Shloka 19

Cikitsā-sāra: Doṣa Nidāna–Lakṣaṇa, Agni, Ajīrṇa/Āma Cikitsā, Daśamūla, and Prognostic Signs

Devanagari script

कट्वम्ललवणाः पित्तं स्वादूष्णलवणाः कफम् / एत एव विपर्यस्ताः शमायैषां प्रयोजिताः / भवन्ति रोगिणां शान्त्यै स्वस्थाने सुखहेतवः

Transliteration

kaṭvamlalavaṇāḥ pittaṃ svādūṣṇalavaṇāḥ kapham / eta eva viparyastāḥ śamāyaiṣāṃ prayojitāḥ / bhavanti rogiṇāṃ śāntyai svasthāne sukhahetavaḥ

Translation

Pungent, sour, and salty tastes aggravate pitta; sweet, heating (hot), and salty tastes aggravate kapha. Yet these very tastes, when applied in the opposite way as balancing measures, are used to pacify them—bringing relief to the sick and, in the healthy, becoming causes of comfort when kept in their proper place.

Word by Word

• कटु: pungent
• कटु: Karta (part of compound subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कटु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (रस-नाम), प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अम्ल: sour
• अम्ल: Karta (part of compound subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अम्ल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (रस-नाम), प्रथमा, एकवचन

• लवणाः: salty (tastes)
• लवणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लवण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; (tastes)

• पित्तम्: pitta
• पित्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• स्वादु: sweet
• स्वादु: Karta (part of compound subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वादु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (रस-नाम), प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उष्ण: hot/warming
• उष्ण: Karta (part of compound subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (गुण/रस-सम्बद्ध), प्रथमा, एकवचन

• लवणाः: salty (tastes)
• लवणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लवण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• कफम्: kapha
• कफम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कफ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• एते: these
• एते: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

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

• विपर्यस्ताः: reversed/opposite
• विपर्यस्ताः: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + परि + √अस्/√स्था (धातु) → विपर्यस्त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

• शमाय: for pacification
• शमाय: Sampradāna (Purpose/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• एषाम्: of these (doṣas)
• एषाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्रयोजिताः: applied/used
• प्रयोजिताः: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + √युज् (धातु) [णिच्/प्रेरणार्थ] → प्रयोजित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; कर्मणि/भावे (used/applied)

• भवन्ति: become/are
• भवन्ति: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• रोगिणाम्: of patients
• रोगिणाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• शान्त्यै: for relief/peace
• शान्त्यै: Sampradāna (Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शान्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• स्वस्थाने: in their proper place/normal state
• स्वस्थाने: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वस्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• सुखहेतवः: causes of comfort
• सुखहेतवः: Karta/Predicative
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक) + हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: सुखस्य हेतवः)

Speaker

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

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Vata/Pitta/Kapha

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Viparīta-prayoga (counterbalancing): rasas that aggravate a doṣa can, in opposite deployment/context, become śamana; health is equilibrium in ‘proper place’ (svasthāna).

Vedantic Theme: Madhyamā-mārga (balance) and yuktī (skillful means): right application transforms effects; harmony as a form of sattvic order.

Application: Use rasa-based diet therapy: avoid pitta-aggravating kaṭu/amla/lavaṇa in pitta flare; avoid kapha-aggravating madhura/uṣṇa/lavaṇa in kapha flare; employ opposite rasas to restore balance.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.168: continuation of rasa-guṇa and doṣa śamana/vṛddhi principles

Characters & Entities

• Pitta
• Kapha

FAQs

Which tastes increase Pitta according to Garuda Purana?

The verse states that pungent (kaṭu), sour (amla), and salty (lavaṇa) tastes aggravate Pitta.

How does the verse describe pacification (śamana) of doṣas?

It says the same tastes can be used “viparyasta”—in an opposite/counter-balancing way—to pacify disturbed doṣas and calm disease.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use taste-based moderation: avoid the tastes that aggravate your dominant imbalance, and apply opposing tastes thoughtfully as part of diet and lifestyle.