Shloka 8

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

with Mantra Applications

Devanagari script

सङ्खपुष्पीन्तु पुष्पेण समुद्धृत्य सपत्रिकाम् / समूलां छागदुग्धेन अपस्मारहरं पिबेत्

Transliteration

saṅkhapuṣpīntu puṣpeṇa samuddhṛtya sapatrikām / samūlāṃ chāgadugdhena apasmāraharaṃ pibet

Translation

Pluck the śaṅkhapuṣpī plant by its flower, taking it with leaves and root; then drink it mixed with goat’s milk—this is said to dispel apasmāra (fits, epilepsy, and seizure-like afflictions).

Word by Word

• शङ्खपुष्पीम्: śaṅkhapuṣpī (a medicinal herb)
• शङ्खपुष्पीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्खपुष्पी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (शङ्ख-इव पुष्पं यस्याः)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic/contrastive particle)

• पुष्पेण: with the flower
• पुष्पेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• समुद्धृत्य: having uprooted/collected
• समुद्धृत्य: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+उद्+हृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); अव्ययभाव; अर्थः—‘उद्धृत्य’ (having uprooted/taken out)

• सपत्रिकाम्: with leaves
• सपत्रिकाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स+पत्रिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपसर्गपूर्वक-समासः (स- ‘with’ + पत्रिका ‘leafy’)

• समूलाम्: with the root
• समूलाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स+मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः (स- ‘with’ + मूल ‘root’)

• छागदुग्धेन: with goat’s milk
• छागदुग्धेन: Karana (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छाग+दुग्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (छागस्य दुग्धम्)

• अपस्मारहरम्: removing epilepsy (apasmāra)
• अपस्मारहरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier of medicine/drink)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपस्मार+हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (अपस्मारं हरति इति)

• पिबेत्: should drink
• पिबेत्: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra, as typical of Garuda Purana discourse)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Care of the body as a support for dharma; right use of herbs and diet to remove disease.

Vedantic Theme: Sharira as sadhana-upakarana (instrument for practice); alleviating duhkha enables steadiness of mind.

Application: Prepare śaṅkhapuṣpī with leaf and root, mix with goat’s milk, and administer as a traditional remedy for apasmāra under competent guidance.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.183 (Ayurveda/ausadhi-prayoga section; adjacent verses on raktapitta, chardi, jvara-mantra)

Characters & Entities

• Shankhapushpi

FAQs

What is the importance of śaṅkhapuṣpī in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights śaṅkhapuṣpī as a specific medicinal herb used in a prescribed preparation to counter apasmāra, showing the text’s practical focus on remedial measures alongside spiritual instruction.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

This particular verse is medical rather than eschatological; it addresses maintaining bodily and mental stability (removing apasmāra), which supports dharmic living and the capacity to perform duties and rites emphasized elsewhere in the Purana.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It preserves a traditional herbal protocol (śaṅkhapuṣpī with goat’s milk); in modern practice, treat it as historical/ayurvedic guidance and consult qualified medical professionals for seizure disorders.