Shloka 1

Aśva–Gaja Āyurveda: Marks, Defects, Wounds, Doṣa-Therapy, and Protective Rites

Devanagari script

धन्वन्तरिरुवाच / हयायुर्वेदमाख्यास्ये हयं सर्वार्थलक्षणम् / काकतुण्डः कृष्णजिह्वो वृक्षास्यश्चोष्णतालुकः

Transliteration

dhanvantariruvāca / hayāyurvedamākhyāsye hayaṃ sarvārthalakṣaṇam / kākatuṇḍaḥ kṛṣṇajihvo vṛkṣāsyaścoṣṇatālukaḥ

Translation

Dhanvantari said: “Now I shall expound the Ayurveda of horses—the horse whose marks indicate complete excellence in every respect: a muzzle like a crow’s beak, a black tongue, a mouth broad and firm like a tree, and a warm palate.”

Word by Word

• धन्वन्तरिः: Dhanvantari
• धन्वन्तरिः: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन्वन्तरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Speech act/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• हयायुर्वेदम्: the horse-Ayurveda
• हयायुर्वेदम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हय + आयुर्वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (“Ayurveda of the horse”)

• आख्यास्ये: I will explain/declare
• आख्यास्ये: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-ख्या (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (simple future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• हयम्: a horse
• हयम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (accusative), एकवचन

• सर्वार्थलक्षणम्: characterized by all features
• सर्वार्थलक्षणम्: Karman (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + अर्थ + लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (“having marks of all purposes/meanings”); विशेषणम् (qualifying hayam)

• काकतुण्डः: crow-beaked
• काकतुण्डः: Karta (Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काक + तुण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (“one whose beak is like a crow’s”)

• कृष्णजिह्वः: black-tongued
• कृष्णजिह्वः: Karta (Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्ण + जिह्वा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (“one whose tongue is black”)

• वृक्षास्यः: tree-faced (woody-mouthed)
• वृक्षास्यः: Karta (Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृक्ष + आस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (“one whose mouth/face is like a tree (i.e., rough/woody)”)

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

• उष्णतालुकः: hot-palated
• उष्णतालुकः: Karta (Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उष्ण + तालु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (“one whose palate is hot”)

Speaker

Dhanvantari

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Lakṣaṇa-śāstra: recognizing ideal bodily marks (here, of a horse) supports right selection and proper stewardship.

Vedantic Theme: Prakṛti’s guṇa-patterns manifest as observable signs; knowledge applied to sustain order (dharma) in worldly roles.

Application: In selecting/assessing horses, examine mouth/muzzle form, tongue color, oral cavity robustness, and palate warmth as indicators of quality and health.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.201 (Hayāyurveda / veterinary-lakṣaṇa section); Garuda Purana first khaṇḍa material attributed to Dhanvantari on medical knowledge

Characters & Entities

• Dhanvantari
• Horse (Haya)

FAQs

What is the importance of Hayāyurveda in the Garuda Purana?

This verse introduces a specialized Ayurvedic section on horses, framing the topic as a systematic account of identifying and understanding a horse through diagnostic “marks” (lakṣaṇas).

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not discuss the soul’s journey or afterlife themes; it begins a practical, medical-lakṣaṇa teaching attributed to Dhanvantari about horses.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a traditional checklist for observing external indicators (tongue, palate, mouth/muzzle form) when assessing an animal’s constitution and suitability, alongside modern veterinary evaluation.