Shloka 19

Devanagari script

कलिङ्गालाबुनी पित्तनाशिनी वातकारिणी / त्रपुषोर्वारुके वातश्लेष्मले पित्तवारणे

Transliteration

kaliṅgālābunī pittanāśinī vātakāriṇī / trapuṣorvāruke vātaśleṣmale pittavāraṇe

Translation

കലിംഗയും ആലാബൂവും പിത്തം നശിപ്പിക്കും; എന്നാൽ വാതം വർധിപ്പിക്കും. ത്രപുഷയും വാരുകയും വാതവും ശ്ലേഷ്മവും (കഫം) കൂട്ടും; എങ്കിലും പിത്തത്തെ തടയും.

Word by Word

• कलिङ्गालाबुनी: kaliṅgā-lābunī (a gourd variety)
• कलिङ्गालाबुनी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलिङ्ग + अलाबुनी (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (kaliṅga-type gourd; a variety of alābu)

• पित्तनाशिनी: pitta-destroying
• पित्तनाशिनी: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पित्त + नाशिनी (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण (destroying pitta)

• वातकारिणी: vāta-producing
• वातकारिणी: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वात + कारिणी (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण (producing/increasing vāta)

• त्रपुषोः: of trapuṣa (and)
• त्रपुषोः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रपुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), द्विवचन; ‘of the two: trapuṣa (cucumber-like) and vāruka’ (genitive dual)

• वारुके: of vāruka (a melon)
• वारुके: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वारुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), द्विवचन; त्रपुषोः इति सह समुच्चयार्थे (genitive dual: of vāruka)

• वातश्लेष्मले: in vāta- and kapha-dominant (states)
• वातश्लेष्मले: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वात + श्लेष्मल (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), द्विवचन; कर्मधारय (in conditions that are vāta-and-śleṣman/kapha-dominant)

• पित्तवारणे: in pitta-restraining (states)
• पित्तवारणे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पित्त + वारण (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), द्विवचन; तत्पुरुष (in pitta-checking/obstructing conditions)

Speaker

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

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Vata/Pitta/Kapha

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Contextual knowledge: the same food can pacify one doṣa while aggravating another; apply discernment rather than absolutism.

Vedantic Theme: Viveka (discrimination) applied to prakṛti and embodied conditions; skill-in-means (upāya-kauśalya) in living.

Application: Choose kaliṅga/ālabū when pitta is high but guard against vāta; choose trapuṣa/vāruka with awareness they may raise vāta/kapha while checking pitta.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.169 (comparative doṣa effects of foods)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of doṣa-specific food effects in this verse?

It gives a nuanced rule: some foods pacify pitta but may raise vāta/kapha, emphasizing individualized dietary choices rather than one-size-fits-all prescriptions.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

The verse is not an afterlife passage; it supports the broader Garuda Purana ethic that disciplined, informed living (including diet) is part of dharma.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If following a tridoṣa approach, use these items with awareness: pitta-reducing foods may still aggravate vāta/kapha, so balance them with suitable preparations and overall diet.