Shloka 21

Prameha-Nidāna-Lakṣaṇa-Bheda: Etiology, Signs, Varieties, and Complications of Meha

Devanagari script

मेहत्युदकमेहेन किञ्चिदाविलपिच्छिलम् / इक्षो रसमिवात्यर्थं मधुरं चेक्षुमेहतः

Transliteration

mehatyudakamehena kiñcidāvilapicchilam / ikṣo rasamivātyarthaṃ madhuraṃ cekṣumehataḥ

Translation

Dalam udaka-meha (prameha jenis air), air kencing keluar sedikit keruh dan berlendir. Dalam ikṣu-meha (prameha jenis tebu), air kencing menjadi amat manis—seperti air tebu.

Word by Word

• mehati: urinates; passes (urine)
• mehati: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √mih (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• udaka-mehena: with water-meha (a type of meha)
• udaka-mehena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: udaka (प्रातिपदिक) + meha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण/हेतु-अर्थे — "with/by water-meha"

• kiñcit: slightly; somewhat
• kiñcit: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kiñcit (अव्यय/सर्वनाम-निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/अल्पता-वाचक (particle of small degree)

• āvila-picchilam: turbid and slimy
• āvila-picchilam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āvila (प्रातिपदिक) + picchila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (to implied mūtram) — "turbid and slimy"

• ikṣoḥ: of sugarcane
• ikṣoḥ: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ikṣu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्धे

• rasam: juice
• rasam: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• iva: like
• iva: Sambandha (Comparative marker/उपमा-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमा-वाचक (comparative particle)

• ati-artham: excessively; very much
• ati-artham: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ati (अव्यय/उपसर्ग) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव; क्रियाविशेषण — अत्यन्तम्

• madhuram: sweet
• madhuram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: madhura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (to implied mūtram)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• ikṣu-mehataḥ: from sugarcane-meha
• ikṣu-mehataḥ: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ikṣu (प्रातिपदिक) + meha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; अपादान-अर्थे — "from/owing to sugarcane-meha"

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda)

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Kapha

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Subtype identification of prameha by urine texture (avilapicchila) and taste (atyartha madhura).

Vedantic Theme: Pramana through direct signs (lakshana) for right action; caring for the body as a support for dharma.

Application: Recognize udaka-meha by slightly turbid, slimy urine; recognize ikshu-meha by markedly sweet urine resembling sugarcane juice; adjust diet (reduce sweet/heavy foods) and seek treatment.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.159 (continuation of prameha-bheda by urine characteristics)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of describing prameha types in the Garuda Purana?

This verse classifies observable signs (turbid/slimy vs. very sweet urine) to distinguish prameha varieties, linking bodily conditions with traditional diagnostic and moral-ritual awareness.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: by emphasizing embodied suffering and disease as part of worldly consequences, it supports the text’s broader teaching that one should pursue dharma and purification before death.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat such descriptions as early warning signs to seek medical care promptly and adopt disciplined living (diet, conduct, restraint) emphasized in dharmic health ethics.