Shloka 4

Anupāna and the Doṣa-Effects of Foods, Waters, Dairy, Oils, and Preparations

Devanagari script

बहुवारः सकृच्छीतः श्लेष्मपित्तहरो यवः / वृष्यः शीतो गुरुः स्वादुर्गोधूमो वातनाशनः

Transliteration

bahuvāraḥ sakṛcchītaḥ śleṣmapittaharo yavaḥ / vṛṣyaḥ śīto guruḥ svādurgodhūmo vātanāśanaḥ

Translation

Barli (yava) berulang kali disebut menyejukkan dan menghilangkan kapha serta pitta. Gandum (godhūma) bersifat vṛṣya, menyejukkan, berat dicerna, manis rasanya, dan meredakan vāta.

Word by Word

• बहुवारः: bahuvāra (a grain variety)
• बहुवारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु + वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (बहु-वारः)

• सकृत्: once, at a time
• सकृत्: Avyaya (Adverbial/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सकृत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; काल/आवृत्तिवाचक (adverb: ‘once/at one time’)

• शीतः: cooling
• शीतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• श्लेष्मपित्तहरः: remover of phlegm and bile
• श्लेष्मपित्तहरः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्लेष्म + पित्त + हृ (धातु) → हर (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (श्लेष्मपित्तयोः हरः/हरणकर्ता)

• यवः: barley
• यवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• वृष्यः: aphrodisiac
• वृष्यः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• शीतः: cooling
• शीतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• गुरुः: heavy
• गुरुः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• स्वादुः: sweet, palatable
• स्वादुः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वादु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• गोधूमः: wheat
• गोधूमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो + धूम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (गो-धूमः; परम्परया ‘wheat’)

• वातनाशनः: destroyer of vāta
• वातनाशनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वात + नाशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (वातस्य नाशनः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Vata/Pitta/Kapha

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Appropriate staples regulate doṣas: yava for kapha-pitta reduction; godhūma for strength and vāta pacification.

Vedantic Theme: Yukta-āhāra (measured diet) as a support for steadiness and longevity in sādhana.

Application: Use barley when heaviness, congestion, or heat signs dominate; use wheat when depletion, dryness, or vāta symptoms dominate—while respecting its guru nature and digestive capacity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.169 (dietary materia medica; adjacent verses on legumes and grains)

Characters & Entities

• Yava (barley)
• Godhūma (wheat)
• Kapha (Śleṣma)
• Pitta
• Vāta

FAQs

What is the importance of barley and wheat in Garuda Purana?

This verse assigns clear doṣa-actions: barley reduces kapha/pitta, while wheat supports strength and reduces vāta, helping practitioners choose grains for balance.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not narrate Yama’s realm or post-death travel here; it contributes to the Purāṇa’s practical teaching that right diet sustains health needed for dharma and ritual discipline.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use barley when kapha/pitta feels excessive (heaviness, heat), and wheat when vāta is high (dryness, instability), adjusting quantity and preparation to digestion.