Shloka 39

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

Devanagari script

गजरोगविनाशाय हितो रूक्षः कषायकः / आयुर्वेदद्वयोक्तानामुक्तं संक्षेपसारतः

Transliteration

gajarogavināśāya hito rūkṣaḥ kaṣāyakaḥ / āyurvedadvayoktānāmuktaṃ saṃkṣepasārataḥ

Translation

To remove the diseases of elephants, a decoction that is drying and astringent is beneficial. Here the essence is stated concisely, as taught in the two Ayurvedic traditions.

Word by Word

• गजरोगविनाशाय: for destroying elephant-disease
• गजरोगविनाशाय: Sampradana/Purpose (Recipient-Purpose/सम्प्रदान-प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज + रोग + विनाश (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; चतुर्थी-प्रयोजन (for the destruction); समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गजस्य रोगस्य विनाशः)

• हितः: beneficial
• हितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हित (कृदन्त; √धा (धातु) + क्त, 'हित' विशेषार्थे)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle) अर्थे 'beneficial/suitable'

• रूक्षः: dry (astringent/drying)
• रूक्षः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रूक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• कषायकः: decoction/astringent preparation
• कषायकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कषायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• आयुर्वेदद्वयोक्तानाम्: of those stated in the two Āyurvedic texts
• आयुर्वेदद्वयोक्तानाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुर्वेद + द्वय + उक्त (कृदन्त; √वच् (धातु) + क्त; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (समूहवाचक), षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (आयुर्वेदयोः द्वयोः उक्तानाम् = said in the two Āyurvedas)

• उक्तम्: is stated/has been said
• उक्तम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उक्त (कृदन्त; √वच् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि (past passive participle) — 'has been said'

• संक्षेपसारतः: briefly, in essence
• संक्षेपसारतः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: संक्षेप + सार + तस् (अव्यय; समास)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial ablative); अव्ययीभाव (संक्षेपेण सारतः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda)

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Kapha/Pitta (implied by rūkṣa-kaṣāya emphasis; also useful in some āma/kapha states)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śāstra-saṅgraha: distilled essence of established medical lineages applied to specific disease contexts.

Vedantic Theme: Right knowledge (yathārtha-jñāna) expressed as practical discernment; economy of teaching (saṅkṣepa-sāra).

Application: For gaja-roga, prefer appropriately prepared drying/astringent decoctions when indicated; follow lineage-based protocols and observe response.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: vaidya’s clinic/stable infirmary (implied)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.201.38 (herb list feeding into decoction); Garuda Purana 1.201 (gaja-roga section)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Ayurveda
• Gaja (elephant)

FAQs

What is the importance of Ayurvedic remedies in the Garuda Purana?

This verse shows the text also preserves practical health-knowledge, summarizing recognized Ayurvedic teachings and applying them even to veterinary care (elephant ailments).

What does this verse recommend for gaja-roga (elephant diseases)?

It recommends a rūkṣa (drying) and kaṣāya (astringent) decoction as beneficial for alleviating elephant-related diseases.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It highlights a principle still used in Ayurveda: astringent, drying formulations are chosen when conditions call for reducing excess moisture or heaviness—always under qualified guidance.