Shloka 13

Viṣa-hara Yogas: Puṣya-Nakṣatra Remedies for Serpents, Stings, and Compounded Poisons

Devanagari script

कृष्णाङ्कोलस्य मूलेन पीतं सुक्वथितं जलम् / ततो नश्यद्गरविषं त्रिरात्रेण महेश्वर

Transliteration

kṛṣṇāṅkolasya mūlena pītaṃ sukvathitaṃ jalam / tato naśyadgaraviṣaṃ trirātreṇa maheśvara

Translation

Ó Maheśvara, se for bebida água bem fervida com a raiz de kṛṣṇāṅkola, então o veneno composto (gara-viṣa) é destruído em três noites.

Word by Word

• कृष्णाङ्कोलस्य: of black ankola (plant)
• कृष्णाङ्कोलस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण-अङ्कोल (प्रातिपदिक; कृष्ण + अङ्कोल)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (कृष्णः अङ्कोलः)

• मूलेन: with/by the root
• मूलेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• पीतम्: drunk
• पीतम्: Karma (Object described/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (जलम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)

• सुक्वथितम्: well-boiled
• सुक्वथितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-क्वथित (प्रातिपदिक; सु + क्वथित)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (जलम्); कर्मधारय (सु + क्वथित = well-boiled)

• जलम्: water
• जलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• ततः: thereupon/from that
• ततः: Apadana/Hetu (Source/Cause/अपादान-हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मात्/ततः = तदनन्तरम्/तस्मात् (thereupon/from that)

• नश्यत्: perishing/being destroyed
• नश्यत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नश् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (Present Active Participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (गरविषम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)

• गरविषम्: artificial/compound poison
• गरविषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर-विष (प्रातिपदिक; गर + विष)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (गररूपं विषम्/गरसम्बन्धि विषम्)

• त्रिरात्रेण: within three nights
• त्रिरात्रेण: Adhikarana (Time-locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिरात्र (प्रातिपदिक; त्रि + रात्र)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः

• महेश्वर: O Maheshvara
• महेश्वर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक; महा + ईश्वर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda; vocative ‘Maheśvara’ appears in the verse as an address)

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Pitta

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Applied knowledge (prayoga-jñāna) of herbs and preparation methods dispels danger.

Vedantic Theme: Right knowledge removes fear; disciplined practice yields results.

Application: Prepare water well-boiled with kṛṣṇāṅkola root; drink as directed; the text claims gara-viṣa resolves within three nights.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.191 (gara-viṣa and herbal countermeasures)

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara

FAQs

What is the importance of garaviṣa remedies in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats gara-viṣa (compounded/slow poison) as a serious affliction and records a specific plant-based antidotal practice, showing that the Garuda Purana includes practical protective and healing instructions alongside spiritual teaching.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not directly describe the soul’s journey; rather, it addresses bodily protection—removing poison—so a person can preserve life and continue dharmic duties, which the text often links to one’s karmic and spiritual progress.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat it as a historical Purāṇic medicinal reference: prioritize modern medical care for poisoning, and understand the verse as emphasizing timely antidotal intervention against slow-acting toxins.