Shloka 19

Devanagari script

कदलीक्षारसंयुक्तहरिद्रा सिध्मकापहा / रम्भापामार्गयोः क्षार एरण्डेन विमिश्रितः / तदभ्यङ्गान्महादेव ! सद्यः सिध्म विनश्यति

Transliteration

kadalīkṣārasaṃyuktaharidrā sidhmakāpahā / rambhāpāmārgayoḥ kṣāra eraṇḍena vimiśritaḥ / tadabhyaṅgānmahādeva ! sadyaḥ sidhma vinaśyati

Translation

Turmeric mixed with the alkaline extract of banana destroys sidhma, the whitish scaly skin disease. Likewise, the alkali made from rambhā (plantain) and apāmārga, blended with castor oil and applied as an oil-rub (abhyanga), O Mahādeva, makes sidhma vanish at once.

Word by Word

• कदलीक्षारसंयुक्तहरिद्रा: turmeric mixed with plantain-alkali
• कदलीक्षारसंयुक्तहरिद्रा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कदली-क्षार-संयुक्त-हरिद्रा (प्रातिपदिक; कदली + क्षार + संयुक्त + हरिद्रा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Nominative singular

• सिध्मकापहा: removing sidhmaka
• सिध्मकापहा: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सिध्मक-अपहा (प्रातिपदिक; सिध्मक + अपहा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; adjective agreeing with हरिद्रा

• रम्भापामार्गयोः: of plantain and apāmārga
• रम्भापामार्गयोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रम्भा-अपामार्ग (प्रातिपदिक-द्वन्द्व; रम्भा + अपामार्ग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), द्विवचन; Genitive dual

• क्षारः: alkali
• क्षारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Nominative singular

• एरण्डेन: with castor (oil/plant)
• एरण्डेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एरण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• विमिश्रितः: mixed
• विमिश्रितः: Karta (Predicate participle/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मिश्र् (धातु) → विमिश्रित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; agreeing with क्षारः

• तदभ्यङ्गात्: from that anointing/massage
• तदभ्यङ्गात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद्-अभ्यङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक; तद् + अभ्यङ्ग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; Ablative singular

• महादेव: O Mahādeva
• महादेव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; Vocative singular

• सद्यः: immediately
• सद्यः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सद्यः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• सिध्म: sidhma (skin disease)
• सिध्म: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिध्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Nominative singular

• विनश्यति: is destroyed
• विनश्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नश् (धातु) उपसर्ग: वि-
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Present indicative

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Right preparation (saṃyoga) and right application (abhyanga) yield tangible well-being; disciplined action bears fruit.

Vedantic Theme: Karma as orderly causation at the embodied level; proper means (upāya) aligned with nature.

Application: Use turmeric with banana alkali; alternatively prepare alkali of rambhā and apāmārga, blend with castor oil, apply as abhyanga for sidhma.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.190 (series of sidhma/sidhmaka remedies: lepa, kṣāra, abhyanga, udvartana)

Characters & Entities

• Mahadeva
• Haridra
• Apamarga
• Eranda
• Kadali
• Rambha

FAQs

What is the importance of this remedy in the Garuda Purana?

This verse preserves a practical, tradition-linked medicinal formulation, showing that the Garuda Purana also transmits applied knowledge (prayoga) such as herbal/alkaline preparations and therapeutic abhyanga.

Does this verse relate to death rituals or the soul’s journey in the Garuda Purana?

No—this specific verse is a medical instruction for treating sidhma (a skin disorder). It sits in a pragmatic, health-oriented context rather than the afterlife narrative.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It highlights a classical approach—combining herbal agents (haridrā), alkaline extracts (kṣāra), and oil application (abhyanga). For modern use, consult a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner due to potency/irritation risks of kṣāra.