Shloka 78

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

Devanagari script

शङ्खः शुक्तिनखः शङ्खो व्याघ्रो व्याघ्रनखः स्मृतः / पुरं पलङ्कषं विद्यान्महिषाक्षञ्च गुग्गुलुः

Transliteration

śaṅkhaḥ śuktinakhaḥ śaṅkho vyāghro vyāghranakhaḥ smṛtaḥ / puraṃ palaṅkaṣaṃ vidyānmahiṣākṣañca gugguluḥ

Translation

‘ശംഖ’ ‘ശുക്തിനഖ’ എന്ന പേരിലും പ്രസിദ്ധം; അതേ ‘ശംഖ’ എന്നും പറയുന്നു. ‘വ്യാഘ്ര’ ‘വ്യാഘ്രനഖ’ എന്നു സ്മരിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു. ‘പുര’യെ ‘പലങ്കഷ’ എന്നു അറിയുക; ‘മഹിഷാക്ഷ’യെ ‘ഗുഗ്ഗുലു’ എന്നും വിളിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• शङ्खः: conch; śaṅkha
• शङ्खः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्ख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• शुक्तिनखः: śuktinakha (shell-nail; name)
• शुक्तिनखः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्ति + नख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शुक्तेः नखः)

• शङ्खः: śaṅkha (conch)
• शङ्खः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्ख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• व्याघ्रः: tiger; vyāghra
• व्याघ्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्याघ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• व्याघ्रनखः: vyāghranakha (tiger-claw; name)
• व्याघ्रनखः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्याघ्र + नख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (व्याघ्रस्य नखः)

• स्मृतः: is remembered/called
• स्मृतः: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) → स्मृत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग-भावः

• पुरम्: pura (a plant/name); city (lit.)
• पुरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• पलङ्कषम्: palaṅkaṣa (name)
• पलङ्कषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पलङ्कष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• विद्यात्: one should know; should understand as
• विद्यात्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• महिषाक्षम्: mahiṣākṣa (buffalo-eye; name)
• महिषाक्षम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिष + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (महिषस्य अक्षम्)

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

• गुग्गुलुः: guggulu (bdellium resin)
• गुग्गुलुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुग्गुलु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra, continuing a catalog/listing section)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Correct knowledge (saṃjñā-jñāna) is a duty in applied sciences; names safeguard right action.

Vedantic Theme: Vyavahāra-satya: operational truth where accurate conventions enable effective action.

Application: When reading recipes or purchasing ingredients, map synonyms: śaṅkha/śuktinakha; vyāghra/vyāghranakha; pura/palaṅkaṣa; mahiṣākṣa/guggulu.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.204.77-81 (continuing synonym lists)

Characters & Entities

• Lord Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of listing alternate names in the Garuda Purana?

This verse functions as a mnemonic catalog: it preserves variant names/epithets so that recitation, identification, and ritual or narrative references remain consistent across traditions and readings.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana?

Indirectly: rather than describing the soul’s journey, it supports the text’s ritual-technical framework by clarifying names and equivalents that may appear in sections on rites, stations, or beings encountered in after-death narratives.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When studying or chanting Garuda Purana passages (especially those used in śrāddha or funeral contexts), treat such lists as cross-references—helpful for matching different manuscript readings and avoiding confusion over synonymous names.