Shloka 19

Causes and Signs of Hṛdroga

Heart Disease) and Tṛṣṇā (Pathological Thirst

Devanagari script

स्निग्धकट्वम्ललवणभोजनेन कफोद्भवा / तृष्णारसक्षयोक्तेन लक्षणेन क्षयात्मिका

Transliteration

snigdhakaṭvamlalavaṇabhojanena kaphodbhavā / tṛṣṇārasakṣayoktena lakṣaṇena kṣayātmikā

Translation

Ia timbul daripada Kapha, terhasil oleh pengambilan makanan berlemak serta diet pedas, masam dan masin. Sifatnya ialah menghakis dan melemahkan tubuh, ditandai oleh gejala yang disebut: dahaga dan susutnya cecair/inti sari badan.

Word by Word

• स्निग्धकट्वम्ललवणभोजनेन: by eating oily, pungent, sour, and salty foods
• स्निग्धकट्वम्ललवणभोजनेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्निग्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + कटु (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्ल (प्रातिपदिक) + लवण (प्रातिपदिक) + भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः; ‘स्निग्ध-कटु-अम्ल-लवण-भोजन’); नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; Instrumental singular ‘by eating …’

• कफोद्भवा: kapha-origin
• कफोद्भवा: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कफ (प्रातिपदिक) + उद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः; स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘arising from kapha’

• तृष्णारसक्षयोक्तेन: by the (previously) stated (sign) of thirst and loss of taste/fluids
• तृष्णारसक्षयोक्तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृष्णा (प्रातिपदिक) + रस (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षय (प्रातिपदिक) + उक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः; नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; Instrumental singular ‘by that which is stated as (involving) thirst and loss of taste/juice’

• लक्षणेन: by the symptom
• लक्षणेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; Instrumental singular ‘by the symptom/sign’

• क्षयात्मिका: of wasting nature / consumptive
• क्षयात्मिका: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षय (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + क (प्रातिपदिक-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः; स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘having the nature of wasting/consumption’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Kapha

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Improper diet disturbs doṣas and depletes rasa/essence; preservation of bodily fluids supports clarity and duty.

Vedantic Theme: Sattva is supported by balanced living; depletion (kṣaya) obstructs contemplation and right action.

Application: Reduce overly unctuous plus pungent/sour/salty combinations; address thirst and fluid depletion early with appropriate hydration and cooling, non-irritant foods.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.154 (classification of tṛṣṇā and nidānas)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda
• Kapha

FAQs

What is the importance of diet (āhāra) in this Garuda Purana verse?

It links specific tastes and food qualities (unctuous, pungent, sour, salty) to kapha-aggravation and to a wasting condition marked by thirst and depletion, emphasizing diet as a primary cause in diagnosis.

How does this verse explain the condition’s nature and symptoms?

It states the disorder is kapha-born (kaphodbhavā) and identifies its lakṣaṇa (sign) as tṛṣṇā with rasa-kṣaya—thirst accompanied by depletion of bodily fluids/essence—indicating a kṣaya (wasting) tendency.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Moderate overly oily and strongly pungent/sour/salty foods when thirst and dryness/depletion are prominent, and prioritize balancing habits that protect hydration and bodily nourishment (rasa).