Shloka 35

Devanagari script

सुरसो बीजकश्चैव पीतशालो ऽभिधीयेत / वज्रवृक्षो महावृक्षः स्नुही स्नुक्च सुधा गुडा

Transliteration

suraso bījakaścaiva pītaśālo 'bhidhīyeta / vajravṛkṣo mahāvṛkṣaḥ snuhī snukca sudhā guḍā

Translation

സുരസാ, ബീജക, പീതശാല എന്നിങ്ങനെ നാമങ്ങൾ പറയുന്നു. അതുപോലെ വജ്രവൃക്ഷം, മഹാവൃക്ഷം; കൂടാതെ സ്നുഹീ, സ്നുക്—ഇവയെ സుధാ, ഗുഡാ എന്നും വിളിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• सुरसः: surasa (holy basil; a name)
• सुरसः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम

• बीजकः: bījaka (a name)
• बीजकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बीजक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम

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

• एव: indeed/also
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• पीतशालः: pītaśāla (a name)
• पीतशालः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पीत + शाल (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (पीतः शालः)

• अभिधीयेत: is/should be called
• अभिधीयेत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√धा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; ‘should be called’

• वज्रवृक्षः: vajravṛkṣa (a name)
• वज्रवृक्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वज्र + वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वज्रवत् वृक्षः/वज्रस्य वृक्षः)

• महावृक्षः: mahāvṛkṣa (great tree; a name)
• महावृक्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् वृक्षः)

• स्नुही: snuhī (Euphorbia; a name)
• स्नुही: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नुही (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम

• स्नुक्: snuk (a name)
• स्नुक्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नुक् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम (हलन्त-प्रातिपदिक)

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

• सुधा: sudhā (nectar; a name)
• सुधा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम

• गुडा: guḍā (a name)
• गुडा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुडा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Multiplicity of names reflects multiple observed facets—form, potency, and exudate—within a single dravya tradition.

Vedantic Theme: Ekārtha-vācakatva across many śabdas: many words can indicate one referent when grounded in shared lakṣaṇa (defining marks).

Application: When encountering regional terms (surasā/bījaka/pītaśāla; vajravṛkṣa/mahāvṛkṣa; snuhī/snuk/sudhā/guḍā), confirm identity via defining traits (habit, latex, leaf form) before use.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.204 (auṣadhi-nāma lists; likely including snuhī-type latex plants)

Characters & Entities

• Lord Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of listing plant names and synonyms in the Garuda Purana?

This verse preserves traditional nomenclature—multiple regional or technical names for the same herbs/trees—so ritual, medicinal, and textual references can be correctly identified.

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

Alongside teachings on dharma and the afterlife, the Garuda Purana also functions as a compendium of practical knowledge, including classifications and names used in ritual and traditional medicine.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use such synonym-lists to cross-check plant identification when reading dharmic/ayurvedic sources, and rely on verified botanical identification before any medicinal use.