Shloka 36

Bhaiṣajya-yogas: Digestive Modakas, Vāta-Śamana Oils, Karṇa-Roga Tailas, Kuṣṭha/Śvitra Applications, Vraṇa-Cikitsā, and Medhya Preparations

Devanagari script

अपामार्गः गुडूची च वचा कुष्ठं शतावरी / शङ्खपुष्पाभया साज्यं विडङ्गं भक्षितं समम् / त्रिभिर्दिनैर्नरं कुर्याद्ग्रन्थाष्टशतधारिणम्

Transliteration

apāmārgaḥ guḍūcī ca vacā kuṣṭhaṃ śatāvarī / śaṅkhapuṣpābhayā sājyaṃ viḍaṅgaṃ bhakṣitaṃ samam / tribhirdinairnaraṃ kuryādgranthāṣṭaśatadhāriṇam

Translation

Apāmārga, guḍūcī, vacā, kuṣṭha y śatāvarī—junto con śaṅkhapuṣpā, abhayā (harītakī), ghee y viḍaṅga—tomados en igual medida y consumidos como preparación, en tres días harán que un hombre retenga como si llevara consigo ochocientos granthas (textos).

Word by Word

• अपामार्गः: apāmārga
• अपामार्गः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपामार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• गुडूची: guḍūcī
• गुडूची: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुडूची (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

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

• वचा: vacā
• वचा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• कुष्ठम्: kuṣṭha (a herb)
• कुष्ठम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• शतावरी: śatāvarī
• शतावरी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शतावरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• शङ्खपुष्पाभया: śaṅkhapuṣpī and abhayā (together)
• शङ्खपुष्पाभया: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्खपुष्पी + अभया (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (शङ्खपुष्पी च अभया च)

• साज्यम्: together with ghee
• साज्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स + आज्य (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सह-तत्पुरुषः (आज्येन सह)

• विडङ्गम्: viḍaṅga
• विडङ्गम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विडङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• भक्षितम्: eaten/consumed
• भक्षितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भक्ष् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• समम्: equal (in quantity)
• समम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• त्रिभिः: by three
• त्रिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक-विशेषणम्

• दिनैः: days
• दिनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• नरम्: a man/person
• नरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• कुर्यात्: should make
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• ग्रन्थाष्टशतधारिणम्: bearing/retaining eight hundred granthas (verses/units)
• ग्रन्थाष्टशतधारिणम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ग्रन्थ + अष्ट + शत + धारिन् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-समास-प्रायः (ग्रन्थानाम् अष्टशतं धारयति) विशेषणम्

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Smṛti-dhāraṇā-śakti (retentive power) as a support for learning and transmission of śāstra; disciplined intake of medhya/rasāyana to refine cognition.

Vedantic Theme: Antaḥkaraṇa-sādhana: strengthening memory and attention aids śravaṇa-manana; knowledge is stabilized by smṛti.

Application: Prepare and consume an equal-measure formulation of apāmārga, guḍūcī, vacā, kuṣṭha, śatāvarī, plus śaṅkhapuṣpā, abhayā, ghee, and viḍaṅga; taken as a consumed preparation, it is said to confer rapid text-retention (claim: within three days).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.192 (medhya/rasāyana claims; cognitive enhancement recipes)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of this herbal formula in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents a traditional herb-and-ghee preparation aimed at enhancing memory and textual retention, supporting disciplined study (adhyayana) and preservation of sacred learning.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana?

This specific verse is not about the soul’s journey or after-death realms; it focuses on a practical, embodied aid—improving cognition to sustain scriptural learning and dharmic practice.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat it as a classical reference to medhya (cognition-supporting) herbs and the ideal of steady study; any real-world use should be guided by a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner for safety and dosage.