Shloka 54

Oṣadhi-nāma-nirdeśa: Paryāya (Synonyms) of Herbs, Minerals, and Classical Measures

Devanagari script

ज्ञेयं पुष्करमूलञ्च पुष्करं पुष्कराह्वयम् / यासो ऽथ धन्वयासश्च दुष्पर्शो ऽथ दुरालभा

Transliteration

jñeyaṃ puṣkaramūlañca puṣkaraṃ puṣkarāhvayam / yāso 'tha dhanvayāsaśca duṣparśo 'tha durālabhā

Translation

पुष्करमूलं पुष्करं च पुष्कराह्वयम् इति ज्ञेयम्। तथा यासो धन्वयासश्च; दुष्पर्शो दुरालभा च इति।

Word by Word

• ज्ञेयम्: should be known (as)
• ज्ञेयम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √ज्ञा (धातु) + यत् (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (तव्यत्/यत्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ‘to be known/should be understood’

• पुष्करमूलम्: puṣkara-root
• पुष्करमूलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्कर (प्रातिपदिक) + मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (पुष्करस्य मूलम्)

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

• पुष्करम्: puṣkara
• पुष्करम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• पुष्कराह्वयम्: having the name ‘puṣkara’
• पुष्कराह्वयम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुष्कर (प्रातिपदिक) + आह्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (पुष्करम् आह्वयः यस्य = पुष्करनामकः)

• यासः: yāsa (plant name)
• यासः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अथ: then/also
• अथ: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तर/प्रसङ्गबोधक-अव्यय (particle: then/also)

• धन्वयासः: dhanvayāsa (desert yāsa)
• धन्वयासः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन्व (प्रातिपदिक) + यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (धन्वनि यासः/धन्वस्य यासः)

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

• दुष्पर्शः: duṣparśa (hard to touch; plant name)
• दुष्पर्शः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुस् (अव्यय/उपसर्ग) + स्पर्श (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (दुष्टः स्पर्शः यस्य/दुष्पर्शः)

• अथ: then/also
• अथ: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तर/प्रसङ्गबोधक-अव्यय (particle)

• दुरालभा: durālabhā (hard to obtain; plant name)
• दुरालभा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर् (अव्यय/उपसर्ग) + आलभा/लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (दुर्-आलभा = दुर्-लभ्या)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Discernment (viveka) in identifying substances—names, variants, and close analogues.

Vedantic Theme: Viveka applied to vyavahāra: accurate discrimination reduces suffering and supports dharmic living.

Application: Learn distinguishing features and accepted names for puṣkara-variants and yāsa-variants; avoid confusing similar-sounding drugs.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.204 (continued synonym/identification lists)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of listing herbs like Puṣkara in the Garuda Purana?

This verse functions like a nighaṇṭu (lexicon) entry—preserving recognized names and synonyms of medicinal plants so they can be correctly identified for traditional therapeutic use.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana teachings beyond afterlife topics?

It shows the text’s encyclopedic scope: alongside dharma and post-death teachings, it also transmits practical knowledge such as plant identification and traditional materia medica.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a textual cross-reference for Sanskrit herb synonyms, but rely on qualified Ayurvedic experts for correct botanical identification and safe usage.