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

हाथियों के रोगों के नाश हेतु रूक्ष और कषाय (काढ़ा) हितकारी है। आयुर्वेद की दोनों परंपराओं में जो कहा गया है, उसका सार यहाँ संक्षेप में बताया गया है।

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.