Shloka 13

Bhaiṣajya-yogas: Digestive Modakas, Vāta-Śamana Oils, Karṇa-Roga Tailas, Kuṣṭha/Śvitra Applications, Vraṇa-Cikitsā, and Medhya Preparations

Devanagari script

शुष्कमूलकशुण्ठीनां क्षारो हिङ्गुलनागरम् / तक्रं चतुर्गुणं दद्यात्तैलमेतद्विपाचयेत्

Transliteration

śuṣkamūlakaśuṇṭhīnāṃ kṣāro hiṅgulanāgaram / takraṃ caturguṇaṃ dadyāttailametadvipācayet

Translation

शुष्कमूलकशुण्ठीनां क्षारं हिङ्गुलनागरम्। तक्रं चतुर्गुणं दत्त्वा तैलमेतद्विपाचयेत्॥

Word by Word

• शुष्क-मूलक-शुण्ठीनाम्: of dry radish and śuṇṭhī
• शुष्क-मूलक-शुण्ठीनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुष्क (प्रातिपदिक) + मूलक (प्रातिपदिक) + शुण्ठी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (शुण्ठी-प्रधान), षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः: “of dry radish and dry ginger (ingredients)”

• क्षारः: alkali
• क्षारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• हिङ्गु-ल-नागरम्: hiṅgu and nāgara mixture (with salt/alkali)
• हिङ्गु-ल-नागरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिङ्गु (प्रातिपदिक) + ल (प्रातिपदिक; ‘salt/alkali’ as ingredient-name) + नागर (प्रातिपदिक; ‘dry ginger’)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; द्रव्य-समाहार-द्वन्द्वः: “hiṅgu, (la-)salt/alkali, and nāgara”

• तक्रम्: buttermilk
• तक्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• चतुर्गुणम्: four times (quantity)
• चतुर्गुणम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: चतुर्गुणं = “fourfold (in quantity)” तक्रम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• दद्यात्: should give/add
• दद्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• तैलम्: oil
• तैलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तैल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तैलम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• विपाचयेत्: should cook thoroughly
• विपाचयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पच् (धातु) + वि (उपसर्ग)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Knowledge as practical know-how (yukti-jñāna): correct ingredients, proportions, and processing yield efficacy.

Vedantic Theme: Right knowledge applied to action (jñāna guiding karma) produces orderly outcomes.

Application: Prepare kṣāra from dried radish and dry ginger; add hiṅgula and nāgara; add buttermilk fourfold; cook thoroughly to obtain medicated oil.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.192 (taila-pāka procedures; proportion rules like caturguṇa)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is being taught in this Garuda Purana verse?

It gives a procedural recipe for preparing a medicated oil by combining specific ingredients and cooking them with four parts buttermilk.

Does this verse relate to Garuda Purana death rituals or the soul’s journey?

No—this specific verse is technical and medicinal in nature, part of a section describing formulations rather than afterlife teachings.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It illustrates the traditional method of making medicated oils (taila-pāka) with precise proportions; any real-world use should be guided by qualified Ayurvedic practitioners due to ingredients like hiṅgula.