषघ्नम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दोष (प्रातिपदिक) + घ्न (√हन्, धातु; कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (doṣān hanti) (neuter nom/acc sg)

• मन्थजातम्: produced by churning
• मन्थजातम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + जात (√जन्, धातु; क्त-प्रत्यय कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; सप्तमी/पञ्चमी-तत्पुरुषार्थ (मन्थात् जातम्) (neuter nom/acc sg)

• तु: but; however
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle; contrast/emphasis)

• मस्तु: whey; buttermilk-serum
• मस्तु: Vishaya (Topic/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मस्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन (neuter nom/acc sg)

• स्रोतोविशोधनम्: cleansing the bodily channels
• स्रोतोविशोधनम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्रोतस् (प्रातिपदिक) + विशोधन (√शुध्, धातु; णिच्/कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (srotasāṃ viśodhanam) (neuter nom/acc sg)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Vata/Pitta/Kapha

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Discerning substance-qualities (guṇa) and their doṣic effects; choosing the processed form (mantha-jāta) for therapeutic purification of srotas.

Vedantic Theme: Yukti (discriminative reasoning) applied to embodied life; right knowledge guides right action.

Application: Use curd judiciously when vāta is high; prefer buttermilk (tākra/mastu) for srotas-cleansing and doṣa-balancing, especially when heaviness or congestion is present.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.169.43-46 (dairy products and therapeutic effects)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What does Garuda Purana say about curd (dadhi)?

The verse states curd strongly pacifies vāta and supports vitality, but it can aggravate pitta and kapha—so it is not universally suitable for all constitutions or conditions.

Why is buttermilk (mastu) praised here?

Because it is described as doṣa-alleviating and ‘srotoviśodhana’—helping clear and regulate the body’s internal channels, especially relevant to digestion and metabolic flow.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Prefer buttermilk when aiming for lighter digestion and channel-clearing support, and be cautious with heavy or heating foods like curd if pitta/kapha symptoms are prominent.