Shloka 18

Devanagari script

विकारैः क्लिश्यते जातु न स शरीरमानसः / रजोमोहहिताहारपास्य स्युस्त्रयो गदाः

Transliteration

vikāraiḥ kliśyate jātu na sa śarīramānasaḥ / rajomohahitāhārapāsya syustrayo gadāḥ

Translation

One who is not tormented by disorders is truly sound in body and mind. But when one partakes of food and drink that nourish rajas and delusion (tamas), three kinds of disease arise.

Word by Word

• विकारैः: by disorders/alterations
• विकारैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• क्लिश्यते: is afflicted
• क्लिश्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्लिश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• जातु: ever/at any time
• जातु: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: जातु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (temporal adverb)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

• सः: he/that (person)
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• शरीरमानसः: (one) of body and mind; bodily-mental
• शरीरमानसः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective/कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शरीर + मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; द्वन्द्वसमास (शरीरं च मनश्च)

• रजः: rajas (passion)
• रजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• मोह: delusion
• मोह: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• हिताहार: wholesome diet
• हिताहार: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हित + आहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-प्रायः: हितः आहारः

• पास्य: to be taken/drunk (as regimen)
• पास्य: Vidhyartha (Obligation/विध्यर्थ)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्/ल्यप्-प्रायः; विधिलिङ्गार्थे भाव्य/कर्तव्य; (gerundive) ‘to be drunk/avoided?’—पाठानुसार ‘पेय/पानयोग्य’ अर्थः

• स्युः: would be/should be
• स्युः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• त्रयः: three
• त्रयः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक

• गदाः: diseases/ailments
• गदाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Vata/Pitta/Kapha

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sattvic regulation of diet preserves bodily and mental health; rajas–tamas nourishment generates trifold disease.

Vedantic Theme: Antahkarana-shuddhi (purification of mind) through ahara-niyama; guna-theory shaping cognition and wellbeing.

Application: Prefer sattvic, light, clean foods; avoid intoxicants/heavy, stale, overly stimulating foods; observe mindful eating and moderation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.155 (Ayurveda/health section on guna-based diet and tridosha disturbance)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vishnu
• Rajas
• Moha

FAQs

What is the importance of guṇa-based diet in the Garuda Purana?

This verse links diet (āhāra-pāsya) with rajas and moha (tamas), teaching that food choices directly shape bodily and mental well-being and can become a cause of disease.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana?

By emphasizing a healthy, clear mind and body, the verse supports the broader Garuda Purana theme that disciplined conduct and purity reduce suffering and aid spiritual steadiness, which is essential for right action and liberation-oriented living.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Prefer food and habits that calm agitation and reduce confusion (less rājasic/tāmasic intake), since mental clarity and bodily balance are treated here as foundations for dharmic living.