Garuda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 23

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

Devanagari script

अयो लोहं समुद्दिष्टं यौगिकैर्लोहनामभिः / पुरं कुटनटं विद्यान्महिषाक्षः पलङ्कषा

Transliteration

ayo lohaṃ samuddiṣṭaṃ yaugikairlohanāmabhiḥ / puraṃ kuṭanaṭaṃ vidyānmahiṣākṣaḥ palaṅkaṣā

Translation

அயः எனப்படும் ‘லோகம்’ (இரும்பு) உலோகங்களுக்கு வழங்கப்படும் யௌகிக/வ்யுத்பன்ன பெயர்களால் இவ்வாறு குறிக்கப்படுகிறது. ‘புரம்’ (நகரம்) ‘குடநட’ என்றும் அறிக; ‘மஹிஷாக்ஷ’ மற்றும் ‘பலங்கஷா’ என்பனவும் இந்நிகண்டு-போதனையில் இணைபெயர்கள்.

Word by Word

• अयः: iron
• अयः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• लोहम्: metal/iron
• लोहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• समुद्दिष्टम्: is indicated/mentioned
• समुद्दिष्टम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + उद् + दिश् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; कर्मणि (indicated/mentioned)

• यौगिकैः: by derived (names)
• यौगिकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यौगिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; विशेषण (derived/etymological)

• लोहनामभिः: by names of ‘loha’
• लोहनामभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोह + नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; करण (by the names of loha)

• पुरम्: city/fort; (a name)
• पुरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• कुटनटम्: kuṭa and naṭa (names)
• कुटनटम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुट + नट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (kuṭa and naṭa)

• विद्यात्: one should know
• विद्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; विधि (one should know)

• महिषाक्षः: Mahīṣākṣa (a name)
• महिषाक्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिष + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• पलङ्कषा: Palaṅkaṣā (a name)
• पलङ्कषा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पलङ्कषा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Yaugika (derivative/etymological) naming conventions: one referent may be indicated by multiple technical terms.

Vedantic Theme: Nāma-rūpa distinction: names vary while the underlying dravya/artha remains one in practical cognition.

Application: In reading śāstra or coded vocabularies, treat ayo/loha as iron; recognize that some passages use ‘city’ via coded synonyms (kuṭanaṭa etc.)—use context to disambiguate.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.204 (kośa-style lists: metals, places, plants)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of technical (yaugika) names in the Garuda Purana?

This verse shows that the text sometimes teaches through synonym-lists and derivative terms, helping readers decode specialized vocabulary used elsewhere in the Purana.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana?

Indirectly: it functions as a lexical aid, clarifying word-usage so that descriptions of realms, cities, and substances in afterlife narratives are understood correctly.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When studying Garuda Purana death-ritual or afterlife passages, consult such synonym-teachings to avoid mistranslating key terms that change the meaning of rites, places, or substances.