Shloka 8

Roganidāna: Definitions, Fivefold Diagnostic Method, and Doṣa-wise Causes

Devanagari script

विद्यादुपशयं व्याधेः स हि सात्म्यमिति स्मृतः / विपरीतो ऽनुपशयो व्याध्यसात्म्येतिसंज्ञितः

Transliteration

vidyādupaśayaṃ vyādheḥ sa hi sātmyamiti smṛtaḥ / viparīto 'nupaśayo vyādhyasātmyetisaṃjñitaḥ

Translation

That which is understood to bring relief in a disease is remembered as “wholesomeness” (sātmya). Its opposite—what brings no relief—is termed “unwholesomeness” (asātmya) with respect to that disease.

Word by Word

• vidyāt: one should know
• vidyāt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vid (विद् धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/optative sense), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; अर्थः—‘जान्यात्/विद्यात्’ (should know)

• upaśayam: alleviation/relief
• upaśayam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upaśaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• vyādheḥ: of the disease
• vyādheḥ: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyādhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• saḥ: that (relief)
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: emphasis/causal)

• sātmyam: wholesomeness/suitability
• sātmyam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sātmya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/इति-प्रयोग (quotative particle)

• smṛtaḥ: is said/considered
• smṛtaḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √smṛ (स्मृ धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय) → smṛta (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP) प्रयुक्तः विधेय-भावे; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अर्थः—‘(इति) कथितः/उच्यते’

• viparītaḥ: opposite
• viparītaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viparīta (√i + vi-pari + kta; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘विपरीत’

• anupaśayaḥ: non-alleviation/worsening
• anupaśayaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anupaśaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• vyādhi-asātmyeti-saṃjñitaḥ: is termed ‘disease-unwholesomeness’
• vyādhi-asātmyeti-saṃjñitaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vyādhi (प्रातिपदिक) + asātmya (प्रातिपदिक) + iti (अव्यय) + saṃjñita (sam-√jñā + kta; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (determinative): ‘(व्याधेः) असात्म्यम् इति संज्ञितः’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Upaśaya (relief) defines sātmya (wholesome suitability); anupaśaya defines asātmya—knowledge through observed effect.

Vedantic Theme: Pramāṇa in practice: inference from results; aligning action with what reduces duḥkha in embodied life.

Application: Test interventions by outcomes: what reduces symptoms is suitable; what fails or worsens is unsuitable—iterate carefully and observe.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.146.7 (proper use of medicines/food/vihara); Garuda Purana 1.146.9 (samprapti)

FAQs

What is the importance of sātmya (wholesomeness) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse defines sātmya as whatever brings genuine relief in illness, guiding a person to adopt compatible food, habits, and remedies that support healing.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly, it emphasizes discernment and right practice: choosing what truly alleviates suffering (sātmya) over what does not (asātmya) reflects a dharmic, clarity-based approach to reducing distress in embodied life.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Observe what actually improves your condition (diet, routine, treatment) and treat that as sātmya; avoid what fails to help or worsens symptoms, recognizing it as asātmya.