Shloka 15

Oṣadhi-nāma-nirdeśa: Paryāya (Synonyms) of Herbs, Minerals, and Classical Measures

Devanagari script

षड्ग्रन्थोग्रा वचा ज्ञेया श्वेता हैमवतीति च / कुटजो वृक्षकः शक्रो वत्सको गिरिमाल्लिका

Transliteration

ṣaḍgranthogrā vacā jñeyā śvetā haimavatīti ca / kuṭajo vṛkṣakaḥ śakro vatsako girimāllikā

Translation

വചാ ‘ഷഡ്ഗ്രന്ഥീ’, ‘ഓഗ്രാ’, ‘ശ്വേതാ’, ‘ഹൈമവതീ’ എന്നും അറിയപ്പെടുന്നു. അതുപോലെ കുടജം ‘വൃക്ഷക’, ‘ശക്ര’, ‘വത്സക’, ‘ഗിരിമാല്ലികാ’ എന്ന നാമങ്ങളാൽ പ്രസിദ്ധം.

Word by Word

• षड्ग्रन्थोग्रा: ṣaḍgranthogrā (a name; ‘six-knotted, strong’)
• षड्ग्रन्थोग्रा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षड्ग्रन्थोग्रा (प्रातिपदिक; षट्+ग्रन्थ+उग्रा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समास: तत्पुरुष (षड्ग्रन्था उग्रा/षड्ग्रन्थ-उग्रा)

• वचा: vacā (sweet flag)
• वचा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• ज्ञेया: should be known as
• ज्ञेया: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञेय (कृदन्त; √ज्ञा धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधिलिङ्गार्थक कृदन्त (तव्यत्/यत्) — ‘to be known’

• श्वेता: śvetā (the white one; name)
• श्वेता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वेता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• हैमवती: haimavatī (Himalayan; name)
• हैमवती: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हैमवती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/समाप्ति-अव्यय (quotative particle)

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

• कुटजः: kuṭaja (Holarrhena; name)
• कुटजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुटज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• वृक्षकः: vṛkṣaka (tree-like; name)
• वृक्षकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृक्षक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• शक्रः: śakra (Indra; name)
• शक्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• वत्सकः: vatsaka (calf; name)
• वत्सकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्सक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• गिरिमाल्लिका: girimāllikā (mountain-jasmine; name)
• गिरिमाल्लिका: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरिमाल्लिका (प्रातिपदिक; गिरि+माल्लिका)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समास: तत्पुरुष (गिरेः माल्लिका)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra, within an enumerative teaching section)

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Kapha

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Transmission of correct names across regions and schools preserves efficacy and prevents harm.

Vedantic Theme: Knowledge as a means of non-harm (ahiṃsā) through right action; disciplined learning as dharma.

Application: When encountering vacā or kuṭaja under alternate names (ṣaḍgranthi/ogrā/śvetā/haimavatī; vṛkṣaka/śakra/vatsaka/girimāllikā), treat them as the same drug in formularies and procurement.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: mountain region

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.204.12-16 (synonym lists)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of listing herb synonyms in the Garuda Purana?

This verse preserves traditional alternate names for key medicinal plants, helping practitioners correctly identify the same herb across regions and textual traditions.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana teachings beyond afterlife topics?

Alongside dharma and post-death narratives, the Garuda Purana also transmits practical knowledge—here, a nighaṇṭu-style catalog of medicinal nomenclature used for healing and ritual utility.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use these synonym sets to cross-check plant identity when reading Ayurveda texts or consulting traditional formulations, reducing confusion caused by regional names.