Shloka 5

Devanagari script

बाल्यप्रवाहिणी तासामन्त्रमध्ये विसर्जिनी / बाह्यासंवरणे तस्या गुदादौ बहिरङ्गुले

Transliteration

bālyapravāhiṇī tāsāmantramadhye visarjinī / bāhyāsaṃvaraṇe tasyā gudādau bahiraṅgule

Translation

അവയിൽ ഒരു പ്രവാഹം ബാല്യകാലം മുതൽ ഒഴുകുന്നു; അത് അന്ത്രമദ്ധ്യത്തിൽ സ്ഥിതിചെയ്യുന്ന ‘വിസർജിനി’ (വിസർജനശക്തി) ആകുന്നു. അതിനെ പുറമേ നിന്ന് തടഞ്ഞാൽ, ഗുദം മുതലായ ദ്വാരങ്ങളിൽ അത് പ്രകടമായി, ബാഹ്യാംഗം (വിരൽസദൃശ നിയന്ത്രണം) വഴി പ്രവർത്തിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• बाल्य-प्रवाहिणी: flowing in childhood (i.e., occurring from childhood)
• बाल्य-प्रवाहिणी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाल्य (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रवाहिणी (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √वह्, णिनी-प्रत्यय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष; विशेषणम्

• तासाम्: of those (three)
• तासाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• अन्त्र-मध्ये: in the middle of the intestine
• अन्त्र-मध्ये: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष)

• विसर्जिनी: discharging / expelling
• विसर्जिनी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विसर्जिनी (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √सृज्, णिनी-प्रत्यय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• बाह्य-आसंवरणे: in the outer covering/enclosure
• बाह्य-आसंवरणे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाह्य (प्रातिपदिक) + आसंवरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष)

• तस्याः: of that (one)
• तस्याः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• गुद-आदौ: in the anus etc. (region)
• गुद-आदौ: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुद (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष; अर्थः ‘गुदे आदौ वा’

• बहिः: outside
• बहिः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहिः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place)

• अङ्गुले: at a finger(-breadth) (distance/measure)
• अङ्गुले: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्गुलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda)

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Vata

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Obstruction and misdirection of natural bodily flows lead to pathology; proper regulation prevents suffering.

Vedantic Theme: Order (ṛta-like regularity) in the functional body; disturbance of guṇa/doṣa balance yields duḥkha in vyavahāra.

Application: Avoid suppression of natural urges, prevent constipation/strain, maintain regular elimination through diet, hydration, and routine.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: bodily pathway

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana medical discussions of vāyu functions and obstruction leading to disease; Ayurvedic concept of vāta-prakopa and vegāvaraṇa (suppression/obstruction of urges) as etiological factors

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of apāna-like expelling force in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights a specific bodily current responsible for expulsion (visarjinī), linking physical elimination to the Purana’s broader subtle-body framework used in afterlife and ritual discussions.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: by defining subtle physiological functions (vital currents) that the Garuda Purana often uses to explain how the jīva operates through the body and transitions when bodily functions cease at death.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It encourages disciplined bodily regulation and cleanliness (śauca) as part of dharma—recognizing elimination and restraint as governed functions rather than mere habits.