Shloka 29

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

Devanagari script

काकोली च स्मृता वीरा वयस्या चार्कपुष्पिका / शृङ्गी कर्कटशृङ्गी च महाघोषा च कीर्तिता

Transliteration

kākolī ca smṛtā vīrā vayasyā cārkapuṣpikā / śṛṅgī karkaṭaśṛṅgī ca mahāghoṣā ca kīrtitā

Translation

‘കാകോളീ’ എന്നു സ്മരിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു; അതുപോലെ ‘വീരാ’, ‘വയസ്യാ’, ‘അർക്കപുഷ്പികാ’യും. കൂടാതെ ‘ശൃംഗീ’, ‘കർക്കടശൃംഗീ’, ‘മഹാഘോഷാ’ എന്ന പേരുകളും കീര്ത്തിതമാണ്.

Word by Word

• काकोली: Kākolī (a plant name)
• काकोली: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काकोली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• स्मृता: is known/remembered (as)
• स्मृता: Kriya (Verbal predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (भूतकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्यय/PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘remembered/known as’

• वीरा: Vīrā (a plant name)
• वीरा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वयस्या: Vayasyā (a plant name)
• वयस्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वयस्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

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

• अर्क-पुष्पिका: Arkapuṣpikā (a plant name)
• अर्क-पुष्पिका: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्क (प्रातिपदिक) + पुष्पिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (determinative)

• शृङ्गी: Śṛṅgī (a plant name)
• शृङ्गी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शृङ्गी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कर्कट-शृङ्गी: Karkaṭaśṛṅgī (a plant name)
• कर्कट-शृङ्गी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्कट (प्रातिपदिक) + शृङ्गी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (descriptive)

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

• महाघोषा: Mahāghoṣā (a plant name)
• महाघोषा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महā (प्रातिपदिक) + घोषा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय ‘महान् घोषः/घोषा’

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

• कीर्तिता: is mentioned/celebrated
• कीर्तिता: Kriya (Verbal predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कीर्त् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (भूतकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्यय/PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘praised/mentioned’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Smṛti-based preservation of technical vocabulary (nāma-smaraṇa) as a form of knowledge continuity.

Vedantic Theme: Śabda-pramāṇa in applied domains; fidelity to received terminology.

Application: Use cross-name mapping (kākolī/vīrā/vayasyā etc.) when reading recipes or sourcing ingredients from different traditions.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.204 (series of synonym lists for dravyas/auṣadhis)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of listing herbs like Kākolī and Śṛṅgī in the Garuda Purana?

This verse functions as a precise name-list (nāma-kīrtana) of specific plants, preserving traditional terminology used in ritual, healing, and dharmic living, and helping transmit authoritative identifications across generations.

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

It shows the Garuda Purana also includes practical knowledge—such as traditional plant lists—alongside spiritual instruction, reflecting a broader dharmic worldview that integrates wellbeing, discipline, and sacred learning.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use the verse as a reference point for correct Sanskrit/IAST names when studying classical Ayurveda or Puranic sources, and consult qualified practitioners for real-world identification and usage of these herbs.