Shloka 13

Rasāyana for Longevity: Milk-Based Regimens, Triphalā, Palāśa, and Bhr̥ṅgarāja (Śrāvaṇa & Puṣya Observances)

Devanagari script

भृङ्गराजस्य वै मूलं पुष्यर्क्षे तु समाहृतम् / विधाय तस्य चूर्णं वै ससौवीरञ्च भक्षयेतं

Transliteration

bhṛṅgarājasya vai mūlaṃ puṣyarkṣe tu samāhṛtam / vidhāya tasya cūrṇaṃ vai sasauvīrañca bhakṣayetaṃ

Translation

Hendaklah dikumpulkan akar bhr̥ṅgarāja pada hari nakṣatra Puṣya; kemudian dijadikan serbuk dan dimakan bersama sauvīra, iaitu minuman tonik yang diperam.

Word by Word

• भृङ्गराजस्य: of bhṛṅgarāja (plant)
• भृङ्गराजस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृङ्गराज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• मूलम्: root
• मूलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• पुष्यर्क्षे: at (the time of) Puṣya asterism
• पुष्यर्क्षे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्य (प्रातिपदिक) + ऋक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘पुष्य-नक्षत्रे’)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (contrastive particle)

• समाहृतम्: collected
• समाहृतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्+आ+हृ (धातु) → समाहृत (क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्यय; मूलम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषण

• विधाय: having prepared/made
• विधाय: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वि+धा (धातु) → विधाय (क्त्वा/ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive); पूर्वक्रिया

• तस्य: of that/its
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• चूर्णम्: powder
• चूर्णम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• स: with
• स: Samuccaya (Association/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स (सह-उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्गवत् अव्यय; अर्थः ‘सहित/with’ (as first member in compound)

• सौवीरम्: sauvīra (a drink)
• सौवीरम्: Sahakarana (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौवीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; (a kind of fermented drink/region-name used for product)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• भक्षयेत: should eat
• भक्षयेत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (quotative particle)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Efficacy depends on right time, right substance, and right method; disciplined action yields enhanced results.

Vedantic Theme: Kāla as an ordering principle within prakṛti; skill in means (upāya-kauśala) supports embodied duty.

Application: Collect bhr̥ṅgarāja root specifically on Puṣya; dry and powder; ingest with sauvīra as an anupāna (vehicle) under appropriate guidance.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: herb-gathering site and household/clinic

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.187 (Puṣya-timed rasāyana preparations; anti-aging and strength claims in adjacent verses)

Characters & Entities

• Bhṛṅgarāja
• Puṣya (Nakṣatra)
• Sauvīra

FAQs

What is the importance of Puṣya nakshatra in this Garuda Purana verse?

The verse links efficacy to auspicious timing: collecting bhr̥ṅgarāja root specifically under Puṣya nakshatra is presented as the proper ritual-astrological condition for preparation and use.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana teachings beyond afterlife topics?

It shows the text also preserves practical dharma-oriented guidance, including traditional medicinal and observance-based instructions, not only descriptions of Yama’s realm and post-death rites.

What is a practical application of this instruction today?

If following traditional practice, one may note the emphasis on correct identification of herbs and disciplined timing; in modern use, consult a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner before ingesting any fermented preparation.