Shloka 8

Hikkā-nidāna: Causes, Types, and the Grave Yamalā/Veginī Hiccup

Devanagari script

यमला वेगिनी हिक्रा परिणामवती च सा / ध्वस्तभ्रूशङ्खयुग्मस्य श्रुतिविप्लुतचक्षुषः

Transliteration

yamalā veginī hikrā pariṇāmavatī ca sā / dhvastabhrūśaṅkhayugmasya śrutiviplutacakṣuṣaḥ

Translation

അവൾ ‘യമലാ’, ‘വേഗിനീ’, ‘ഹിക്രാ’, ‘പരിണാമവതീ’ എന്നും വിളിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു; ഭ്രൂയുഗ്മവും ശംഖയുഗ്മവും തകർന്നു, ശ്രവണശക്തി നശിച്ച്, ദൃഷ്ടി കലങ്ങിയവനിൽ ഇത് പതിയും।

Word by Word

• यमला: Yamalā (type of hiccup)
• यमला: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यमला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वेगिनी: swift/impetuous
• वेगिनी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• हिक्रा: hiccup
• हिक्रा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिक्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• परिणाम-वती: associated with digestion
• परिणाम-वती: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परिणाम (प्रातिपदिक) + वत्/वन्त् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (परिणामः यस्याः सा)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• सा: she/that
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ध्वस्त-भ्रू-शङ्ख-युग्मस्य: of one whose pair of eyebrows and temples is collapsed/affected
• ध्वस्त-भ्रू-शङ्ख-युग्मस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्वस्त (ध्वंस्/√ध्वंस्, धातु; क्त-कृदन्त) + भ्रू (प्रातिपदिक) + शङ्ख (प्रातिपदिक) + युग्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (ध्वस्तं भ्रूशङ्खयोः युग्मं यस्य)

• श्रुति-विप्लुत-चक्षुषः: of one with impaired hearing and vision
• श्रुति-विप्लुत-चक्षुषः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक) + विप्लुत (वि+√प्लु, धातु; क्त-कृदन्त) + चक्षुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (विप्लुते श्रुती च चक्षुषी यस्य)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Multiplicity of names reflects nuanced phenotypes; precise terminology supports discernment and appropriate response.

Vedantic Theme: Nāma-rūpa analysis: different labels for manifestations within one underlying disorder; encourages discriminative understanding.

Application: Use the epithets to map presentation: speed (Veginī), hiccup nature (Hikrā), digestion-linked (Pariṇāmavatī), Yama-linked severity (Yamalā); watch for sensory impairment as danger sign.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.151.5-7 (origin, digestion course, symptom cluster); Garuda Purana 1.151.9 (paralysis, loss of speech/memory/consciousness)

FAQs

What is the importance of names like Yamalā, Veginī, Hikrā, and Pariṇāmavatī in the Garuda Purana?

They function as technical identifiers for specific punitive forces/conditions in Yama’s domain, emphasizing that karmic results manifest in distinct, named forms rather than as vague suffering.

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

It depicts the post-death experience as concretely somatic—karmic retribution can be experienced through damage to the subtle/experiential faculties like hearing and sight, within Yama’s juridical order.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Guard speech, conduct, and sensory discipline: the verse frames ethical lapses as producing direct consequences that impair perception and well-being, encouraging dharmic living and mindful restraint.