Shloka 24

Anupāna and the Doṣa-Effects of Foods, Waters, Dairy, Oils, and Preparations

Devanagari script

दोषलं लकुचं स्वादु बकुलं कफवातजित् / गुल्मवातकफश्वासकासघ्नं बीजपूरकम्

Transliteration

doṣalaṃ lakucaṃ svādu bakulaṃ kaphavātajit / gulmavātakaphaśvāsakāsaghnaṃ bījapūrakam

Translation

Lakuca aggravates the doṣas, though it is sweet in taste. Bakula alleviates kapha and vāta. Bījapūraka (citron) destroys gulma (abdominal masses), vāta and kapha disorders, and also relieves dyspnea and cough.

Word by Word

• दोषलम्: doṣa-causing; harmful (to humors)
• दोषलम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दोषल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण

• लकुचम्: lakuca (a fruit/tree)
• लकुचम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लकुच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; द्रव्यनाम

• स्वादु: tasty; sweet
• स्वादु: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वादु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण

• बकुलम्: bakula (Mimusops elengi)
• बकुलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; द्रव्यनाम

• कफवातजित्: overcoming kapha and vāta
• कफवातजित्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कफ (प्रातिपदिक) + वात (प्रातिपदिक) + जित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण; ‘कफं वातं च जयति’

• गुल्मवातकफश्वासकासघ्नम्: destroying abdominal tumor, vāta, kapha, dyspnea, and cough
• गुल्मवातकफश्वासकासघ्नम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुल्म (प्रातिपदिक) + वात (प्रातिपदिक) + कफ (प्रातिपदिक) + श्वास (प्रातिपदिक) + कास (प्रातिपदिक) + घ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष; विशेषण; ‘गुल्मं वातं कफं श्वासं कासं च हन्ति’

• बीजपूरकम्: bījapūraka (citron)
• बीजपूरकम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बीज (प्रातिपदिक) + पूरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; द्रव्यनाम; ‘बीजानि पूरयति/पूरकः’ इति व्युत्पत्त्या

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Viveka (discernment): pleasant taste does not guarantee benefit; choose by effect (karma) on doṣas and disease.

Vedantic Theme: Viveka-vairāgya at the bodily level—discriminating the beneficial from the merely pleasant.

Application: Avoid/limit lakuca when it aggravates doṣas; use bakula for kapha-vāta; consider bījapūraka for gulma, vāta-kapha, śvāsa and kāsa under guidance.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.169 (fruit properties; disease indications like gulma, śvāsa, kāsa)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of listing fruits like bījapūraka in the Garuda Purana?

The verse preserves a concise Ayurvedic materia-medica: it links specific fruits to specific clinical categories (gulma, śvāsa, kāsa), guiding traditional household and vaidya practice.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: by promoting health and steadiness (especially breath and digestion), it supports one’s ability to perform dharma, vows, and rites—topics the Garuda Purana treats as spiritually consequential.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

As a traditional cue, bījapūraka is praised for cough/breath issues and vāta-kapha conditions; use as dietary support while seeking appropriate medical/Ayurvedic advice for symptoms like asthma.