Shloka 6

Strīroga–Prasava Cikitsā, Bāla-Rakṣā, Rasāyana and Vājīkaraṇa Prayogas

Devanagari script

पिष्टान्येषां प्रलेपो वै ज्वालागर्दभरागनत् / पाठामूलं रुद्र पीतं पिष्टं तण्डुलवारिणा

Transliteration

piṣṭānyeṣāṃ pralepo vai jvālāgardabharāganat / pāṭhāmūlaṃ rudra pītaṃ piṣṭaṃ taṇḍulavāriṇā

Translation

For these afflictions, a plaster made of ground ingredients is prescribed—one that counters burning heat, foul irritation, and heavy distress. The root of pāṭhā, together with rudra-pīta, should be ground and applied, triturated with rice-water.

Word by Word

• पिष्टानि: pounded/ground
• पिष्टानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पिष् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन; भूतकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (ground/pounded)

• एषाम्: of these
• एषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्रलेपः: a plaster/application (paste)
• प्रलेपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रलेप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle)

• ज्वाला: jvālā (a plant/‘flame’)
• ज्वाला: Sambandha (Compound member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्वाला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद

• गर्दभ: gardabha (donkey; plant-name element)
• गर्दभ: Sambandha (Compound member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्दभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद

• राग: rāga (redness/dye; plant-name element)
• राग: Sambandha (Compound member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद

• नत्: jvālā-gardabha-rāga-nat (a medicinal ingredient/name)
• नत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समासान्तपद (ज्वालागर्दभरागनत्—समासः, औषधिनाम)

• पाठामूलम्: root of pāṭhā
• पाठामूलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाठा + मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पाठायाः मूलम्)

• रुद्र: O Rudra
• रुद्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन (पाठभेदे प्रथमा एकवचन अपि सम्भवति)

• पीतम्: to be drunk / drunk
• पीतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (drunk/imbibed)

• पिष्टम्: pounded
• पिष्टम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पिष् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (pounded)

• तण्डुलवारिणा: with rice-water
• तण्डुलवारिणा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तण्डुल + वारि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (तण्डुलस्य वारि)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Pitta

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Right method (samskara) transforms substances into effective medicine; disciplined preparation is itself a virtue.

Vedantic Theme: Guna-karma pragmatism: using appropriate means to restore balance in embodied life.

Application: Grind pāṭhā root with rudra-pīta using rice-water; apply as a plaster to counter burning and distress.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.202 (use of tandula-udaka/rice-water and lepa for heat/irritation conditions)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of herbal plasters in the Garuda Purana?

This verse shows the text’s practical strand: along with afterlife doctrine, it also prescribes remedial applications (pralepa) to counter burning, irritation, and heaviness, linking bodily relief with purification.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: Garuda Purana often frames suffering as a consequence of impurity and karma; here, the emphasis is on removing distress through prescribed means, supporting the broader theme of cleansing and relief amid hardship.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use the principle—cooling, cleansing, and stabilizing measures for heat and distress—while consulting qualified practitioners for actual herbal use; ritually, it reinforces choosing sattvic, purifying supports (like rice-water) in observances.