Shloka 21

Pāṇḍu-Śotha Nidāna: Doṣa-wise Signs, Complications, and Prognosis

Devanagari script

शोथः प्रधानः कथितः स एवातो निगद्यते / पित्तरक्तकफान्वायुर्दुष्टो दुष्टान्बहिः शिराः

Transliteration

śothaḥ pradhānaḥ kathitaḥ sa evāto nigadyate / pittaraktakaphānvāyurduṣṭo duṣṭānbahiḥ śirāḥ

Translation

Swelling (śotha) has been declared the principal sign; therefore it is now described. When vāyu, associated with pitta, blood (rakta), and kapha, becomes vitiated, it also vitiates the outer channels/veins (śirā).

Word by Word

• शोथः: swelling/edema
• शोथः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शोथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• प्रधानः: principal/main
• प्रधानः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying शोथः)

• कथितः: is said/has been stated
• कथितः: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगे विधेय

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

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ-अव्यय (causal adverb: 'therefore/from this')

• निगद्यते: is described/declared
• निगद्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + गद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense)

• पित्त: bile (pitta)
• पित्त: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• रक्त: blood
• रक्त: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• कफ: phlegm (kapha)
• कफ: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कफ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• अन्वायुḥ: wind (vāyu) following/associated (with them)
• अन्वायुḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनु (उपसर्ग) + वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; उपसर्गपूर्वक-प्रातिपदिक (अनु+वायु)

• दुष्टः: vitiated
• दुष्टः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (वायुः)

• दुष्टान्: vitiated
• दुष्टान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (शिराः)

• बहिः: outside
• बहिः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहिः (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place: 'outside')

• शिराः: veins/vessels
• शिराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Mixed

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śotha as a principal lakṣaṇa; doṣa-saṅghāta (vāyu with pitta, rakta, kapha) disturbing śirā and bāhya-srotas.

Vedantic Theme: Causality and interdependence (kārya-kāraṇa-bhāva) observed in the body; knowledge as a means to reduce suffering.

Application: In swelling with heat/redness (pitta-rakta), heaviness (kapha), and pain/movement disturbance (vāyu), address multi-doṣa involvement rather than single-symptom treatment.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.162.22-24 (mechanism and classifications of śotha)

Characters & Entities

• Vayu
• Pitta
• Rakta (blood)
• Kapha
• Shiras (vessels)

FAQs

What does the Garuda Purana identify as the key sign of śotha?

This verse states that swelling (śotha) is the principal feature and ties it to multi-doṣa involvement—vāyu acting together with pitta, blood (rakta), and kapha.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not address the soul’s journey; it focuses on bodily pathology. In Purāṇic teaching, such knowledge supports right living (dharma) by preserving the body as an instrument for spiritual practice.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat unexplained swelling as significant—traditional logic here links it to systemic imbalance affecting circulation/channels—so it warrants prompt evaluation and corrective regimen under qualified care.