Shloka 49

Anupāna and the Doṣa-Effects of Foods, Waters, Dairy, Oils, and Preparations

Devanagari script

अक्षजं कफपित्तघ्नं केश्यं त्वक्श्रोत्रतर्पणम् / त्रिदोषघ्नं मधु प्रोक्तं वातलञ्च प्रकीर्तितम्

Transliteration

akṣajaṃ kaphapittaghnaṃ keśyaṃ tvakśrotratarpaṇam / tridoṣaghnaṃ madhu proktaṃ vātalañca prakīrtitam

Translation

ആടുമായി ബന്ധപ്പെട്ട (അക്ഷജ) ദ്രവ്യം കഫ-പിത്തം ശമിപ്പിക്കുകയും മുടി പുഷ്ടിപ്പെടുത്തുകയും ത്വക്കും കാതും തർപ്പണം ലഭിക്കുമാറാക്കുകയും ചെയ്യുന്നു. മധു ത്രിദോഷശമകമെന്നു പറഞ്ഞിട്ടും വാതവർധകമെന്നും പ്രസിദ്ധമാണ്।

Word by Word

• अक्षजम्: born from sugarcane (sugarcane-derived)
• अक्षजम्: Visheshana (Adjectival predicate/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (प्रातिपदिक; √जन् धातु-सम्भव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; पञ्चमी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थः (अक्षात् जातम्/अक्षस्य जातम्) — neuter nominative/accusative singular

• कफ-पित्त-घ्नम्: destroying phlegm and pitta
• कफ-पित्त-घ्नम्: Visheshana (Adjectival predicate/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कफ (प्रातिपदिक) + पित्त (प्रातिपदिक) + घ्न (प्रातिपदिक; √हन् धातु-सम्भव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः — neuter nominative/accusative singular

• केश्यम्: beneficial for hair
• केश्यम्: Visheshana (Adjectival predicate/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: केश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन — neuter nominative/accusative singular

• त्वक्-श्रोत्र-तर्पणम्: nourishing the skin and ears
• त्वक्-श्रोत्र-तर्पणम्: Visheshana (Adjectival predicate/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्वक् (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रोत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + तर्पण (प्रातिपदिक; √तृप् धातु-सम्भव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः — neuter nominative/accusative singular; ‘तर्पण’ = तृप्तिकर/पोषक

• त्रि-दोष-घ्नम्: destroying the three doṣas
• त्रि-दोष-घ्नम्: Visheshana (Adjectival predicate/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + दोष (प्रातिपदिक) + घ्न (प्रातिपदिक; √हन् धातु-सम्भव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (त्रयः दोषाः) + उपपद-घ्न — neuter nominative/accusative singular

• मधु: honey
• मधु: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन — neuter nominative/accusative singular

• प्रोक्तम्: is said/declared
• प्रोक्तम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु) + प्र (उपसर्ग) ; प्रोक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — past passive participle ‘said/declared’

• वातलम्: vāta-increasing
• वातलम्: Visheshana (Adjectival predicate/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वातल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन — neuter nominative/accusative singular

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

• प्रकीर्तितम्: is proclaimed
• प्रकीर्तितम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कीर्त् (धातु) + प्र (उपसर्ग) ; प्रकीर्तित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — past passive participle ‘is proclaimed’

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Complexity of guṇa-karma: a substance can be broadly balancing yet contextually aggravating (honey and vāta).

Vedantic Theme: Yathārtha-jñāna (accurate knowledge) over simplistic labels; discernment in action.

Application: Use goat-derived nourishment for hair/skin/ear support and kapha-pitta reduction; use honey judiciously—beneficial in many contexts but may increase vāta depending on use (e.g., dryness, excess, improper combination).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.169 (madhu and animal-derived dravya notes)

FAQs

What does Garuda Purana teach about honey (madhu)?

This verse calls honey tridoṣa-pacifying, while also noting it can increase vāta—indicating conditional use depending on constitution, season, and preparation.

How should we understand the apparent contradiction: tridoṣaghna yet vātala?

The verse preserves a nuanced Ayurvedic idea: a substance may generally balance doṣas but still aggravate one doṣa under certain contexts (dose, dryness, timing, combinations).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use honey thoughtfully—especially in vāta-prone dryness—favoring appropriate combinations and moderation as advised in traditional dietetics.