Shloka 12

Roganidāna: Definitions, Fivefold Diagnostic Method, and Doṣa-wise Causes

Devanagari script

हेत्वादिकार्त्स्न्यावयवैर्बलाबलविशेषषणम् / नक्तन्दिनार्धभुक्तांशैर्व्याधिकालो यथामलम्

Transliteration

hetvādikārtsnyāvayavairbalābalaviśeṣaṣaṇam / naktandinārdhabhuktāṃśairvyādhikālo yathāmalam

Translation

Considerando las causas y el conjunto íntegro de factores y componentes del cuerpo, deben determinarse los signos particulares de fuerza y de debilidad. Asimismo, a partir de pautas como comer de noche, comer de día y comer sólo a medias, ha de comprenderse el curso temporal de la enfermedad, conforme a la impureza (mala) subyacente.

Word by Word

• हेतु: cause
• हेतु: Samasa-anga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; (समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण)

• आदि: and so on
• आदि: Avyaya (Particle/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययार्थक)
• Form: अव्यय; ‘etc.’ अर्थे (समासपूर्वपद)

• कार्त्स्न्य: entirety/wholeness
• कार्त्स्न्य: Samasa-anga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्त्स्न्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; (समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण)

• अवयवैः: by the components of the complete set of causes etc.
• अवयवैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवयव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; हेत्वादिकार्त्स्न्यावयवैः इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषसमासः (हेत्वादिकार्त्स्न्यस्य अवयवाः)

• बल: strength
• बल: Samasa-anga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; (समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण)

• अबला: weakness
• अबला: Samasa-anga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अबल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; (समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण)

• विशेषणम्: the specification/assessment of strength and weakness
• विशेषणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशेषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बलाबलविशेषणम् इति द्वन्द्व-पूर्वपद (बल+अबल) सह कर्मधारयार्थे ‘बलाबलस्य विशेषणम्’

• नक्तम्: at night
• नक्तम्: Avyaya (Adverbial/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नक्तम् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययार्थक)
• Form: अव्यय; ‘रात्रौ’ अर्थे (समासपूर्वपद)

• दिन: day
• दिन: Samasa-anga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; (समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण)

• अर्ध: half
• अर्ध: Samasa-anga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; (समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण)

• भुक्त: eaten/consumed
• भुक्त: Samasa-anga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भुज् (धातु) → भुक्त (कृदन्त, भूतकर्मणि/क्त)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक-सम्भव; (समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण)

• अंशैः: by portions such as (food taken) at night, by day, half-eaten etc.
• अंशैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; नक्तन्दिनार्धभुक्तांशैः इति बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (नक्तं दिनं अर्धं भुक्तं च ये अंशाः तैः)

• व्याधि: disease
• व्याधि: Samasa-anga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्याधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; (समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण)

• कालः: the time/period of the disease
• कालः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; व्याधिकालः इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (व्याधेः कालः)

• यथा: as/according to
• यथा: Avyaya (Adverbial/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारे (as/according to)

• मलम्: impurity/doṣa (mala)
• मलम्: Adhikarana/Avyaya (According to/अनुसार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन; अत्र ‘यथामलम्’ इति अव्ययीभावार्थे (मलानुसारम्)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinatā-putra)

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Vata/Pitta/Kapha

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Holistic assessment: hetu (causes) and aṅga/avayava (components) reveal bala–abala; dietary timing/quantity patterns indicate vyādhi-kāla aligned with mala-doṣa disturbance.

Vedantic Theme: Pramāṇa-based attentiveness (yathārtha-jñāna) to conditions and change; disciplined observation as a means to reduce duḥkha.

Application: Take a full history of causes and bodily factors; evaluate strength/weakness signs; note night-eating, day-eating, and half-meal habits to infer disease stage/progression and tailor regimen.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.146.13 (aggravated malāḥ as universal nidāna); Garuda Purana 1.146.15 (specific ahita-vihāra/āhāra aggravators)

FAQs

What is the importance of determining bala and abala in the Garuda Purana?

This verse stresses that accurate assessment of a person’s strength and weakness must be based on a complete review of causes and contributing factors, which guides proper understanding of illness and response.

How does this verse explain the progression (time-course) of disease?

It links disease timing to dietary patterns—such as eating at night or irregular restriction—and says prognosis should be inferred in line with the underlying ‘mala’ (morbid impurity/doṣa disturbance).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain disciplined eating times and avoid habitual night-eating; when evaluating health issues, consider the full set of causes and lifestyle factors rather than a single symptom.