Shloka 1

Jvara-Nidāna-Lakṣaṇa: Causes, Doṣic Types, Āma/Nirāma Stages, and Prognosis of Fever

Devanagari script

षट्चत्वारिंशदुत्तरशततमो ऽध्यायः धन्वन्तरिरुवाच / वक्ष्ये ज्वरनिदानं हि सर्वज्वरविबुद्धये / ज्वरो रोगपतिः पाप्मा मृत्युराजो ऽशनो ऽन्तकः / क्रुद्धदक्षाध्वरध्वंसिरुद्रोर्ध्वनयनोद्भवः

Transliteration

ṣaṭcatvāriṃśaduttaraśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ dhanvantariruvāca / vakṣye jvaranidānaṃ hi sarvajvaravibuddhaye / jvaro rogapatiḥ pāpmā mṛtyurājo 'śano 'ntakaḥ / kruddhadakṣādhvaradhvaṃsirudrordhvanayanodbhavaḥ

Translation

അധ്യായം 147. ധന്വന്തരി പറഞ്ഞു—“സകല ജ്വരങ്ങളെയും ശരിയായി ഗ്രഹിക്കുവാൻ ജ്വരനിദാനം (കാരണങ്ങൾ) ഞാൻ പ്രസ്താവിക്കുന്നു. ജ്വരം രോഗങ്ങളുടെ അധിപൻ—പാപസ്വരൂപൻ, മരണരാജൻ, ഭക്ഷകൻ, അന്തകൻ; കോപത്തിൽ ദക്ഷയജ്ഞം ധ്വംസിച്ച ഊർദ്ധ്വനയനധാരിയായ രുദ്രനിൽ നിന്നാണ് അതിന്റെ ഉദ്ഭവം.”

Word by Word

• ṣaṭ-catvāriṃśat-uttara-śatatamaḥ: the one-hundred-and-forty-sixth
• ṣaṭ-catvāriṃśat-uttara-śatatamaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣaṭ (संख्या) + catvāriṃśat (संख्या) + uttara (प्रातिपदिक) + śatatama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रमवाचक-समासः (अध्यायविशेषणम्): ‘शततमः’ with ‘षट्चत्वारिंशदुत्तर’ = 146th

• adhyāyaḥ: chapter
• adhyāyaḥ: Karta (Subject/Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhyāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• dhanvantariḥ: Dhanvantari
• dhanvantariḥ: Karta (Subject/Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhanvantari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; वक्ता

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• vakṣye: I will explain
• vakṣye: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (भविष्यत्काल), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• jvara-nidānam: the etiology of fever
• jvara-nidānam: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jvara (प्रातिपदिक) + nidāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘ज्वरस्य निदानम्’ = cause/etiology of fever

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; निपातः (indeed/for)

• sarva-jvara-vibuddhaye: for understanding all fevers
• sarva-jvara-vibuddhaye: Sampradana (Purpose/Beneficiary)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + jvara (प्रातिपदिक) + vibuddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदाने), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘सर्वज्वरस्य विबुद्धिः’ = understanding of all fevers

• jvaraḥ: fever
• jvaraḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• roga-patiḥ: lord of diseases
• roga-patiḥ: Samanaadhikarana (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: roga (प्रातिपदिक) + pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘रोगाणां पतिः’ = lord of diseases

• pāpmā: evil/sin
• pāpmā: Samanaadhikarana (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘पाप्मन्’ = sin/evil

• mṛtyu-rājaḥ: king of death
• mṛtyu-rājaḥ: Samanaadhikarana (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛtyu (प्रातिपदिक) + rāja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘मृत्योः राजा’ = king of death

• aśanaḥ: devourer
• aśanaḥ: Samanaadhikarana (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘अशन’ = eater/devourer

• antakaḥ: destroyer/ender
• antakaḥ: Samanaadhikarana (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: antaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘अन्तक’ = ender/destroyer

• kruddha-dakṣa-adhvara-dhvaṃsi-rudra-ūrdhva-nayana-udbhavaḥ: born from Rudra who destroyed Dakṣa’s sacrifice in anger (the upturned-eyed one)
• kruddha-dakṣa-adhvara-dhvaṃsi-rudra-ūrdhva-nayana-udbhavaḥ: Samanaadhikarana (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kruddha (कृदन्त; √krudh/क्रुध् + क्त) + dakṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + adhvara (प्रातिपदिक) + dhvaṃsin (प्रातिपदिक; √dhvaṃs/ध्वंस्) + rudra (प्रातिपदिक) + ūrdhva (प्रातिपदिक) + nayana (प्रातिपदिक) + udbhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः (विशेषणात्मकः): ‘क्रुद्धः दक्षाध्वरध्वंसी रुद्रः; ऊर्ध्वनयनात् उद्भवः’ इति—ज्वरस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Dhanvantari

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Jvara is ‘lord of diseases’, a death-like devourer; understanding its nidāna is essential for comprehending all fevers; its origin is traced to Rudra’s wrath in the Dakṣa-yajña myth.

Vedantic Theme: Suffering in embodiment is both natural (prakṛti) and symbolically tied to cosmic order/disorder; knowledge of causes is a step toward mastery and relief.

Application: Study fever etiologies systematically; treat with seriousness and early intervention; cultivate reverence for forces that exceed individual control (humility in medicine).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: ritual arena

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana medical chapters: jvara nidāna and classifications (Chapter 147 context); Garuda Purana: mythic framing of diseases as deities/forces (general motif)

Characters & Entities

• Dhanvantari
• Jvara (fever personified)
• Rudra (Shiva)
• Daksha

FAQs

What is the importance of understanding jvara (fever) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames fever as the “lord of diseases,” so knowing its nidāna (causes) is presented as foundational for correctly grasping and managing all fevers.

How does this verse connect fever with Rudra and Daksha’s sacrifice?

It portrays fever as arising from Rudra—the deity associated with fierce transformative power—specifically recalling Rudra’s destruction of Dakṣa’s sacrifice, emphasizing fever’s formidable, destructive aspect.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat fever seriously, seek to understand its root causes (nidāna) rather than only suppress symptoms, and adopt disciplined conduct—since the verse also associates jvara with ‘pāpmā’ (harm/evil) as a warning against neglect and imbalance.