Shloka 51

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

Devanagari script

निर्यासो यश्च शाल्मल्याः स मोचरससंज्ञकः / प्रत्यक्पुष्पी खरी ज्ञेया अपामार्गो मयूरकः

Transliteration

niryāso yaśca śālmalyāḥ sa mocarasasaṃjñakaḥ / pratyakpuṣpī kharī jñeyā apāmārgo mayūrakaḥ

Translation

ശാല്മലീ വൃക്ഷത്തിൽ നിന്നു വരുന്ന നിര്യാസം (ഗം/രസം) ‘മോചര-രസം’ എന്ന പേരിലാണ് അറിയപ്പെടുന്നത്. ‘പ്രത്യക്പുഷ്പീ’യെ ‘ഖരീ’ എന്നു അറിയുക; ‘അപാമാർഗ’ം ‘മയൂരക’ം എന്നു പറയുന്നു।

Word by Word

• निर्यासः: exudation/latex
• निर्यासः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• यः: which
• यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• शाल्मल्याः: of the śālmali tree (silk-cotton)
• शाल्मल्याः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाल्मली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• सः: that
• सः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; निर्देशार्थक सर्वनाम

• मोचरससंज्ञकः: called 'mocarasa'
• मोचरससंज्ञकः: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मोच (प्रातिपदिक) + रस (प्रातिपदिक) + संज्ञक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मोचरस-नामकः = 'named mocarasa')

• प्रत्यक्पुष्पी: Pratyakpuṣpī (plant-name)
• प्रत्यक्पुष्पी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रत्यक् (अव्यय/उपपद) + पुष्पी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (with backward/turned flowers)

• खरी: Kharī (plant-name)
• खरी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: खरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ज्ञेया: should be known (as)
• ज्ञेया: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + य (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (gerundive/भाव्य); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेयार्थ (to be known/should be understood)

• अपामार्गः: Apāmārga (plant-name)
• अपामार्गः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपामार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मयूरकः: Mayūraka (plant-name)
• मयूरकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मयूरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Right naming and right knowing (yathā-nāma-jñāna) as a prerequisite for right action in healing; definitions prevent confusion.

Vedantic Theme: Pramāṇa-guided knowledge in vyavahāra; clarity (spaṣṭatā) reduces error-born suffering.

Application: Identify mocara-rasa as śālmali exudate; recognize pratyakpuṣpī’s synonym kharī and apāmārga’s synonym mayūraka when reading recipes or sourcing materials.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: forest/tree-source (implied)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.204 (continuation of dravya definitions and synonymy)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

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

This verse preserves technical identifications of herbs and substances by their alternate names, helping practitioners correctly recognize materials referenced in ritual or traditional medicine contexts.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana teachings on death rituals or the afterlife?

Indirectly: accurate naming of substances supports correct performance of prescribed rites and preparations mentioned elsewhere; this verse itself functions as a glossary of synonyms rather than an afterlife description.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a cross-reference when reading Sanskrit ritual/medical passages: mocara-rasa (śālmali exudate), pratyakpuṣpī = kharī, and apāmārga = mayūraka for accurate identification before use.