Garuda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 21

Visarpa Nidāna-Lakṣaṇa

Causes, Types, and Prognosis of Rapidly Spreading Eruptive Disorders

Devanagari script

पक्ववच्छीर्णमांसश्च स्पष्टस्नायुशिरागणः / सर्वगो लक्षणैः सर्वेः सर्वगत्वक्समर्पणः / शवगन्धी च वीसर्पः कर्दमाख्यमुशन्ति तम्

Transliteration

pakvavacchīrṇamāṃsaśca spaṣṭasnāyuśirāgaṇaḥ / sarvago lakṣaṇaiḥ sarveḥ sarvagatvaksamarpaṇaḥ / śavagandhī ca vīsarpaḥ kardamākhyamuśanti tam

Translation

肉はまるで煮えたかのように見えて剥がれ落ち、腱や静脈の塊がはっきりと見える。これらすべての兆候を伴って至る所に広がり、皮膚全体を蝕み、死体のような悪臭を放つ。この広がる病魔は「カルダマ」と呼ばれる病である。

Word by Word

• पक्ववत्: like (something) ripe
• पक्ववत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पक्ववत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत्-प्रयोगः; उपमान-विशेषण (indeclinable-like comparative adjective 'like ripe')

• शीर्णमांसः: having decayed flesh
• शीर्णमांसः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शीर्ण (√शॄ धातु; क्त) + मांस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-कृदन्त + तत्पुरुषः (Masculine, Nominative singular; 'with decayed flesh')

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

• स्पष्टस्नायुशिरागणः: with clearly visible tendons and veins
• स्पष्टस्नायुशिरागणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्पष्ट + स्नायु + शिरा + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (Masculine, Nominative singular; 'having a clearly visible group of tendons and veins')

• सर्वगः: spreading everywhere
• सर्वगः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (Masculine, Nominative singular; adjective)

• लक्षणैः: by the signs
• लक्षणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन (Neuter, Instrumental plural)

• सर्वैः: all
• सर्वैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (Instrumental plural; adjective agreeing with लक्षणैः)

• सर्वगत्: all-pervading
• सर्वगत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक-रूप (पूर्वपद); विशेषण (as prior member in compound)

• त्वक्: skin
• त्वक्: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक-रूप (पूर्वपद) (Feminine stem used in compound)

• समर्पणः: spreading/affecting (lit. surrendering)
• समर्पणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समर्पण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भाववाचक (Masculine, Nominative singular; act/state of giving over)

• शवगन्धी: foul-smelling like a corpse
• शवगन्धी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शव + गन्धिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; इन्-प्रत्ययान्त; तत्पुरुषः (Masculine, Nominative singular; 'having the smell of a corpse')

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

• वीसर्पः: erysipelas / spreading skin disease
• वीसर्पः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीसर्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative singular)

• कर्दमाख्यम्: called “Kardama”
• कर्दमाख्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्दम + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (Neuter, Accusative singular; 'named “kardama”')

• उशन्ति: they call, they say
• उशन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वश्/उश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन (Present indicative, active, 3rd person plural)

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

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Nāma-rūpa identification: precise naming (kardama) based on defining signs; clarity prevents confusion in treatment and prognosis.

Vedantic Theme: Dukkha of embodied existence (śarīra-dharma) as a field of decay; dispassion through seeing impermanence.

Application: Recognize red-flag signs—cooked-like sloughing, exposed sinews/veins, whole-skin involvement, cadaveric odor—as urgent severity requiring immediate care and isolation/hygiene.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.163.20-24: progressive description, doṣa causation, treatability vs incurability; ‘kardama’ as a named vīsarpa variant

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of “Kardama” and vīsarpa in Garuda Purana?

They exemplify extreme, spreading decay—used as a vivid instruction on how destructive causes can ripen into overwhelming suffering and impurity.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By emphasizing bodily dissolution and foulness, it supports the Purana’s broader contemplation on mortality and karma, preparing the listener for teachings on death, rites, and afterlife consequences.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate purity in action and diet, avoid harm and neglect, and remember impermanence—using awareness of decay to strengthen dharma and compassionate conduct.