Shloka 10
Kāsa-bheda: The Fivefold Classification of Cough and Its Clinical Signs
युद्धाद्यैः साहसैस्तैस्तैः सेवितैरयथाबलम् / उपस्यन्तः क्षतो वायुः पित्तेनानुगतो बली
yuddhādyaiḥ sāhasaistaistaiḥ sevitairayathābalam / upasyantaḥ kṣato vāyuḥ pittenānugato balī
By taking up battles and other rash exploits beyond one’s strength, the vital wind, vāyu, is wounded; and when it is powerfully accompanied by pitta—bile and heat—it afflicts the person all the more.
Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda)
Dosha: Vata
Concept: Ati-sāhasa (excessive daring) beyond one’s capacity disrupts vāyu; pitta association worsens pathology—measure and self-knowledge prevent harm.
Vedantic Theme: Yukta (moderation) and svadharma aligned with one’s śakti; bodily instrument must be preserved for sādhana.
Application: Avoid overtraining/overwork and reckless risk; pace exertion to capacity; manage heat/inflammation (pitta) with cooling/rest and timely treatment.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.149 (etiology: improper exertion leading to vāta injury; doṣa-saṃsarga with pitta)
FAQs
This verse warns that overexertion and rash heroics damage vāyu (vital functioning) and, when joined with pitta’s heat, increase affliction—so restraint and right measure are protective.
It links suffering to a doṣa-like disturbance: reckless exertion injures vāyu, and pitta intensifies it, producing stronger torment—an inner, causal explanation rather than mere external fate.
Avoid pushing the body and mind into extreme risk or overstrain; choose disciplined effort, recovery, and measured courage to prevent avoidable distress.