Shloka 4
Auṣadha-Yoga: Medicinal Powders, External Therapies, Fumigation, and Vishnu as Supreme Remedy
प्रियङ्गुनिम्बत्रिक्रटु गोमूत्रेणैव घर्षितम् / नसयमालेपनञ्चैव तथा चोद्वर्तनं हितम्
priyaṅgunimbatrikraṭu gomūtreṇaiva gharṣitam / nasayamālepanañcaiva tathā codvartanaṃ hitam
பிரியங்கு, வேம்பு, திரிகடு ஆகியவற்றை கோமூத்திரத்துடன் நன்கு அரைத்து தயாரித்தால் அது நன்மை தரும். அதை நஸ்யம், லேபனம், மேலும் உத்வர்த்தனம் எனப் பயன்படுத்துதல் உகந்தது.
Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinata-putra)
Concept: Care of the body through prescribed, purity-coded remedies as part of right living.
Vedantic Theme: Śarīra as an instrument (sādhana) to be maintained for dharma and spiritual pursuit.
Application: Prepare the mixture (priyaṅgu, nimba, trikaṭu) with cow’s urine; apply as nasya, external paste, and udvartana as appropriate.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.193 (auṣadha/udvartana context; surrounding verses on remedies and applications)
FAQs
This verse highlights practical purification through herbal preparations—showing that ritual well-being also includes bodily cleansing methods (nasya, paste application, and udvartana) regarded as beneficial.
Indirectly, it supports the Garuda Purana’s broader emphasis on purity and disciplined conduct; such cleansing measures are presented as supportive practices within a dharmic life that prepares one for post-death transitions described elsewhere in the text.
It can be taken as a reminder to adopt disciplined hygiene and traditional wellness practices with discernment—using safe, appropriate formulations under qualified guidance rather than treating every textual remedy as universally applicable.