Shloka 21

Vāta-vyādhi Nidāna and Lakṣaṇa: Obstruction, Dhātu-Seating, and Major Neuromuscular Entities

Devanagari script

स्वेदस्तम्भं तदा तस्य वायुश्छिन्नतनुर्यदा / व्याप्नोति सकलं देहं यत्र चायाम्यते पुनः

Transliteration

svedastambhaṃ tadā tasya vāyuśchinnatanuryadā / vyāpnoti sakalaṃ dehaṃ yatra cāyāmyate punaḥ

Translation

അപ്പോൾ അവന്റെ വിയർപ്പ് നിൽക്കുന്നു. പ്രാണവായു ദേഹം ചീന്തുന്നതുപോലെ സർവ്വദേഹത്തിലും വ്യാപിക്കുമ്പോൾ, അവൻ വീണ്ടും വലിച്ചുനീട്ടപ്പെടുന്നു; അത് കുലുക്കംപോലെ.

Word by Word

• स्वेदस्तम्भम्: suppression/arrest of sweating
• स्वेदस्तम्भम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + स्तम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (स्वेदस्य स्तम्भः)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• तस्य: of him/of that
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• वायुः: wind; vāta (air-humor)
• वायुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

• छिन्नतनुः: whose body is cut/contracted; emaciated
• छिन्नतनुः: Karta (Subject-complement/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: छिन्न (कृदन्त; √छिद् (धातु) क्त) + तनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (छिन्ना तनुः यस्य सः)

• यदा: when
• यदा: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्धबोधक-अव्यय (relative temporal adverb)

• व्याप्नोति: pervades, spreads through
• व्याप्नोति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √व्याप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• सकलम्: entire, whole
• सकलम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; देहम् इति विशेषणम्

• देहम्: body
• देहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Place/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (relative locative adverb)

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

• आयाम्यते: is stretched/extended
• आयाम्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √यम् (धातु) + आ (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive sense)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्ति-वाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Vata

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The body’s dissolution is governed by prana-vayu; recognizing impermanence urges timely spiritual preparation.

Vedantic Theme: Anityatva of the body; distinction of deha and dehi; prana as instrument, not Self.

Application: Use the signs of decline to intensify japa, hearing of Hari-katha, and arranging proper antima-samskara rather than clinging to bodily control.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana, Pretakalpa: death-signs and prana movement leading to preta-state (adjacent verses in 1.166)

Characters & Entities

• Vayu

FAQs

What is the importance of prana (vāyu) in the Garuda Purana’s description of death?

This verse highlights vāyu as the driving force that pervades and destabilizes the body at the terminal stage, marking an advanced sign of death.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By describing bodily shutdown and pranic disturbance, it indicates the threshold moment when the embodied condition breaks down, preparing for the jīva’s separation from the physical body.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It encourages timely spiritual preparation—japa, remembrance of Vishnu, and arranging proper rites—rather than postponing dharma until the body is failing.