Shloka 14

Devanagari script

अपामार्गस्य वै मूले गर्भवत्यास्तु नामतः / उत्पाट्यमाने सकले पुत्त्रः स्यादान्यथा सुता

Transliteration

apāmārgasya vai mūle garbhavatyāstu nāmataḥ / utpāṭyamāne sakale puttraḥ syādānyathā sutā

Translation

An der Wurzel des apāmārga: Wird der Name der Schwangeren ausgesprochen und die Wurzel dann vollständig ausgerissen, so heißt es, es werde ein Sohn geboren; andernfalls eine Tochter.

Word by Word

• अपामार्गस्य: of apāmārga (Achyranthes aspera)
• अपामार्गस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपामार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha-bodhaka (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (निपात/अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• मूले: in/at the root
• मूले: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• गर्भवत्याः: of the pregnant woman
• गर्भवत्याः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भवती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha-bodhaka (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (contrastive particle)

• नामतः: by name; as named
• नामतः: Hetu/Prakara (Manner/हेतु-प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नामतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb)

• उत्पाट्यमाने: when being uprooted
• उत्पाट्यमाने: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत् + √पाट् (धातु) (कृदन्त; यक्-प्रत्यय, वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि/भावे; शानच्/मान)
• Form: सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि कृदन्त (locative absolute sense)

• सकले: entire/whole
• सकले: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; विशेषण

• पुत्त्रः: a son
• पुत्त्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• स्यात्: would be; may be born
• स्यात्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• सुता: a daughter
• सुता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritualized action (kriyā) is believed to shape outcomes; speech (nāma-ucchāraṇa) and act (utpāṭana) are linked to phala.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala sambandha within vyavahāra; the text reflects popular causality models rather than non-dual ultimacy.

Application: If used at all, treat as cultural/ritual belief; avoid harmful practices and prioritize maternal health and ethical considerations.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: forest/grove edge

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.202.15 (apāmārga root for pregnancy pain); Garuda Purana 1.202.17 (protective measures against graha/poison)

Characters & Entities

• Apamarga (herb)

FAQs

What is the importance of apāmārga in this Garuda Purana verse?

The verse presents apāmārga (a sacred medicinal herb) as a ritual medium: uprooting it while invoking a pregnant woman’s name is described as a rite connected with progeny outcomes.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana themes like dharma and ritual practice?

It reflects the Purana’s inclusion of prayoga-style instructions—practical rites and traditional observances—alongside broader teachings, showing how intention (nāma-ucchāraṇa) and action (utpāṭana) are linked in ritual logic.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It can be read as a historical record of ritual-herbal traditions; in modern practice, one may focus on ethical prenatal care and prayerful intention rather than literal gender-outcome rites.