Shloka 33

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

Devanagari script

पीतरक्तासिंताभासः पित्तजातश्च शोषकृत् / शीघ्रं नासौ वा प्रशमेन्मध्ये प्राग्दहते तनुम्

Transliteration

pītaraktāsiṃtābhāsaḥ pittajātaśca śoṣakṛt / śīghraṃ nāsau vā praśamenmadhye prāgdahate tanum

Translation

Yellowish and reddish in appearance, born of pitta (bile) and causing wasting, it does not quickly subside; rather, it burns the body from within, as though igniting it in the middle.

Word by Word

• पीतरक्तासिताभासः: having yellow, red, and darkish appearance
• पीतरक्तासिताभासः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पीत (प्रातिपदिक) + रक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + असित (प्रातिपदिक) + आभास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; वर्णद्वन्द्व/समाहारः (पीत-रक्त-असित-आभासः = having yellow/red/blackish appearance) विशेषणम्

• पित्तजातः: born of pitta
• पित्तजातः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पित्त (प्रातिपदिक) + जात (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-प्रयोग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (पित्तात् जातः = arising from pitta)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• शोषकृत्: causing dryness/emaciation
• शोषकृत्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शोष (प्रातिपदिक) + √कृ (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः/कृदन्तः (शोषं करोति)

• शीघ्रम्: quickly
• शीघ्रम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शीघ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण

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

• असौ: this/that (condition)
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Disjunction/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्प (disjunctive particle)

• प्रशमेत्: would subside
• प्रशमेत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√शम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मध्ये: in the middle
• मध्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• प्राक्: before, earlier
• प्राक्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्राक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक/पूर्वार्थक (before/earlier)

• दहते: burns
• दहते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• तनुम्: body
• तनुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Pitta

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Doṣa-viveka: pitta-lakṣaṇa (heat, discoloration, śoṣa) and chronicity; recognizing internal ‘dāha’ as a defining marker.

Vedantic Theme: Tāpa (burning affliction) as a reminder of embodied limitation; cultivating discernment and timely corrective action.

Application: When signs of pitta (yellow/red, burning, wasting) persist, prioritize cooling measures (śīta, madhura, tikta), hydration, and medical evaluation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.162.34 (pitta-associated systemic signs: thirst, fever, sweat, diarrhea)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of pitta (bile) disorders in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights a pitta-born condition marked by yellow-red coloration, internal burning, and wasting—showing how the text classifies suffering through doṣa-based (humoral) causes.

How does this verse explain the experience of suffering?

It portrays suffering as an inward, consuming heat that does not easily calm down, emphasizing the felt reality of disease as a form of inner ‘burning’ and depletion.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a reminder to manage pitta-aggravating factors (excess heat, irritants, overexertion) and seek timely balancing measures, since such conditions are described as fast-wasting and slow to subside.