Shloka 1

Devanagari script

नाम त्र्युत्तरद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः सूत उवाच / एवं धन्वन्तरिः प्राह सुश्रुतायच वैद्यकम् / अत नामानि वक्ष्यामि ओषधीनां समासतः

Transliteration

nāma tryuttaradviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ sūta uvāca / evaṃ dhanvantariḥ prāha suśrutāyaca vaidyakam / ata nāmāni vakṣyāmi oṣadhīnāṃ samāsataḥ

Translation

‘నామ’ అనే త్ర్యుత్తరద్విశతతమ అధ్యాయం. సూతుడు పలికెను—ఇలా ధన్వంతరి సుశ్రుతునికి వైద్యశాస్త్రాన్ని ఉపదేశించాడు. ఇక ఔషధుల నామాలను సంక్షేపంగా చెప్పుదును.

Word by Word

• नाम: namely
• नाम: Sambandha (Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (metalinguistic marker: 'namely')

• त्र्युत्तरद्विशततमः: two-hundred-and-third
• त्र्युत्तरद्विशततमः: Visheshana (Qualifier of अध्यायः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि + उत्तर + द्विशत + तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संख्यावाचक-समासः (द्विशतस्य त्र्युत्तरः = 203; तस्य तमः = 203rd)

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + उत् (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• धन्वन्तरिः: Dhanvantari
• धन्वन्तरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन्वन्तरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्राह: said/spoke
• प्राह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्/ब्रू (धातु) + प्र (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• सुश्रुताय: to Suśruta
• सुश्रुताय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुश्रुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

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

• वैद्यकम्: medical science
• वैद्यकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैद्यक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अतः: therefore/then
• अतः: Sambandha (Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (consequential particle: 'therefore/then')

• नामानि: names
• नामानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• वक्ष्यामि: I shall tell
• वक्ष्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (simple future), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ओषधीनाम्: of herbs/medicines
• ओषधीनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ओषधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• समासतः: briefly
• समासतः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समासतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: 'in brief/summarizingly')

Speaker

Sūta

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Transmission of śāstra through guru-śiṣya paramparā; naming/classifying herbs as a foundation for applied healing knowledge.

Vedantic Theme: Śāstra as pramāṇa in vyavahāra; disciplined knowledge serving dharma and well-being.

Application: Approach medicinal practice through systematic learning—study materia medica (auṣadhi-nāma), identification, and method before application.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: discourse setting (purāṇic narration)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.203 (preceding medical formulations); Garuda Purana 1.204 (herb-name section continues)

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Dhanvantari
• Suśruta

FAQs

What is the importance of listing oṣadhīs (medicinal herbs) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse introduces a concise catalog of healing herbs, linking the Purana’s teaching tradition to Āyurveda through Dhanvantari and Suśruta, thereby framing health as part of dharmic living.

How does this verse relate to the main Garuda Purana dialogue about death and afterlife?

Although much of the Garuda Purana is known for after-death teachings, this chapter-opening shows the text also preserves practical disciplines like medicine—supporting bodily well-being as a foundation for spiritual practice.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat health knowledge as a disciplined tradition: learn remedies from reliable sources, use herbs responsibly, and integrate wellness with ethical living rather than superstition.