Shloka 17

Dhanvantari’s Therapeutics: Jvara to Vraṇa

Fever, GI Disorders, Bleeding, Respiratory, Urinary, Swelling, and Wound Care

Devanagari script

चिकित्साथ ग्रहण्यास्तुग्रहणी चाग्रिनाशिनी / चित्रकाक्वाथक्लकाभ्यां ग्रहणीघ्नं क्षृतं हविः / गुल्मशोथोदरप्लीहशूलार्शोघ्नं प्रदीपनम्

Transliteration

cikitsātha grahaṇyāstugrahaṇī cāgrināśinī / citrakākvāthaklakābhyāṃ grahaṇīghnaṃ kṣṛtaṃ haviḥ / gulmaśothodaraplīhaśūlārśoghnaṃ pradīpanam

Translation

अथ ग्रहणीचिकित्सा—ग्रहणी हि जठराग्निं नाशयति। चित्रकक्वाथेन सह क्लकायुक्तं घृतं हविरिव संस्कृत्य प्रयोज्यम्; तत् ग्रहणीं हन्ति, दीपनं भवति, गुल्म-शोथ-उदर-प्लीह-शूल-आर्शांसि च नाशयति।

Word by Word

• cikitsā: treatment/therapy
• cikitsā: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cikitsā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; ‘चिकित्सा’ = treatment (contextual heading)

• atha: then/now
• atha: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (then/now)

• grahaṇyāḥ: of grahaṇī (sprue/intestinal disorder)
• grahaṇyāḥ: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: grahaṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक (but/indeed)

• grahaṇī: grahaṇī (a remedy/medicine named so)
• grahaṇī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: grahaṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (and)

• agni-nāśinī: destroying digestive fire (i.e., counteracting loss of appetite/weak agni)
• agni-nāśinī: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: agni (प्रातिपदिक) + nāśinī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘अग्नेः नाशिनी’); qualifying grahaṇī

• citraka-kvātha: decoction of citraka
• citraka-kvātha: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: citraka (प्रातिपदिक) + kvātha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; (in compound with following)

• klakābhyām: with klakā (a drug)
• klakābhyām: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: klakā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), द्विवचन; with ‘-ābhyām’ (by/with two items)

• citraka-kvātha-klakābhyām: with citraka-decoction and klakā
• citraka-kvātha-klakābhyām: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: citraka (प्रातिपदिक) + kvātha (प्रातिपदिक) + klakā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्वसमास (समाहार/इतरेतर), तृतीया (3), द्विवचन; ‘(citraka-kvātha) and (klakā)’ as instruments

• grahaṇī-ghnam: destroying grahaṇī-disease
• grahaṇī-ghnam: Karma (Object complement/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: grahaṇī (प्रातिपदिक) + ghna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (‘grahaṇī’ + ‘ghna’ = destroying)

• kṣṛtam: prepared/processed (boiled)
• kṣṛtam: Karma (Qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṣṛta (कृदन्त; √kṣar/क्षर्? used in medical sense ‘processed/boiled’)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past participle)

• haviḥ: ghee/oblation-like preparation
• haviḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: havis (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• gulma-śotha-udara-plīha-śūla-arśo-ghnam: destroying gulma, swelling, abdominal disease, spleen disorder, colic, and piles
• gulma-śotha-udara-plīha-śūla-arśo-ghnam: Karma (Qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gulma (प्रातिपदिक) + śotha (प्रातिपदिक) + udara (प्रातिपदिक) + plīha (प्रातिपदिक) + śūla (प्रातिपदिक) + arśas (प्रातिपदिक) + ghna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; बहुपद-उपपद-तत्पुरुष (‘X-ghna’ = destroying X)

• pradīpanam: digestive stimulant
• pradīpanam: Karma (Apposition/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pradīpana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; ‘दीपन’ (appetizer)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Vata

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Protection and restoration of agni (digestive fire) as a foundation for health and right living; disciplined use of medicine as a dharmic duty of self-care.

Vedantic Theme: Sharīra as an instrument (sādhana) requiring maintenance; balance of guṇas through regulated remedies.

Application: Use a citrakā-based decoction with klakā to prepare medicated ghee; prioritize agni-dīpana and address associated abdominal disorders with a single, targeted formulation under competent guidance.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.170 (Ayurveda/medicine section on grahaṇī, arśas, agni-dīpana remedies)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of agni (digestive fire) in this Garuda Purana verse?

The verse frames grahaṇī as a condition that extinguishes agni; restoring agni through dīpana (kindling) therapy is presented as the core principle of treatment.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not address the soul’s journey; this chapter segment is a health and therapeutics section where Vishnu teaches Garuda classical remedies.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It emphasizes correcting digestion as foundational; medicated ghee and strong herbs like citraka are potent and should be used only with qualified Ayurvedic/medical supervision.