Shloka 86

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

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच / नामान्येतानि च हरे वन्यानां भेषजां तथा / अतो व्याकरणं वक्ष्ये कुमारोक्तञ्च शौनक

Transliteration

sūta uvāca / nāmānyetāni ca hare vanyānāṃ bheṣajāṃ tathā / ato vyākaraṇaṃ vakṣye kumāroktañca śaunaka

Translation

Sūta berkata: “Wahai Hari, inilah benar-benar nama-nama herba ubatan liar dari rimba. Sekarang, wahai Śaunaka, akan aku jelaskan asal-usul tatabahasa (vyākaraṇa)nya sebagaimana telah diucapkan oleh Kumāra.”

Word by Word

• sūtaḥ: Sūta (the narrator)
• sūtaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• nāmāni: names
• nāmāni: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• etāni: these
• etāni: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम (demonstrative)

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

• hare: O Hari
• hare: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• vanyānām: of wild (ones)
• vanyānām: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vanya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (सामान्य-विशेषण), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• bheṣajānām: of medicines
• bheṣajānām: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bheṣaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• tathā: also / likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb/particle: ‘also/likewise’)

• ataḥ: therefore
• ataḥ: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (causal/therefore)

• vyākaraṇam: grammatical analysis / derivation
• vyākaraṇam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyā-karaṇa (प्रातिपदिक; व्याकरण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• vakṣye: I will explain
• vakṣye: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• kumāroktam: said by Kumāra
• kumāroktam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kumāra-ukta (प्रातिपदिक; कुमार + उक्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (कुमार-उक्तम् = कुमार द्वारा उक्तम्)

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

• śaunaka: O Śaunaka
• śaunaka: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaunaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Etymology/grammar (vyākaraṇa/nirukti) clarifies meaning and preserves correct tradition; knowledge is safeguarded through disciplined analysis.

Vedantic Theme: Śabda as pramāṇa; precision in language supports precision in practice; guru-paramparā as vehicle of valid knowledge.

Application: Study derivations and correct forms of medicinal names to avoid corruption of terms and misidentification across regions/time.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.204.82-85: preceding herb-name lists; Garuda Purana 1.204.86: transition to vyākaraṇa/nirukti explanation

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vishnu)
• Kumāra
• Śaunaka
• Sūta

FAQs

What is the importance of naming medicinal herbs in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames the herb section as a preserved tradition: first the names of forest medicines are given, then their derivations are explained, helping accurate identification and transmission.

How does this verse fit the Garuda Purana’s dialogue flow?

Here Sūta narrates to Śaunaka and references Hari and Kumāra, indicating a layered transmission of knowledge rather than the direct Vishnu–Garuda exchange.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a reminder to learn traditional terms carefully—correct names and meanings reduce confusion in ritual or Ayurvedic contexts and encourage disciplined study of sources.