Shloka 34

Anupāna and the Doṣa-Effects of Foods, Waters, Dairy, Oils, and Preparations

Devanagari script

रोमकं वातलं स्वादु रोचनं क्लेदनं गुरु / हृत्पाण्डुगलरोगघ्नं यवक्षारो ऽग्निदीपनः

Transliteration

romakaṃ vātalaṃ svādu rocanaṃ kledanaṃ guru / hṛtpāṇḍugalarogaghnaṃ yavakṣāro 'gnidīpanaḥ

Translation

ਰੋਮਕ ਲੂਣ ਵਾਤ ਵਧਾਉਣ ਵਾਲਾ, ਮਿੱਠਾ, ਰੁਚਿਕਾਰਕ, ਕਲੇਦ ਪੈਦਾ ਕਰਨ ਵਾਲਾ ਅਤੇ ਭਾਰੀ ਹੈ। ਯਵਖ਼ਾਰ ਹਿਰਦੇ ਦੇ ਰੋਗ, ਪਾਂਡੂ ਅਤੇ ਗਲੇ ਦੇ ਰੋਗ ਨਾਸ਼ਕ ਤੇ ਅਗਨੀ ਨੂੰ ਪ੍ਰਜ੍ਵਲਿਤ ਕਰਨ ਵਾਲਾ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• रोमकम्: romaka-salt (a kind of salt)
• रोमकम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोमक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, nom/acc sg)

• वातलम्: vāta-aggravating
• वातलम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वातल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘वातं करोति/वर्धयति’ (neuter, nom/acc sg; vāta-increasing)

• स्वादु: sweet; pleasant-tasting
• स्वादु: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वादु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, nom/acc sg)

• रोचनम्: appetizing; taste-enhancing
• रोचनम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रोचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘रुचिं जनयति’ (neuter, nom/acc sg; appetite/liking-promoting)

• क्लेदनम्: moistening; causing fluidity
• क्लेदनम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्लेदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘क्लेदं जनयति’ (neuter, nom/acc sg; moistening/causing dampness)

• गुरु: heavy (to digest)
• गुरु: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, nom/acc sg)

• हृत्पाण्डुगलरोगघ्नम्: destroying heart/anemia/throat diseases
• हृत्पाण्डुगलरोगघ्नम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृत् + पाण्डु + गल + रोग + घ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘हृत्-पाण्डु-गल-रोगान् हन्ति’ (neuter, nom/acc sg; destroying heart-disease, anemia/jaundice, and throat-disease)

• यवक्षारः: barley-alkali (yava-kṣāra)
• यवक्षारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यव + क्षार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘यवस्य क्षारः’ (masculine, nominative, singular; alkali of barley)

• अग्निदीपनः: digestive-fire kindling
• अग्निदीपनः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अग्नि + दीपन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘अग्नेः दीपनः’ (masculine, nominative, singular; kindling digestive fire)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vainateya)

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Vata

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Viveka in consumption—each dravya has mixed effects; wise selection prevents harm and supports health.

Vedantic Theme: Viveka-vairāgya in daily life: discernment about sense-intake (āhāra) mirrors discernment about mental intake; balance over indulgence.

Application: Romaka-salt is described as vāta-increasing, heavy, moisture-producing yet appetite-stimulating; yava-kṣāra is agni-dīpana and roga-ghna for hṛd-roga, pāṇḍu, and gala-roga—use cautiously due to kṣāra’s caustic nature.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.169 (kṣāra and lavaṇa guṇa descriptions)

Characters & Entities

• Romaka
• Yavakshara
• Agni
• Vata
• Pandu

FAQs

What is the importance of agni-dīpana (kindling digestive fire) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats strong digestion (agni) as foundational to health, recommending yava-kṣāra as an agni-kindler and disease-reducer.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It focuses on embodied wellbeing rather than after-death geography; maintaining agni and reducing disease is presented as part of sustaining one’s dharmic life.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Recognize that some salts may aggravate vāta, while classical preparations like yava-kṣāra are described as strong and agni-kindling—use only with proper Ayurvedic supervision.