Shloka 6

Prameha-Nidāna-Lakṣaṇa-Bheda: Etiology, Signs, Varieties, and Complications of Meha

Devanagari script

मधुमेही मधुसमं जायते स किल द्विधा / क्रुद्धे धातुक्षयाद्वायौ दोषावृतपथे यदा

Transliteration

madhumehī madhusamaṃ jāyate sa kila dvidhā / kruddhe dhātukṣayādvāyau doṣāvṛtapathe yadā

Translation

Diabetes (madhumeha) is said to arise in two ways: when the bodily wind (vāyu), aggravated through depletion of the tissues (dhātu-kṣaya), becomes enraged and its course is obstructed by the doṣas.

Word by Word

• मधु-मेही: a diabetic/prameha patient (madhumehī)
• मधु-मेही: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधु (प्रातिपदिक) + मेहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• मधु-समम्: honey-like (sweet)
• मधु-समम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मधु (प्रातिपदिक) + सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (qualifying जायते: 'as honey-like')

• जायते: arises/occurs
• जायते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

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

• किल: indeed, it is said
• किल: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किल (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/श्रुति-अव्यय (particle: indeed/it is said)

• द्विधा: in two ways
• द्विधा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्विधा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार-अव्यय (adverb of manner: in two ways)

• क्रुद्धे: when (it is) aggravated/angered
• क्रुद्धे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रुद्ध (कृदन्त; क्रुध् धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; वायौ-विशेषण (when vāyu is aggravated)

• धातु-क्षयात्: from depletion of tissues (dhātus)
• धातु-क्षयात्: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धातु (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• वायौ: in/when vāyu (wind-humor)
• वायौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• दोष-आवृत-पथे: when the pathway is obstructed by doṣas
• दोष-आवृत-पथे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दोष (प्रातिपदिक) + आवृत (कृदन्त; आ+वृ धातु, क्त) + पथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; पथे = 'in the pathway'; समासे विशेषणभावः (path whose course is obstructed by doṣas)

• यदा: when
• यदा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अव्यय (temporal conjunction: when)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda)

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Vata

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Samprāpti (pathogenesis): madhumeha arises via vāyu aggravation from dhātu-kṣaya and via doṣa-āvaraṇa (obstruction of vāyu’s pathways).

Vedantic Theme: Prakṛti-guṇa/doṣa dynamics as knowable patterns within embodied life (implicit, non-soteriological).

Application: Assess whether diabetes presentation is depletion-dominant (dhātu-kṣaya) or obstruction-dominant (doṣa-āvaraṇa) to guide management and prognosis.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.159.5 (prameha subtype description); Garuda Purana 1.159.7-9 (complications and progression)

Characters & Entities

• Vayu
• Doshas
• Dhatus

FAQs

What is the importance of madhumeha in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats madhumeha as a specifically explained disorder, framing it through Ayurvedic causation—vāyu aggravation, dhātu depletion, and doṣa-obstruction—showing the text’s practical medical-ethical instruction alongside spiritual teaching.

How does this verse explain the mechanism of disease?

It presents a twofold origin: vāyu becomes aggravated due to dhātu-kṣaya, and when the channels/pathways are blocked by doṣas (āvaraṇa), the condition manifests with honey-like sweetness (madhusama).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It highlights prevention by protecting tissue health (avoiding depletion) and reducing factors that aggravate vāta and clog channels—supporting balanced diet, rest, and disciplined routine as classical safeguards.