Shloka 17

Rajayakshma Nidana: Causes, Pathogenesis, Symptoms, and Prognosis

Devanagari script

तत्र वाताच्छिरः पार्श्वशूलनं सांगमर्दनम् / कण्ठरोधः स्वरभ्रंशः पित्तात्पादांसपाणिषु

Transliteration

tatra vātācchiraḥ pārśvaśūlanaṃ sāṃgamardanam / kaṇṭharodhaḥ svarabhraṃśaḥ pittātpādāṃsapāṇiṣu

Translation

There, due to the derangement of vāta, one suffers pain in the head and sides and a crushing ache throughout the limbs; there is also choking in the throat and loss of voice. Due to the derangement of pitta, burning afflictions arise in the feet, shoulders, and hands.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there/in that case
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/प्रसङ्गवाचक अव्यय (adverb)

• वातात्: from vāta (wind-doṣa)
• वातात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन

• शिरः: head (pain/affliction implied)
• शिरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• पार्श्वशूलनम्: pain in the side
• पार्श्वशूलनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्श्व (प्रातिपदिक) + शूलन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (‘पार्श्वे शूलनम्’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• साङ्गमर्दनम्: aching of the whole body
• साङ्गमर्दनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/प्रातिपदिक-भाव) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + मर्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (‘स-अङ्गम् मर्दनम्’ = अङ्गैः सह मर्दनम्/सर्वाङ्गमर्दः), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कण्ठरोधः: obstruction in the throat
• कण्ठरोधः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + रोध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (‘कण्ठस्य रोधः’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स्वरभ्रंशः: loss/hoarseness of voice
• स्वरभ्रंशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर (प्रातिपदिक) + भ्रंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (‘स्वरस्य भ्रंशः’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पित्तात्: from pitta (bile-doṣa)
• पित्तात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन

• पाद: in the feet
• पाद: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन (Plural) — समाहार-निर्देशे ‘पादेषु’ (sandhi in compound list)

• अंस: in the shoulders
• अंस: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अंस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन — ‘अंसेषु’ (sandhi in list)

• पाणिषु: in the hands
• पाणिषु: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन (Plural)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Vata/Pitta

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Causal discernment: symptoms arise from specific doṣic derangements; correct knowledge precedes right action.

Vedantic Theme: Kārya-kāraṇa viveka applied to embodied experience; the witness distinguishes self from bodily processes.

Application: Differentiate vāta signs (head/side pain, body crushing ache, throat obstruction, voice loss) from pitta signs (burning in extremities/shoulders/hands) to guide treatment choices.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.152.18 (pitta/kaphaja expansions); Garuda Purana 1.152.19 (kaphaja cluster and agni)

Characters & Entities

• Vata
• Pitta

FAQs

What is the importance of vāta and pitta descriptions in the Garuda Purana?

This verse links specific forms of suffering—head and side pain, choking, loss of voice, and burning in limbs—to vāta and pitta disturbance, showing that post-death or transitional afflictions are described with precise Ayurvedic vocabulary.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By describing concrete symptoms (choking, voice loss, limb pain), the text portrays the jīva’s distress in the transitional state as experientially real, indicating that the journey is accompanied by embodied-like sensations shaped by subtle conditions and karmic momentum.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain balance through dharmic living and disciplined habits (food, conduct, restraint), and perform prescribed rites with sincerity—so that fear, agitation, and suffering associated with imbalance are reduced in life and in the post-death passage described in the Purana.