Shloka 5

Viṣa-hara Yogas: Puṣya-Nakṣatra Remedies for Serpents, Stings, and Compounded Poisons

Devanagari script

पुष्येश्वेतार्कमूलन्तु पीतं शीतेन वारिणा / नश्येतु दंशकविषं करवीरादिजं विषम्

Transliteration

puṣyeśvetārkamūlantu pītaṃ śītena vāriṇā / naśyetu daṃśakaviṣaṃ karavīrādijaṃ viṣam

Translation

Wenn man am Tag der Nakṣatra Puṣya die Wurzel der weißen arka mit kaltem Wasser trinkt, wird das Gift von Bissen und Stichen sowie die Pflanzengifte, etwa von karavīra (Oleander), vernichtet.

Word by Word

• पुष्ये: in Puṣya (time)
• पुष्ये: Kala-adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; नक्षत्र-नाम

• श्वेत-अर्क-मूलम्: root of the white arka plant
• श्वेत-अर्क-मूलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वेत (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्क (प्रातिपदिक) + मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (श्वेतस्य अर्कस्य मूलम्)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण/विरोध-अव्यय (particle)

• पीतम्: drunk
• पीतम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• शीतेन: with cold
• शीतेन: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of water)

• वारिणा: with water
• वारिणा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वारि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• नश्येत्: would perish/be destroyed
• नश्येत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis)

• दंशक-विषम्: poison from a bite/sting
• दंशक-विषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दंशक (प्रातिपदिक) + विष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (दंशकस्य विषम्)

• करवीर-आदि-जम्: arising from karavīra etc.
• करवीर-आदि-जम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: करवीर (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + ज (कृदन्त; √जन्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (करवीरादिभ्यः जातम्)

• विषम्: poison
• विषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Right remedy at right time mitigates suffering; śāstra provides practical means to counter viṣa (toxins).

Vedantic Theme: Compassionate maintenance of the body as a dharmic instrument; ordered means within prakṛti for alleviating duḥkha.

Application: On Puṣya, drink white arka root with cold water as a remedy said to destroy bite/sting poison and plant poisons like karavīra.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: personal ingestion/household remedy context

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.191: viṣa-nāśana remedies; Puṣya timing

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda
• Puṣya Nakṣatra
• Śvetārka
• Karavīra

FAQs

What is the importance of Puṣya nakṣatra in Garuda Purana remedies?

This verse links efficacy of a specific antidotal intake (white arka root with cold water) to the timing of Puṣya, indicating auspicious/therapeutic alignment of medicine with nakṣatra.

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

Alongside afterlife and dharma topics, the text also preserves practical instructions—here, a targeted antidote protocol for toxins from bites/stings and plant-based poisons.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat it as a historical traditional-medical reference; for any bite, sting, or poisoning, seek immediate professional medical care while understanding this verse as part of classical Hindu remedial lore.