Shloka 21

Cikitsā-sāra: Doṣa Nidāna–Lakṣaṇa, Agni, Ajīrṇa/Āma Cikitsā, Daśamūla, and Prognostic Signs

Devanagari script

दीपनोज्वरतृष्णाघ्नस्तिक्तः शोधनशोषणः / पित्तलो लेखन स्तम्भी कषायो ग्राहिशोषणः

Transliteration

dīpanojvaratṛṣṇāghnastiktaḥ śodhanaśoṣaṇaḥ / pittalo lekhana stambhī kaṣāyo grāhiśoṣaṇaḥ

Translation

തിക്തരസം ദീപനകരം, ജ്വരവും തൃഷ്ണയും നശിപ്പിക്കുന്നത്; ശോധനവും ശോഷണവും ചെയ്യുന്നതുമാണ്. കഷായരസം പിത്തവർധകം; അത് ലേഖനം, സ്തംഭനം, ഗ്രാഹി, ശോഷണം എന്നീ ഗുണങ്ങളുള്ളത്.

Word by Word

• दीपनः: digestive-stimulating
• दीपनः: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीपन (प्रातिपदिक; √दीप्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• ज्वरतृष्णाघ्नः: alleviating fever and thirst
• ज्वरतृष्णाघ्नः: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्वर (प्रातिपदिक) + तृष्णा (प्रातिपदिक) + घ्न (प्रातिपदिक; √हन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण; समासः—तत्पुरुष (ज्वरं तृष्णां च हन्ति इति)

• तिक्तः: bitter
• तिक्तः: Karta/Predicative
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तिक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• शोधनशोषणः: cleansing and drying
• शोधनशोषणः: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शोधन (प्रातिपदिक; √शुध्/√शोध्) + शोषण (प्रातिपदिक; √शुष्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण; समासः—द्वन्द्व (शोधनं च शोषणं च)

• पित्तलः: pitta-increasing
• पित्तलः: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पित्तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (पित्तवर्धक)

• लेखनम्: scraping/reducing
• लेखनम्: Karta/Predicative
• Type: Noun
• Root: लेखन (प्रातिपदिक; √लिख्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• स्तम्भी: astringent/causing obstruction (stambhana)
• स्तम्भी: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्तम्भिन्/स्तम्भी (प्रातिपदिक; √स्तम्भ्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• कषायः: astringent
• कषायः: Karta/Predicative
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कषाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (रस-नाम)

• ग्राहिशोषणः: absorbent and drying
• ग्राहिशोषणः: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ग्राहि (प्रातिपदिक; √ग्रह्) + शोषण (प्रातिपदिक; √शुष्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण; समासः—द्वन्द्व (ग्राहि च शोषणः च)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Vata/Pitta/Kapha

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Functional pharmacology of tastes: tikta is dīpana and jvara-tṛṣṇā-hara, śodhana-śoṣaṇa; kaṣāya is lekhana-stambhana, grāhi-śoṣaṇa yet may increase pitta.

Vedantic Theme: Discernment and non-excess: even ‘useful’ measures have tradeoffs; wise application (yukti) prevents harm.

Application: Use bitter for fever, thirst, and ama/impurity with care for vāta dryness; use astringent for diarrhea/oozing conditions (grāhi) but avoid in pitta aggravation or excessive dryness/constipation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.168: continuing rasa-guṇa-karmas and doṣa interactions

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of tikta (bitter) rasa in Garuda Purana?

This verse states that bitter taste stimulates digestion and helps reduce fever and thirst, while also acting as a cleansing and drying influence.

What does the Garuda Purana say about kashaya (astringent) rasa?

It describes astringent taste as scraping and constricting, binding/absorbent and drying, and notes that it can aggravate pitta.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use bitter and astringent foods thoughtfully—bitter for supporting digestion and clearing heaviness, and astringent for reducing excess moisture—while avoiding overuse if pitta is already high.