Shloka 9

Dhūpa-Lepa-Mantra-Prayoga: Vaśīkaraṇa, Rakṣā, Jvara-nāśa, and Stambhana Applications

Devanagari script

सर्षपाश्च वचा चैव मदनस्य फलानि च / मार्जारविष्ठा धत्तुर स्त्रीकेशेन समन्वितः

Transliteration

sarṣapāśca vacā caiva madanasya phalāni ca / mārjāraviṣṭhā dhattura strīkeśena samanvitaḥ

Translation

सर्षपाः वचा च मदनफलानि च; मार्जारविष्ठा धत्तूरैः स्त्रीकेशेन च समन्विता—एषो मिश्रयोगः कथितः।

Word by Word

• सरṣपाः: mustard seeds
• सरṣपाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरषप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

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

• वचा: sweet flag (Acorus calamus)
• वचा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• मदनस्य: of madana (a plant; also name of Kāma)
• मदनस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• फलानि: fruits
• फलानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), बहुवचन (Plural)

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

• मार्जारविष्ठा: cat feces
• मार्जारविष्ठा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्जार (प्रातिपदिक) + विष्ठा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive determinative)

• धत्तुरः: datura
• धत्तुरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धत्तूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्त्रीकेशेन: with women's hair
• स्त्रीकेशेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक) + केश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive determinative)

• समन्वितः: combined/associated
• समन्वितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + अन्वि (धातु) → समन्वित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Use of specific substances in prescribed combinations for protective/ritual-therapeutic aims; efficacy depends on correct ingredients and procedure.

Vedantic Theme: Prakṛti as an instrument under niyati (ordered causality); worldly remedies operate within saṃsāra.

Application: If treated as traditional practice, follow only under qualified guidance; in modern terms, interpret as historical ethnomedicine/ritual hygiene rather than self-experimentation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.180.10; Garuda Purana 1.180.11; Garuda Purana 1.181.1

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vinata

FAQs

What is the importance of ritual ingredients like mustard and vacā in the Garuda Purana?

This verse functions as a technical prescription: it enumerates specific substances used in ritual mixtures intended for protection, purification, or expulsion of harmful influences described in the Preta-kāṇḍa context.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

Indirectly: rather than narrating the soul’s journey, it provides a practical ritual formula that belongs to the broader Garuda Purana framework of managing preta-related disturbances during the post-death period.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat it as a reminder that Garuda Purana includes highly specific ritual-technical sections; in modern practice, such rites should be performed only through qualified tradition-bearers, while householders can focus on ethical living, remembrance, and sanctioned śrāddha practices.