Shloka 43

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

Devanagari script

ज्ञेया मूषिकपर्णो तु भ्रमन्ती चाखुपर्णिका / विषमुष्टिर्द्रावणञ्च केशमुष्टिरुदाहृता

Transliteration

jñeyā mūṣikaparṇo tu bhramantī cākhuparṇikā / viṣamuṣṭirdrāvaṇañca keśamuṣṭirudāhṛtā

Translation

ഇതും അറിയുക—‘മൂഷികപർണീ’, ‘ഭ്രമന്തീ’, ‘ആഖുപർണികാ’; അതുപോലെ ‘വിഷമുഷ്ടി’യും ‘ദ്രാവണ’വും—ഇവയെല്ലാം ‘കേശമുഷ്ടി’ എന്ന പേരിൽ പ്രസ്താവിക്കപ്പെട്ടവയാണ്.

Word by Word

• ज्ञेया: should be known (as)
• ज्ञेया: Karma (Predicate complement/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) → ज्ञेय (कृदन्त)
• Form: विधिलिङ्गार्थक-कर्तरि/कर्मणि भावे कृदन्त (gerundive/तव्यत्-अर्थ); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘should be known’

• मूषिकपर्णः: ‘mūṣikaparṇa’ (mouse-leaf; plant name)
• मूषिकपर्णः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूषिक + पर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (मूषिकस्य पर्णम्)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-अव्यय (particle: ‘but/indeed’)

• भ्रमन्ती: wandering
• भ्रमन्ती: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भ्रम् (धातु) → भ्रमन्ती (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘wandering/roaming’

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

• आखुपर्णिका: ‘ākhuparṇikā’ (rat-leaf; plant name)
• आखुपर्णिका: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आखु + पर्णिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (आखोः पर्णिका)

• विषमुष्टिः: ‘viṣamuṣṭi’ (poison-fist; plant name)
• विषमुष्टिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष + मुष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (विषस्य मुष्टिः)

• द्रावणम्: ‘drāvaṇa’ (name)
• द्रावणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रावण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

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

• केशमुष्टिः: ‘keśamuṣṭi’ (hair-fist; plant name)
• केशमुष्टिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केश + मुष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (केशानां मुष्टिः)

• उदाहृता: is called/declared
• उदाहृता: Karma (Predicate complement/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + आ + हृ (धातु) → उदाहृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘is said/called’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vainateya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Synonymy and correct identification (saṃjñā-bheda) prevent error in practice; śāstra preserves reliable correspondences between names and substances.

Vedantic Theme: Pramāṇa and vyavahāra: accurate conventional knowledge supports right conduct; language as a tool requiring discipline.

Application: When sourcing or prescribing these herbs, cross-check regional names: Mūṣikaparṇī, Bhramantī, Ākhuparṇikā; and recognize Viṣamuṣṭi/Drāvaṇa as Keśamuṣṭi variants to avoid substitution mistakes.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.204.43-46 (herb synonym lists)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of listing herb names like Keśamuṣṭi in the Garuda Purana?

This verse preserves technical synonym-lists of plants, helping ritual and traditional healing contexts by clarifying that multiple regional names refer to the same herb-group.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not directly discuss the soul’s journey; instead, it functions as a nomenclature verse, cataloging plant synonyms used in associated ritual or remedial sections of the text.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a cross-reference when studying traditional remedies or ritual manuals: verify botanical identity carefully (with qualified experts) before applying any herb named in scripture.