Shloka 19

Kāsa-bheda: The Fivefold Classification of Cough and Its Clinical Signs

Devanagari script

इत्येष क्षयजः कास क्षीणानां देहनाशनः / याप्यौ वा बलिनां तद्वत्क्षतजो ऽपि नवौ तु तौ

Transliteration

ityeṣa kṣayajaḥ kāsa kṣīṇānāṃ dehanāśanaḥ / yāpyau vā balināṃ tadvatkṣatajo 'pi navau tu tau

Translation

Thus, the cough born of consumption (kṣaya) destroys the body of the emaciated; but in the strong it can be managed. Likewise, the cough born of injury—these two are to be understood as treatable only through careful, disciplined management.

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इति-शब्दः (quotative particle)

• eṣaḥ: this
• eṣaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (demonstrative pronoun)

• kṣayajaḥ: arising from wasting (consumption)
• kṣayajaḥ: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṣaya (प्रातिपदिक) + ja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (kṣayāt jātaḥ = arising from consumption/decline)

• kāsaḥ: cough
• kāsaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• kṣīṇānām: of the emaciated/weak
• kṣīṇānām: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣīṇa (कृदन्त; √kṣi क्षि (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (सामान्य-प्रयोग), षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; विशेष्य-सम्बन्ध (of the emaciated)

• deha-nāśanaḥ: destroyer of the body
• deha-nāśanaḥ: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: deha (प्रातिपदिक) + nāśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (dehasya nāśanaḥ = destroyer of the body)

• yāpyau: palliable (manageable)
• yāpyau: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yāpya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; याप्य = manageable/palliable

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle)

• balinām: of the strong
• balinām: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: balin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• tadvat: likewise
• tadvat: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadvat (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तुलनार्थक (adverb of comparison)

• kṣatajaḥ: arising from injury (wound-origin)
• kṣatajaḥ: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṣata (कृदन्त; √kṣan/√kṣat? (धातु) + क्त; ‘wound’) + ja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (kṣatāt jātaḥ = arising from injury/wound)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-निपात (also/even)

• navau: new (two)
• navau: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन

• tu: but
• tu: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/अवधारणार्थक-निपात (but/indeed)

• tau: those two
• tau: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; सर्वनाम (demonstrative pronoun)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Rogabheda (disease classification) and yāpyatva/sādhyatva (manageable vs curable) according to bala (strength) and kṣaya (wasting).

Vedantic Theme: Deha as anitya (impermanent instrument); prudent maintenance supports puruṣārtha without mistaking body for Self.

Application: Assess patient strength and etiology (kṣayaja/ kṣataja) before prognosis; prioritize nourishment and protective regimen for the emaciated; manage rather than overpromise cure in yāpya states.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.149 (kāsa/roga-prakaraṇa context); Garuda Purana 1.150 (śvāsa-nidāna follows)

FAQs

What is the importance of kṣayaja kāsa in Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights prognosis: consumption-born cough is fatal for the debilitated, showing the text’s emphasis on assessing strength (bala) and degeneration (kṣaya) when judging outcomes.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: by describing conditions that can lead to bodily destruction, it frames the body’s fragility—an underlying Purāṇic theme that encourages dharma and preparedness for death rather than attachment to the body.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat chronic illness early, prioritize rebuilding strength, and recognize when care is palliative/management-focused—while maintaining disciplined, ethical living and spiritual steadiness.