Shloka 20

Causes and Signs of Hṛdroga

Heart Disease) and Tṛṣṇā (Pathological Thirst

Devanagari script

शोषमोहज्वराद्यन्यदीर्घरोगोपसर्गतः / या तृष्णा जायते तीव्रा सोपसर्गात्मिका स्मृता

Transliteration

śoṣamohajvarādyanyadīrgharogopasargataḥ / yā tṛṣṇā jāyate tīvrā sopasargātmikā smṛtā

Translation

ശോഷം, മോഹം, ജ്വരം മുതലായവയും മറ്റ് ദീർഘരോഗങ്ങളുടെ ഉപസർഗ്ഗങ്ങളും മൂലം ഉണ്ടാകുന്ന അതിതീവ്ര തൃഷ്ണയെ ‘ഉപസർഗ്ഗാത്മിക തൃഷ്ണ’ എന്നു സ്മരിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• शोषमोहज्वरादि: from (conditions like) wasting, delusion, fever, etc.
• शोषमोहज्वरादि: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शोष (प्रातिपदिक) + मोह (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्वर (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्वसमासः (शोष-मोह-ज्वर-आदि); पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषे पूर्वपदत्वेन; अत्र समस्तपदम् अपादानार्थे प्रयुक्तम्

• अन्य: other
• अन्य: Sambandha (Qualifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; ‘other’ (compound-member sense)

• दीर्घरोगोपसर्गतः: from complications of prolonged disease
• दीर्घरोगोपसर्गतः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीर्घ (प्रातिपदिक) + रोग (प्रातिपदिक) + उपसर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः; पुंलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; Ablative singular ‘from complications of long disease’

• या: which
• या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; Relative pronoun

• तृष्णा: thirst
• तृष्णा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृष्णा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; Nominative singular

• जायते: arises
• जायते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; ‘is born/arises’

• तीव्रा: intense
• तीव्रा: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तीव्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; agrees with तृष्णा

• सोपसर्गात्मिका: with complications
• सोपसर्गात्मिका: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्ग-सम्बद्ध) + उपसर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + क (प्रत्यय)
• Form: स-उपसर्ग-आत्मिका (सहित-तत्पुरुषः); स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘having complications’

• स्मृता: is said / is regarded
• स्मृता: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्तः (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; passive sense ‘is considered/said’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Symptoms can be secondary (upasarga) to deeper disease; discernment in diagnosis prevents harm.

Vedantic Theme: Viveka (discrimination) applied to embodied experience; recognizing layered causality reduces suffering.

Application: Treat intense thirst as a sign of systemic complication (fever, wasting, delirium); seek appropriate care rather than only symptomatic relief.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.154 (tṛṣṇā-bheda: classification by nidāna and upasarga)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of intense thirst (tṛṣṇā) in Garuda Purana?

This verse classifies certain intense thirst as a disease-complication (upasarga), linking it to prolonged illnesses like wasting, fever, and delusion—useful for recognizing end-stage afflictive symptoms described in the Preta Kanda.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: it frames severe bodily symptoms as afflictions that accompany prolonged disease, which in the Garuda Purana’s broader narrative often precede death and the jīva’s transition into post-death states discussed between Vishnu and Garuda.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat intense thirst in chronic illness as a serious symptom needing compassionate care; spiritually, it encourages mindful preparation, calmness, and appropriate end-of-life observances rather than panic when such signs appear.