Shloka 1

Viṣa-hara Yogas: Puṣya-Nakṣatra Remedies for Serpents, Stings, and Compounded Poisons

Devanagari script

ऽध्यायः हरिरुवाच / पुनर्नवाया मूलञ्च श्वेतं पुष्ये समाहृतम् / वारि पीतं तस्य पार्श्व भवनेषु न पन्नगाः

Transliteration

'dhyāyaḥ hariruvāca / punarnavāyā mūlañca śvetaṃ puṣye samāhṛtam / vāri pītaṃ tasya pārśva bhavaneṣu na pannagāḥ

Translation

Hari said: “On the day of the Puṣya nakṣatra, gather the white root of punarnavā. If its water is drunk, then in the nearby dwellings serpents do not remain.”

Word by Word

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

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

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

• पुनर्नवायाः: of punarnavā (a herb)
• पुनर्नवायाः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुनर्नवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• मूलम्: root
• मूलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• श्वेतम्: white
• श्वेतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्वेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• पुष्ये: in (the nakshatra) Puṣya
• पुष्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; नक्षत्र-नाम

• समाहृतम्: collected/brought together
• समाहृतम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-हृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वारि: water
• वारि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वारि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• पीतम्: drunk
• पीतम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तस्य: of it/its
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पार्श्व: near/at the side
• पार्श्व: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्श्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोग (indeclinable-like usage as preposed qualifier); मूलार्थ: side/near

• भवनेषु: in the dwellings/houses
• भवनेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• न: not/no
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• पन्नगाः: snakes
• पन्नगाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पन्नग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (Hari)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Auspicious timing (nakṣatra) and right means (dravya) can avert harm; pragmatic dharma of protection.

Vedantic Theme: Ishvara-anugraha mediated through niyama (order) and śāstra-guided action; harmony with ṛta.

Application: Collect punarnavā white root on Puṣya; prepare its water and drink for snake-repelling protection around the home.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: household dwellings (bhavana) vicinity

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Brahma-khanda) 1.191: serpent-warding herbs/amulets sequence (Puṣya-focused)

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Puṣya
• Pannaga (serpents)
• Punarnavā

FAQs

What is the importance of Puṣya in this Garuda Purana verse?

Puṣya is treated as an auspicious time-marker; the verse states that collecting the white punarnavā root specifically on Puṣya makes the remedy effective for protection against serpents.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana themes?

While the Garuda Purana is famous for afterlife teachings, it also preserves pragmatic dharmic and protective practices; here, Hari teaches a time-bound herbal measure for safeguarding one’s dwelling from serpents.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It can be read as a traditional guideline combining auspicious timing with herbal practice; in modern use, treat it as cultural-ritual knowledge and prioritize safe, ethical snake-prevention measures alongside any devotional observance.