Shloka 16

Visarpa Nidāna-Lakṣaṇa

Causes, Types, and Prognosis of Rapidly Spreading Eruptive Disorders

Devanagari script

श्वासकासातिसारास्यशोषहिक्कावमिभ्रमैः / मोहवैवर्ण्यमूर्छाङ्गभङ्गग्निसदनैर्युताम् / इत्ययं ग्रन्थिवीसर्पः कफमारुतकोपजः

Transliteration

śvāsakāsātisārāsyaśoṣahikkāvamibhramaiḥ / mohavaivarṇyamūrchāṅgabhaṅgagnisadanairyutām / ityayaṃ granthivīsarpaḥ kaphamārutakopajaḥ

Translation

Marked by breathlessness, cough, diarrhea, dryness of mouth, hiccup, vomiting, and dizziness—together with delirium, discoloration, fainting, body-aches, and the waning of digestive fire—this is called “granthi-vīsarpa,” a spreading nodular affliction born of aggravated kapha and vāta.

Word by Word

• श्वास-कास-अतिसार-आस्य-शोष-हिक्का-वमि-भ्रमैः: with dyspnea, cough, diarrhea, mouth-dryness, hiccup, vomiting and dizziness
• श्वास-कास-अतिसार-आस्य-शोष-हिक्का-वमि-भ्रमैः: Hetu/Karaṇa (Cause/means; associative instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वास (प्रातिपदिक) + कास (प्रातिपदिक) + अतिसार (प्रातिपदिक) + आस्य (प्रातिपदिक) + शोष (प्रातिपदिक) + हिक्का (प्रातिपदिक) + वमि (प्रातिपदिक) + भ्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/सह), बहुवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (list of ailments)

• मोह-वैवर्ण्य-मूर्छा-अङ्ग-भङ्ग-अग्नि-सदनैः: with delusion, discoloration, fainting, body-ache/breaking, and loss of digestive fire
• मोह-वैवर्ण्य-मूर्छा-अङ्ग-भङ्ग-अग्नि-सदनैः: Hetu/Karaṇa (Cause/means; associative instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोह (प्रातिपदिक) + वैवर्ण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + मूर्छा (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + भङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + सदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (समाहारार्थ), तृतीया (करण/सह), बहुवचन; लक्षण-सूची (symptom list)

• युताम्: endowed/associated (with)
• युताम्: Karma (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युत (कृदन्त; युज् धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘युक्ता’ (endowed/associated)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/समाप्ति-निपात (quotative particle)

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• ग्रन्थि-वीसर्पः: nodular erysipelas/spreading skin disease with glands
• ग्रन्थि-वीसर्पः: Karta (Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रन्थि (प्रातिपदिक) + वीसर्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (granthīnāṃ vīsarpaḥ)

• कफ-मारुत-कोप-जः: arising from aggravation of kapha and vāta
• कफ-मारुत-कोप-जः: Viśeṣaṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कफ (प्रातिपदिक) + मारुत (प्रातिपदिक) + कोप (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थ ‘कफमारुतयोः कोपात् जातः’ (born from aggravation of kapha and vāta)

Speaker

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

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Vata

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Correct naming (saṃjñā) and causal diagnosis (doṣa-hetu) are prerequisites for effective response; ignorance of causes amplifies suffering.

Vedantic Theme: Viveka (discernment) applied to prakṛti’s guṇas/doṣas; knowledge as a means to reduce duḥkha in vyavahāra.

Application: Use symptom clusters to identify doṣa involvement (kapha-vāta) and recognize systemic danger signs (mūrcchā, agni-sadana) requiring immediate care.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.163.15-19 (continuing vīsarpa/granthi symptomatology and doṣa-based differentiation)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of granthi-vīsarpa in the Garuda Purana?

This verse preserves a classical symptom-list for a kapha–vāta–origin spreading nodular disorder, showing the Garuda Purana’s role as a compendium that also transmits Ayurvedic nidāna (diagnostic) knowledge.

How does this verse explain the condition in doṣa terms?

It explicitly attributes granthi-vīsarpa to kapha and vāta aggravation (kaphamārutakopa-jaḥ), with hallmark signs like respiratory distress, digestive impairment (agni-sadana), and systemic weakness.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a traditional symptom-check framework: when kapha–vāta features (congestion/heaviness with dryness, pain, weakness of digestion) dominate, seek qualified Ayurvedic assessment rather than treating signs in isolation.