Shloka 1

Bhaiṣajya-Prayoga: Remedies for Grahaṇī, Jvara, Apasmāra, and Kuṣṭha

with Mantra Applications

Devanagari script

ऽध्यायः हरिरुवाच / मरिचं शृङ्गवेरं च कुटजत्वचमेव च / पानाच्च ग्रहणी नश्येच्छशाङ्काङ्कितशेखर !

Transliteration

'dhyāyaḥ hariruvāca / maricaṃ śṛṅgaveraṃ ca kuṭajatvacameva ca / pānācca grahaṇī naśyecchaśāṅkāṅkitaśekhara !

Translation

Hari (Lord Vishnu) said: “By drinking a preparation of black pepper, dry ginger, and the bark of the kuṭaja tree, the disorder of grahaṇī (intestinal disease/malabsorption) is destroyed, O moon-crested one!”

Word by Word

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• हरिः: Hari
• हरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदी

• मरिचम्: black pepper
• मरिचम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरिच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• शृङ्गवेरम्: ginger
• शृङ्गवेरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शृङ्गवेर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• कुटज-त्वचम्: bark of kuṭaja
• कुटज-त्वचम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुटज (प्रातिपदिक) + त्वच्/त्वचा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कुटजस्य त्वक्)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• पानात्: from drinking/by drinking
• पानात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/ablative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• ग्रहणी: grahaṇī disorder (malabsorption)
• ग्रहणी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रहणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• नश्येत्: should perish/be cured
• नश्येत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदी

• शशाङ्क-अङ्कित-शेखर: O one whose crest is marked by the moon (Śiva)
• शशाङ्क-अङ्कित-शेखर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शशाङ्क (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्कित (कृदन्त) + शेखर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (यस्य शेखरः शशाङ्केन अङ्कितः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (Hari)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Divine instruction guiding practical healing; knowledge used for alleviating suffering.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara as inner guide; sacredness of right knowledge (samyag-jñāna) applied in the world.

Application: A drink prepared from marica, śṛṅgavera, and kuṭaja bark is stated to destroy grahaṇī disorder.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.183 (Ayurvedic formulations; Hari as speaker); Garuda Purana 1.182 (preceding remedies)

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Kuṭaja

FAQs

What is the importance of grahaṇī in Garuda Purana?

This verse treats grahaṇī as a significant digestive disorder and preserves a practical herbal formulation, showing that the Garuda Purana also transmits health-related guidance alongside spiritual instruction.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not directly describe the soul’s journey; instead, it supports righteous living through bodily well-being, implying that maintaining health can aid one’s capacity for dharma and ritual observance.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It points to a classical tri-herb approach (pepper, dry ginger, kuṭaja bark) for digestive imbalance; in modern practice, use it as historical guidance and consult a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner for safe dosage and suitability.