Shloka 15

Atīsāra (Diarrhoea) and Grahaṇī-doṣa: Causes, Prodromal Signs, Doṣa-wise Symptoms, and Major-Disease Status

Devanagari script

तस्य स्यादग्निनिर्वाणकार्यैरत्यर्थसञ्चितैः / सामं शकृन्निरामं वा जीर्णं येनातिसार्यते

Transliteration

tasya syādagninirvāṇakāryairatyarthasañcitaiḥ / sāmaṃ śakṛnnirāmaṃ vā jīrṇaṃ yenātisāryate

Translation

For that person, because of factors that extinguish agni—the digestive fire—and because of excessive accumulation of morbid matter, diarrhoea arises, passing stool that is either ‘with āma’ (undigested, toxic) or ‘without āma’, according to what has been digested and what has not.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him/of that (condition)
• तस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

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

• अग्निनिर्वाणकार्यैः: by actions that extinguish (digestive) fire
• अग्निनिर्वाणकार्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि-निर्वाण-कार्य (प्रातिपदिक; अग्नि + निर्वाण + कार्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (agni-nirvāṇa-kārya = acts causing extinction of digestive fire)

• अत्यर्थसञ्चितैः: excessively accumulated
• अत्यर्थसञ्चितैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अत्यर्थ-सञ्चित (प्रातिपदिक; अत्यर्थ + सञ्चित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying the instrumental plural)

• सामम्: with āma (undigested)
• सामम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• शकृत्: stool
• शकृत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शकृत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• निरामम्: without āma
• निरामम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निराम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक निपात (or)

• जीर्णम्: digested/old
• जीर्णम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जीर्ण (प्रातिपदिक; √जॄ/जृ + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle)

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक सर्वनाम

• अतिसार्यते: is made to pass excessively / causes diarrhoea
• अतिसार्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अति-√सृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive sense)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Right understanding of causation and signs (nimitta-lakṣaṇa) guides proper response; agni is central to health.

Vedantic Theme: Viveka (discernment) applied to embodied life; recognizing causes and effects reduces suffering.

Application: Identify whether diarrhea is sāma (with toxins/undigested matter) or nirāma; prioritize restoring digestive fire and reducing accumulation through appropriate diet and measures.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.157.16 (definition and behavior of atisāra); Garuda Purana 1.157.17-18 (grahaṇī types and symptoms)

Characters & Entities

• Agni (digestive fire)

FAQs

What is the importance of āma (undigested toxin) in Garuda Purana’s teaching?

This verse links diarrhoea to āma and weakened digestive fire, showing that purification and restoring agni are central to correcting disease.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: it emphasizes bodily discipline and health (agni/āma management) as part of dharmic living, which supports clarity of mind for spiritual practice.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat recurrent loose motions as a sign of impaired digestion (agni) and possible āma—prioritize light, digestible food and avoid overeating/accumulation.