Shloka 6

Visarpa Nidāna-Lakṣaṇa

Causes, Types, and Prognosis of Rapidly Spreading Eruptive Disorders

Devanagari script

पित्ताद्द्रुतगतिः पित्तज्वरलिङ्गो ऽतिलोहितः / कफात्कण्डूयुतः स्निग्धः कफज्वरसमानरुक्

Transliteration

pittāddrutagatiḥ pittajvaraliṅgo 'tilohitaḥ / kaphātkaṇḍūyutaḥ snigdhaḥ kaphajvarasamānaruk

Translation

From pitta it moves swiftly, shows the signs of a pitta-fever, and becomes intensely red; from kapha it is accompanied by itching, is oily and heavy, and has pain similar to a kapha-fever.

Word by Word

• पित्तात्: from pitta (bile-doṣa)
• पित्तात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/अपादान), एकवचन

• द्रुतगतिः: of swift course/spread
• द्रुतगतिः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्रुत + गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (to वीसर्पः understood); समासः—कर्मधारय (द्रुता गति: swift movement)

• पित्तज्वरलिङ्गः: having signs of pitta-fever
• पित्तज्वरलिङ्गः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पित्तज्वर + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण; समासः—तत्पुरुष (पित्तज्वरस्य लिङ्गम् यस्य)

• अतिलोहितः: very red
• अतिलोहितः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति + लोहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण; समासः—तत्पुरुष (अत्यन्तं लोहितः)

• कफात्: from kapha (phlegm-doṣa)
• कफात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कफ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कण्डूयुतः: accompanied by itching
• कण्डूयुतः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कण्डू + युत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण; समासः—तत्पुरुष (कण्डू-युक्तः)

• स्निग्धः: oily/unctuous
• स्निग्धः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्निग्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• कफज्वरसमानरुक्: with pain similar to kapha-fever
• कफज्वरसमानरुक्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कफज्वर + समान + रुक् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण; समासः—तत्पुरुष (कफज्वर-समान-रुक् = pain like kapha-fever)

Speaker

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

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Pitta

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Doṣa-bheda by gati (speed), varṇa (color), sparśa/guṇa (unctuousness/heaviness), and associated jvara-lakṣaṇa.

Vedantic Theme: Pramāṇa of direct observation (pratyakṣa) and inference (anumāna) applied to the body; disciplined attention as a form of knowledge.

Application: Differentiate pitta-visarpa (rapid, very red, pitta-jvara signs) from kapha-visarpa (itching, snigdha, guru, kapha-jvara-like pain) to avoid wrong-line treatment.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.163 (visarpa doṣa-wise features: vāta/pitta/kapha/sannipāta and combinations)

Characters & Entities

• Pitta (doṣa)
• Kapha (doṣa)

FAQs

How does the Garuda Purana distinguish pittaja and kaphaja visarpa?

Pittaja spreads quickly with intense redness and pitta-fever signs, while kaphaja shows itching, oily/heavy qualities, and kapha-fever-like pain.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not address afterlife doctrine; it functions as a clinical doṣa-classification to guide right living and treatment decisions.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Rapidly spreading, very red eruptions suggest a pitta pattern; itchy, oily/heavy presentations suggest kapha—either way, seek prompt medical evaluation rather than delaying.