Shloka 48

Vāta-vyādhi Nidāna and Lakṣaṇa: Obstruction, Dhātu-Seating, and Major Neuromuscular Entities

Devanagari script

श्यामाङ्गमङ्गस्तैमित्यतन्द्रामूर्छारुचिज्वरैः / तमूरुस्तम्भमित्याह बाह्यवातमथापरे

Transliteration

śyāmāṅgamaṅgastaimityatandrāmūrchārucijvaraiḥ / tamūrustambhamityāha bāhyavātamathāpare

Translation

Quand les membres s’assombrissent, que le corps devient engourdi et raide, et qu’apparaissent somnolence, évanouissement, perte d’appétit et fièvre, on nomme cet état « ūru-stambha » (raideur des cuisses/jambes) ; d’autres le disent « bāhya-vāta » (vāta externe).

Word by Word

• श्याम: dark/blackish
• श्याम: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्याम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समासपूर्वपद, विशेषणम् (अङ्गैः)

• अङ्गैः: with limbs
• अङ्गैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• अङ्ग: with body-parts
• अङ्ग: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समासपूर्वपद (पुनरुक्ति-प्रयोगः)

• स्तैमित्य: stiffness/torpor
• स्तैमित्य: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तैमित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समाहार-गणनायाम् (लक्षणैः सह)

• तन्द्रा: drowsiness
• तन्द्रा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तन्द्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• मूर्छा: fainting
• मूर्छा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• रुचि: loss of appetite/taste (ruci)
• रुचि: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• ज्वरैः: with fevers
• ज्वरैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• तम्: that (disease)
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ऊरुस्तम्भम्: thigh-stiffness
• ऊरुस्तम्भम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऊरु (प्रातिपदिक) + स्तम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ऊरोः स्तम्भः)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण/नामनिर्देशार्थक (quotative particle)

• आह: said/called
• आह: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्/आह् (धातु: ब्रू-अर्थे)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• बाह्यवातम्: external vāta (wind-disorder)
• बाह्यवातम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाह्य (प्रातिपदिक) + वात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (बाह्यः वातः)

• अथ: then/and
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (particle)

• अपरे: others (people)
• अपरे: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेष्यरहित-प्रयोगः (some others)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue to Garuda/Vinata-putra, continuing the chapter’s instructional tone)

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Vata

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Syndromic recognition: a cluster of signs (śyāma-aṅga, aṅga-staimitya, tandrā, mūrcchā, aruci, jvara) defines ūru-stambha; alternative nosology calls it bāhya-vāta.

Vedantic Theme: Vyavahāra-jñāna vs paramārtha: precise naming and observation operate in the empirical realm to reduce duḥkha.

Application: Use symptom clusters for early diagnosis; distinguish kapha-āvaraṇa/vāta involvement; seek timely treatment when numbness, discoloration, and systemic features co-occur.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.166: disease names and lakṣaṇa-based diagnosis (ūru-stambha, bāhya-vāta)

Characters & Entities

• Vata (vāyu)

FAQs

What is the importance of ūru-stambha (thigh/leg rigidity) in Garuda Purana?

This verse preserves a diagnostic description: darkened limbs, numbness, drowsiness, fainting, appetite loss, and fever—used to identify ūru-stambha/bāhya-vāta as a vāta-dominant disorder.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not describe the soul’s journey here; instead, it reflects Garuda Purana’s broader role as a compendium that also records practical knowledge like disease signs alongside spiritual instruction.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat the verse as an early symptom checklist: persistent numbness/stiffness with systemic signs (fever, appetite loss, faintness) warrants timely medical evaluation rather than neglect.