Shloka 12

Kāsa-bheda: The Fivefold Classification of Cough and Its Clinical Signs

Devanagari script

ष्ठीवेत्कण्ठेन रुजता विभिन्नेनैव चोरसा / सूचीभिरिव तीक्ष्णाभिस्तुद्यमानेन शूलिना

Transliteration

ṣṭhīvetkaṇṭhena rujatā vibhinnenaiva corasā / sūcībhiriva tīkṣṇābhistudyamānena śūlinā

Translation

കണ്ഠവേദനയോടെ അവൻ തുപ്പുന്നു; കള്ളൻ നെഞ്ച് പിളർത്തിയതുപോലെ. മൂർച്ചയുള്ള സൂചികൾ കുത്തുന്നതുപോലെയും ശൂലത്തിൽ കുത്തേറ്റതുപോലെയും തുളച്ചുകയറുന്ന വേദന അവനെ പീഡിപ്പിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• ष्ठीवेत्: he should spit / spits
• ष्ठीवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ष्ठीव् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• कण्ठेन: through/with the throat
• कण्ठेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण

• रुजता: painful, causing pain
• रुजता: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुज् (धातु) → रुजत् (कृदन्त, शतृ)
• Form: वर्तमानकर्तरि कृदन्त (present active participle), तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन, पुं/नपुंसक; विशेषण (qualifying कण्ठेन)

• विभिन्नेन: as if split, torn
• विभिन्नेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + भिद् (धातु) → विभिन्न (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन, पुं/नपुंसक; विशेषण (qualifying उरसा)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

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

• उरसा: with the chest
• उरसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण

• सूचीभिः: by needles
• सूचीभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूची (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; करण

• इव: as if, like
• इव: Upama (Simile-marker/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्यय (comparative particle)

• तीक्ष्णाभिः: sharp
• तीक्ष्णाभिः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तीक्ष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying सूचीभिः)

• तुद्यमानेन: being pricked, being pierced
• तुद्यमानेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुद् (धातु) → तुद्यमान (कृदन्त, शानच्; कर्मणि)
• Form: वर्तमानकर्मणि कृदन्त (present passive participle), तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन, पुं/नपुंसक; विशेषण (qualifying शूलिना/उरसा)

• शूलिना: with colic/pain
• शूलिना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शूलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; विशेषण (having pain/colic)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Vata

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Severe respiratory/thoracic pain can be described through analogical imagery to communicate intensity and guide recognition of critical illness.

Vedantic Theme: Duḥkha as inherent to deha; prompts vairāgya and compassion.

Application: Treat sharp chest/throat pain with spitting as urgent; rest, avoid exertion, seek immediate medical evaluation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.149 (advanced symptomatology: śūla, chest pain, severe cough manifestations)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vishnu
• Yama

FAQs

What is the importance of describing such pain in the Garuda Purana?

This verse uses vivid imagery of bodily torment to emphasize karmic consequence—certain actions lead to intense post-death suffering, urging ethical restraint and dharmic living.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

It portrays the preta’s experiential suffering in Yama’s domain: the subtle being undergoes punishments that feel like physical injury, reflecting the fruition of prior deeds.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Avoid harmful, exploitative conduct (symbolized by theft and violence imagery) and cultivate dharma; families traditionally support the departed through śrāddha and pinda-dāna as acts of remembrance and merit.