Shloka 32

Rasa-Dravya Varga: Sweet, Sour, Salty, Pungent, Bitter, Astringent; Snehana and Svedana Guidelines

Devanagari script

वातानुलोमं दीप्ताग्रर्वर्चः स्निग्धस्य तन्मतम् / रूक्षम्य स्नेदृनं कार्यमभिस्निग्धस्य रूक्षणम्

Transliteration

vātānulomaṃ dīptāgrarvarcaḥ snigdhasya tanmatam / rūkṣamya snedṛnaṃ kāryamabhisnigdhasya rūkṣaṇam

Translation

स्निग्धस्य लक्षणं वातानुलोमनं दीप्ताग्निर्वर्चः च—इति तन्मतम्। रूक्षे स्नेहनं कार्यं; अतिस्निग्धस्य तु रूक्षणं कार्यम्।

Word by Word

• वातानुलोमम्: vāta-normalizing (downward-directing)
• वातानुलोमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वात + अनुलोम (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — तत्पुरुषः ‘वातस्य अनुलोमम्’ (vāta-anulomana: promoting downward movement of vāta)

• दीप्ताग्नि: having kindled digestive fire
• दीप्ताग्नि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीप्त + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (पाठानुसार रूप-समस्या; अर्थतः ‘दीप्तोऽग्निः यस्य/दीप्ताग्नि’) — कर्मधारयः

• अरुचिः: anorexia/lack of taste
• अरुचिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन — ‘loss of appetite’

• स्निग्धस्य: of the unctuous
• स्निग्धस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्निग्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन — ‘of the unctuous (person/condition)’

• तत्: that
• तत्: Sambandha (Anaphoric)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — सर्वनाम

• मतम्: is considered
• मतम्: Kriya (Predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — ‘opinion/considered’

• रूक्षम्: dry (therapy)
• रूक्षम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रूक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — ‘dry/rough’

• स्नेहद्रव्यम्: unctuous substance
• स्नेहद्रव्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नेह + द्रव्य (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — तत्पुरुषः ‘स्नेहस्य द्रव्यम्’ (unctuous substance)

• कार्यम्: should be done
• कार्यम्: Vidhi (Injunctive predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + यत् (कृत्)
• Form: कृदन्त (भाव्य/विधेय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — ‘to be done/should be administered’

• अभिस्निग्धस्य: of the well-uncted
• अभिस्निग्धस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभि + स्निग्ध (प्रातिपदिक; उपसर्गपूर्वक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन — ‘of the well-uncted/over-uncted’

• रूक्षणम्: drying (therapy)
• रूक्षणम्: Kriya (Predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — ‘drying (procedure)’

Speaker

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

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Vata

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Recognize lakṣaṇas of proper snehana and apply opposite therapy to restore balance (rukṣa vs snigdha).

Vedantic Theme: Madhyamā-pratipad (the middle way of balance); knowledge applied as viveka in action.

Application: Assess: vāta anulomana, strong agni, proper stool indicate adequate oleation; if dryness persists, increase unction; if over-unctuous, apply drying measures.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.173.31 (pitta-thirst management in snehana); Garuda Purana 1.173.33 (sveda indications/contraindications)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vishnu
• Vata
• Agni

FAQs

What is the importance of vāta-anulomana in the Garuda Purana?

It is given as a key marker that oleation is working correctly—vāta moves in its normal direction, supporting digestion and elimination.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

This passage is medical and regimen-focused; it does not describe pretas, Yama, or post-death travel in this chapter segment.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Monitor outcomes, not just intake: if dryness persists, add unctuous measures; if heaviness/excess oiliness appears, shift to drying/reducing measures under competent guidance.