Shloka 53

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

Devanagari script

रक्तिपित्तहरा वृष्या सस्नेहा गडशर्करा / सर्वपित्तकरं मद्यमम्लत्वात्कफवातजित्

Transliteration

raktipittaharā vṛṣyā sasnehā gaḍaśarkarā / sarvapittakaraṃ madyamamlatvātkaphavātajit

Translation

Zucker, mit Ghee bereitet, soll Blutungsleiden und pitta besänftigen und als Aphrodisiakum wirken. Doch alkoholisches Getränk erregt wegen seiner Säure alle Formen von pitta, obgleich es kapha und vāta niederhält.

Word by Word

• रक्तिपित्तहरा: remover of bleeding-pitta (raktipitta)
• रक्तिपित्तहरा: Visheshana (Adjectival predicate/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + पित्त (प्रातिपदिक) + हर (√हृ धातु, कर्तृप्रत्यय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—रक्तिपित्तयोः हरा (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• वृष्या: aphrodisiac/virility-promoting
• वृष्या: Visheshana (Adjectival predicate/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• सस्नेहा: unctuous/with fat
• सस्नेहा: Visheshana (Adjectival predicate/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/अव्यय-पूर्वपद) + स्नेह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—स्नेहः अस्याः अस्ति

• गडशर्करा: jaggery-sugar mixture (gaḍa and śarkarā)
• गडशर्करा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गड (प्रातिपदिक) + शर्करा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्वः (गडः च शर्करा च)

• सर्वपित्तकरम्: causing all kinds of pitta
• सर्वपित्तकरम्: Visheshana (Adjectival predicate/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + पित्त (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (√कृ धातु, कर्तृप्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; समासः—सर्वं पित्तं करोति (द्वितीया-तत्पुरुष)

• मद्यम्: alcohol/wine
• मद्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अम्लत्वात्: because of sourness
• अम्लत्वात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्लत्व (प्रातिपदिक; अम्ल + त्व)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; हेतौ अपादानार्थे—‘because of sourness’

• कफवातजित्: overcoming kapha and vāta
• कफवातजित्: Visheshana (Adjectival predicate/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कफ (प्रातिपदिक) + वात (प्रातिपदिक) + जित् (√जि धातु, कर्तृप्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—कफवातौ जयति (द्वितीया-तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

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

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Mixed

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Moderation and context: nourishing preparations can heal, while intoxicants—though doṣa-reducing in one axis—can aggravate deeper imbalance.

Vedantic Theme: Indriya-nigraha (sense restraint) supports sattva; avoid what inflames rajas/tamas and bodily heat.

Application: Use ghṛta-yukta śarkarā judiciously for pitta/raktapitta weakness; avoid or strictly limit madya in pitta-prakopa, acidity, bleeding tendencies.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.169 (discussion of madya, fermented drinks, and pathya preparations)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of pitta-control in Garuda Purana teachings?

This verse links diet to doṣa-balance, warning that sour alcoholic drinks strongly increase pitta, which is associated with heat and bleeding-type disorders.

How does this verse explain the effect of alcohol according to the Garuda Purana?

It states that alcohol (madyam) is pitta-provoking due to acidity, even though it may reduce kapha and vāta—showing a doṣa-specific, not universally beneficial, effect.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If one is prone to acidity, inflammation, or bleeding tendencies, avoid sour alcohol and favor mild, unctuous, cooling foods under proper guidance.