Shloka 30

Devanagari script

मूलं शुक्लबृहत्यास्तु कर्कोट्यागैरिकर्णिकम् / अद्भिर्घृष्टघृतोपेतलेपो ऽयं विषमर्दनः

Transliteration

mūlaṃ śuklabṛhatyāstu karkoṭyāgairikarṇikam / adbhirghṛṣṭaghṛtopetalepo 'yaṃ viṣamardanaḥ

Translation

Take the root of the white bṛhatī, together with karkoṭī and the red-ochre karṇikā; grind them with water and apply as a paste mixed with ghee. This plaster becomes a destroyer of poison.

Word by Word

• mūlam: root (plant root)
• mūlam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन

• śukla-bṛhatyāḥ: of the white bṛhatī plant
• śukla-bṛhatyāḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śukla (प्रातिपदिक) + bṛhatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case/genitive), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (शुक्ला च सा बृहती)

• astu: let it be / should be
• astu: Vidhi (Injunctive/विधि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (अस् धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative/benedictive sense), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• karkoṭyāḥ: of karkoṭī (a plant)
• karkoṭyāḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karkoṭī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case/genitive), एकवचन

• āgairikam: reddish/ochre-colored
• āgairikam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āgairika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; विशेषण

• karṇikam: pericarp/central part (of flower/plant)
• karṇikam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karṇika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन

• adbhiḥ: with water
• adbhiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ap (आप्/अप् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case/instrumental), बहुवचन

• ghṛṣṭa-ghṛta-upeta-lepaḥ: a paste prepared by rubbing and mixed with ghee
• ghṛṣṭa-ghṛta-upeta-lepaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ghṛṣṭa (कृदन्त; घृष् धातु, क्त) + ghṛta (प्रातिपदिक) + upeta (कृदन्त; उप-इ धातु, क्त) + lepa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case/nominative), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (घृष्टः च सः घृतोपेतः च सः लेपः)

• ayam: this
• ayam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case/nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• viṣa-mardanaḥ: destroyer of poison
• viṣa-mardanaḥ: Karta (Predicate nominative/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + mardana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case/nominative), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (विषस्य मर्दनः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Preservation of life through right application of remedies; knowledge used for protection from harm.

Vedantic Theme: Loka-saṅgraha (support of beings) as a dharmic expression within embodied existence (deha-dhāraṇa).

Application: Prepare an anti-poison lepa: white bṛhatī root + karkoṭī + aṅgārika/ochre-like karṇikā, grind with water, mix with ghee, apply as plaster.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.19 (viṣa-cikitsā / mantra-auṣadha sections); Nearby verses 1.19.31-34 on ghee, śirīṣa, mantra and japa-siddhi

FAQs

What is the importance of poison-destroying (viṣamardana) remedies in the Garuda Purana?

This verse preserves a practical, ritual-adjacent healing tradition: specific herbs, prepared as a ghee-based paste, are taught as an antidotal application to counteract विष (poison).

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not describe the soul’s post-death journey; instead, it focuses on preserving life through an antidote, which indirectly supports dharma by enabling one to continue duties and rites.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat it as a historical textual remedy: in real poisoning or snakebite, seek urgent medical care; the verse can be studied for understanding classical materia medica and traditional paste-based preparations.