Shloka 78

Jvara-Nidāna-Lakṣaṇa: Causes, Doṣic Types, Āma/Nirāma Stages, and Prognosis of Fever

Devanagari script

नित्यं मन्दज्वरो रूक्षः शीतकृच्छ्रेण गच्छति / स्तब्धाङ्गः श्लेष्मभूयिष्ठो भवेदङ्गबलाशकः

Transliteration

nityaṃ mandajvaro rūkṣaḥ śītakṛcchreṇa gacchati / stabdhāṅgaḥ śleṣmabhūyiṣṭho bhavedaṅgabalāśakaḥ

Translation

नित्यं मन्दज्वरः रूक्षता च; शीतकृच्छ्रेण गमनं भवति। स्तब्धाङ्गः श्लेष्मभूयिष्ठः सन् क्रमशो ऽङ्गबलं नाशयति।

Word by Word

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसकलिङ्ग-एकवचन-प्रथमा/द्वितीया प्रयोगः — adverbial accusative (always)

• मन्दज्वरः: mild fever
• मन्दज्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manda (प्रातिपदिक) + jvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — masculine, nominative singular; समासः कर्मधारयः (मन्दः ज्वरः)

• रूक्षः: dry/rough
• रूक्षः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rūkṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — masculine, nominative singular

• शीतकृच्छ्रेण: with cold-induced difficulty
• शीतकृच्छ्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śīta (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛcchra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन — neuter, instrumental singular; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शीतस्य कृच्छ्रेण) — with difficulty due to cold

• गच्छति: goes/abates
• गच्छति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — present indicative, 3rd person singular

• स्तब्धाङ्गः: having stiff limbs
• स्तब्धाङ्गः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: stabdha (प्रातिपदिक) + aṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — masculine, nominative singular; समासः कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषः (स्तब्धानि अङ्गानि यस्य/स्तब्ध-अङ्गः) — stiff-limbed

• श्लेष्मभूयिष्ठः: most phlegmatic / phlegm-dominant
• श्लेष्मभूयिष्ठः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śleṣman (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūyiṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक; superlative)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — masculine, nominative singular; समासः तत्पुरुषः (श्लेष्म-भूयिष्ठः = phlegm-predominant)

• भवेत्: would be
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — optative, 3rd person singular

• अङ्गबलाशकः: destroyer of limb-strength
• अङ्गबलाशकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + bala (प्रातिपदिक) + āśaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — masculine, nominative singular; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अङ्गबलस्य आशकः/नाशकः) — destroyer of bodily strength

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Kapha

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Progression of disease (roga-krama): persistent mild fever with rukshata, cold intolerance, stiffness, kapha predominance, and gradual loss of strength.

Vedantic Theme: Anityatva of bodily power; the need for prajna in caring for the embodied condition.

Application: Recognize red flags: persistent low fever plus dryness, cold-induced mobility difficulty, stiffness, kapha dominance, and declining strength—seek intervention before bala-kshaya becomes severe.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.147.77 (pralepaka definition context); Garuda Purana 1.147.79–81 (other jvara-bheda descriptions)

FAQs

What is the importance of describing illness-like suffering in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames certain sufferings (fever, stiffness, weakness) as karmic consequences, emphasizing ethical restraint and corrective living to avoid future misery.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana narrative?

Within the Vishnu–Garuda dialogue, such descriptions function as markers of the soul’s post-death experience shaped by karma, where distress manifests as tangible hardship and debility.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with self-discipline and non-harm, address wrongdoing through repentance and charity, and treat health and conduct as interconnected—actions have consequences.