Shloka 11

Kāsa-bheda: The Fivefold Classification of Cough and Its Clinical Signs

Devanagari script

कुपितः कुरुते कासं कफं तेन सशोणितम् / पीतं श्यावञ्च शुष्कञ्च ग्रथितं कुपितं बहु

Transliteration

kupitaḥ kurute kāsaṃ kaphaṃ tena saśoṇitam / pītaṃ śyāvañca śuṣkañca grathitaṃ kupitaṃ bahu

Translation

అది కుపితమైతే దగ్గు కలుగుతుంది; దాంతో కఫం రక్తమిశ్రమమై—పసుపు లేదా ముదురు రంగులో, పొడిగా, గడ్డకట్టినట్లు ఘనంగా—అధికంగా విక్షోభిస్తుంది.

Word by Word

• कुपितः: aggravated, enraged
• कुपितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुप् (धातु) → कुपित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying implied doṣa/agent)

• कुरुते: produces, causes
• कुरुते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• कासम्: cough
• कासम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म (object)

• कफम्: phlegm
• कफम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कफ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म

• तेन: by that, thereby
• तेन: Karana/Hetu (Instrument/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण/हेतु (by/thereby)

• सशोणितम्: mixed with blood
• सशोणितम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + शोणित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying कफम्)

• पीतम्: yellow
• पीतम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पीत (प्रातिपदिक; पा (धातु) → पीत, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying कफम्)

• श्यावम्: dark, brownish
• श्यावम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्याव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• शुष्कम्: dry
• शुष्कम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुष्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• ग्रथितम्: clotted, thickened
• ग्रथितम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ग्रथ् (धातु) → ग्रथित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• कुपितम्: aggravated
• कुपितम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुप् (धातु) → कुपित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• बहु: much, abundant
• बहु: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; परिमाण-विशेषण (quantifier)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda)

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Kapha

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Doṣa aggravation can transform secretions: kapha with rakta involvement yields discolored, thick, dry, clotted sputum—sign of severe disorder.

Vedantic Theme: Duḥkha-darśana of saṃsāra via bodily suffering; encourages detachment and timely right action.

Application: Treat as serious sign (possible bleeding/infection); seek immediate care; avoid drying/heating aggravators; follow physician-guided therapy.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.149 (symptom progression of cough/respiratory disorder with doṣa and rakta involvement)

FAQs

What is the importance of describing cough and phlegm in the Garuda Purana?

This verse functions as a diagnostic-style description of bodily imbalance (aggravated kapha), showing how the Purana also preserves practical markers of illness alongside spiritual instruction.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: by detailing bodily afflictions and disturbance in the humors, it highlights the embodied condition through which karma is experienced before the soul’s post-death journey described elsewhere in the text.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat persistent cough or blood-tinged, dark/yellow, dry, clotted sputum as a serious warning sign—seek timely medical evaluation and adopt disciplined, sattvic habits that reduce aggravation and excess.