Shloka 3

Śvāsa-nidāna: Etiology, Types, Symptom Progression, and Fatal Prognosis

Devanagari script

क्षुद्रकस्तमकश्छिन्नो महानूर्ध्वश्च पञ्चमः / कफोपरुद्धगमनपवनो विष्वगास्थितः

Transliteration

kṣudrakastamakaśchinno mahānūrdhvaśca pañcamaḥ / kaphoparuddhagamanapavano viṣvagāsthitaḥ

Translation

As variedades são: o tamaka menor (kṣudraka), o tipo intermitente (chinna), o tipo grave (mahān) e, como quinto, o tipo de movimento ascendente (ūrdhva) — quando o prāṇa-vāyu, o sopro vital, tem seu curso obstruído pelo kapha (fleuma) e se difunde por todo o corpo.

Word by Word

• क्षुद्रकस्तमकः: the minor/lesser tamaka (type of dyspnea)
• क्षुद्रकस्तमकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षुद्रकस्तमक (प्रातिपदिक; क्षुद्रक + तमक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (क्षुद्रकः तमकः)

• छिन्नः: cut off; interrupted
• छिन्नः: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: छिद् (धातु) → छिन्न (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle)

• महान्: great; severe
• महान्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• ऊर्ध्वः: upward-moving
• ऊर्ध्वः: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऊर्ध्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• पञ्चमः: the fifth
• पञ्चमः: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक (ordinal)

• कफ: phlegm (kapha)
• कफ: Hetu/Upapada (Cause/qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कफ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद (in compound)

• उपरुद्ध: obstructed
• उपरुद्ध: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुध् (धातु) → उपरुद्ध (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपसर्ग-युक्त क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (obstructed)

• गमन: movement; passage
• गमन: Sambandha (Qualifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गम् (धातु) → गमन (प्रातिपदिक/भाववाचक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक; समासमध्यपद (movement/going)

• पवनः: wind; vāyu
• पवनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासान्तपद

• विष्वक्: in all directions; widely
• विष्वक्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विष्वक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• आस्थितः: situated; stationed
• आस्थितः: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) + आ (उपसर्ग) → आस्थित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (having taken position/being situated)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vainateya)

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Kapha

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Discriminative knowledge through classification (bheda) of pathological states; understanding prāṇa-vāyu obstruction by kapha.

Vedantic Theme: Sharira as upādhi: embodied life is conditioned by guṇa/doṣa interactions; knowledge begins with right discernment (viveka) of causes and categories.

Application: Recognize subtype patterns of tamaka-śvāsa and note kapha-obstruction with vāyu dispersion to guide appropriate regimen and treatment.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.150.4-7 (pathogenesis and symptoms of śvāsa/tamaka)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

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

This verse classifies tamaka into distinct clinical types and links symptoms to doṣic causation—especially kapha obstructing prāṇa-vāyu—showing the Purana’s practical medical (Āyurvedic) instruction alongside spiritual teaching.

How does this verse explain the mechanism of breathing distress?

It states that kapha blocks the normal movement of vāyu (prāṇa), causing the wind to move abnormally—diffusely or upward—producing severe or variant forms of tamaka (dyspnea).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a reminder to address root imbalances (kapha obstruction and vāyu disturbance) through disciplined routine, diet compatible with one’s constitution, and qualified medical guidance—rather than treating only surface symptoms.