Shloka 31

Dhanvantari’s Therapeutics: Jvara to Vraṇa

Fever, GI Disorders, Bleeding, Respiratory, Urinary, Swelling, and Wound Care

Devanagari script

कृष्णा धात्री शिता शुण्ठी हक्काघ्नी मधुसंयुता / हिक्काश्वासी पिवेद्भार्ङ्गो सविश्वामुष्णवारिणा

Transliteration

kṛṣṇā dhātrī śitā śuṇṭhī hakkāghnī madhusaṃyutā / hikkāśvāsī pivedbhārṅgo saviśvāmuṣṇavāriṇā

Translation

Black pepper (kṛṣṇā), āmalakī (dhātrī), sugar, and dry ginger—together with hikkā-ghnī—combined with honey form a remedy that destroys hiccup. One afflicted with hiccup and breathlessness should drink it with bhṛṅga and viśvā, taken with warm water.

Word by Word

• kṛṣṇā: kṛṣṇā (pippalī)
• kṛṣṇā: Karta (Subject/ingredient listing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (द्रव्यनाम; पिप्पली/कृष्णा)

• dhātrī: dhātrī (āmalakī)
• dhātrī: Karta (Subject/ingredient listing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhātrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (द्रव्यनाम; आमलकी)

• śitā: sugar
• śitā: Karta (Subject/ingredient listing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śitā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (द्रव्यनाम; शर्करा)

• śuṇṭhī: dry ginger
• śuṇṭhī: Karta (Subject/ingredient listing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śuṇṭhī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• hakkā-ghnī: destroying hiccup
• hakkā-ghnī: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hakkā (प्रातिपदिक) + ghnī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः ‘हक्कां हन्ति’

• madhu-saṃyutā: mixed with honey
• madhu-saṃyutā: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: madhu (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃyutā (कृदन्त; √yuj (धातु) क्त, सम्-उपसर्ग)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘मधुना संयुता’

• hikkā-śvāsī: a person with hiccup and dyspnea
• hikkā-śvāsī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hikkā (प्रातिपदिक) + śvāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (हिक्का च श्वासः च यस्य/येन पीडितः) रोगीवाचकः

• pivet: should drink
• pivet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pā (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• bhārṅgaḥ: bhārṅga (a medicinal preparation/herb)
• bhārṅgaḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhārṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (द्रव्यनाम; भृङ्ग/भाङ्ग/भृङ्गराज-प्रायः)

• sa-viśvā: together with viśvā
• sa-viśvā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (अव्यय/उपसर्ग) + viśvā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘विश्वया सह’ (viśvā = viśvā-bheṣaja/śuṇṭhī-विशेषनाम) सहार्थक-तत्पुरुषः

• uṣṇa-vāriṇā: with hot water
• uṣṇa-vāriṇā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + vārin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (vāri), तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः ‘उष्णं वारि’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda)

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Vata

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Regulating prāṇa and digestion through appropriate remedies supports steadiness of mind and duty.

Vedantic Theme: Prāṇa as functional support for sādhana; care without over-identification with the body.

Application: Combine kṛṣṇā (black pepper), dhātrī (āmalakī), śitā (sugar), śuṇṭhī with honey; administer for hiccup; for hiccup with dyspnea, take with bhṛṅga and viśvā using warm water as anupāna.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.170 (respiratory/kapha-vata remedies; warm-water anupāna pattern)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of hiccup (hikkā) remedies in the Garuda Purana?

The verse treats hiccup and breath distress as meaningful ailments needing prompt correction, preserving an herbal-honey formulation aimed at stabilizing respiration and digestion.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not describe the soul’s journey directly; instead, it supports embodied life by offering care for breath and vitality, which are prerequisites for dharmic living taught elsewhere in the Purana.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It suggests a warming, honey-based mixture for hiccup/breath discomfort; modern readers should consult an Ayurvedic clinician, especially for asthma, GERD, or chronic respiratory disease.