Shloka 24

Madātyaya Nidāna and Lakṣaṇa: Liquor’s Qualities, Tridoṣa Presentations, and Fainting Signs

Devanagari script

लक्षयेल्लक्षणोत्कर्षाद्वातादीञ्छोणितादिषु / अरुणं नीलकृष्णं वा सम्प्रविश्यन्विशेत्तमः

Transliteration

lakṣayellakṣaṇotkarṣādvātādīñchoṇitādiṣu / aruṇaṃ nīlakṛṣṇaṃ vā sampraviśyanviśettamaḥ

Translation

From the prominence of particular signs, one should discern disturbances of vāta and the other doṣa, as well as disorders of the blood and other humors. Entering the body as a reddish, bluish, or blackish influence, darkness then spreads through it.

Word by Word

• लक्षयेत्: one should observe/notice
• लक्षयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• लक्षणोत्कर्षात्: from the prominence of symptoms
• लक्षणोत्कर्षात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्षण + उत्कर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (लक्षणानाम् उत्कर्षः)

• वातादीन्: vāta and the like (doṣas)
• वातादीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वात + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), बहुवचन; आदि-समास (वात-आदि)

• शोणितादिषु: in blood and the like (tissues/fluids)
• शोणितादिषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शोणित + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), बहुवचन; आदि-समास; अधिकरणे

• अरुणम्: reddish
• अरुणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; वर्ण-विशेषणम्

• नीलकृष्णम्: blue-black
• नीलकृष्णम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नील + कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (नीलश्च कृष्णश्च)

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

• सम्प्रविश्य: having entered
• सम्प्रविश्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्+प्र+विश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• अन्विशेत्: should enter/fall into
• अन्विशेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु+विश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• तमः: darkness; faintness
• तमः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Lakshana-viveka: infer the underlying dosha/dhatu disturbance from the predominance of signs; internal ‘darkness’ symbolizes loss of clarity/consciousness.

Vedantic Theme: Viveka (discriminative knowledge) applied to prakriti-vikara (natural constitution vs. pathological change).

Application: Track dominant symptoms (vata/pitta/kapha and blood-related signs); treat according to the leading pattern rather than isolated complaints.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.155.23 (initial pitta-marking and systemic fatigue); Garuda Purana 1.155.25-27 (dosha-specific fainting phenomenology)

FAQs

What is the importance of bodily signs (lakṣaṇa) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse stresses that the approach of decline can be inferred by the predominance of specific symptoms—changes linked to doṣas and blood—serving as omens of weakening vitality and increasing obscuration (tamaḥ).

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: it describes the body’s pre-death deterioration—darkening and loss of clarity—often treated in the Garuda Purana as a threshold phase before the jīva’s post-death journey is described in later teachings.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a reminder to notice declining clarity and health, seek timely care, and intensify ethical living, prayer, and end-of-life preparations rather than ignoring warning signs.