Sutra 20

Devanagari script

पिप्पलीमरिचशृङ्गिबेराजाजीकिराततिक्तगौरसर्षपकुस्तुम्बुरुचोरकदमनकमरुवकशिग्रुकाण्डादिः कटुकवर्गः ॥ कZ_०२.१५.२० ॥

Transliteration

pippalīmaricaśṛṅgiberājājīkirātatiktagaurasarṣapakustumburucorakadamanakamaruvakaśigrukāṇḍādiḥ kaṭukavargaḥ

Translation

The “pungent/spice” category (kaṭuka-varga) includes pippalī, black pepper (marica), śṛṅgī, ginger (bera), ajājī, kirāta-tikta, white mustard (gaura-sarṣapa), kustumburu (coriander), coraka, damanaka, maruvaka, śigru-stalk, and similar pungent items.

Word by Word

• पिप्पली: long pepper
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिप्पली
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (द्रव्यनाम)

• मरिच: black pepper
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरिच
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (द्रव्यनाम)

• शृङ्गिबेर: dry ginger (śṛṅgībera)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शृङ्गिबेर
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (द्रव्यनाम)

• अजाजी: ajājī (a spice; commonly identified with cumin/caraway in traditional lists)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अजाजी
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (द्रव्यनाम)

• किराततिक्त: kirāta-tikta (a bitter herb; commonly identified with swertia/chirayata in traditional materia medica)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किराततिक्त
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (द्रव्यनाम)

• गौरसर्षप: white mustard
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्षप
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (द्रव्यनाम); विशेषण-पूर्वपद: गौर-

• कुस्तुम्बुरु: coriander (seed/plant)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुस्तुम्बुरु
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (द्रव्यनाम)

• चोरक: choraka (an aromatic drug; plant identification varies in tradition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चोरक
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (द्रव्यनाम)

• दमनक: damanaka (an aromatic herb; often linked with Artemisia in later tradition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दमनक
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (द्रव्यनाम)

• मरुवक: maruvaka (an aromatic herb; often glossed as marjoram-type in later lists)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरुवक
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (द्रव्यनाम)

• शिग्रुकाण्ड: stem/pith of śigru (moringa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काण्ड
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (द्रव्यनाम); शिग्रु- (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध) + काण्ड

• आदि: and the like; etc.
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि
• Form: अव्यय; ‘इत्यादि’ अर्थे (समुच्चय/सूचन)

• कटुकवर्गः: the pungent group/class (of drugs/spices)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ग
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; समाहार/वर्ग-निर्देश

Entities Mentioned

• storehouse
• medical/provisioning interface

More Details

FAQs

What governance concern is implicit in listing spices so precisely?

Spices are high-value and easily adulterated; categorization supports auditing, controlled issue, and prevention of pilferage.