Shloka 22

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

Devanagari script

हेमाभं नागसंज्ञाभिर्नागकेशर उच्यते / असृक्कुङ्कुममाख्यातं तथा काश्मीरबाह्लिकम्

Transliteration

hemābhaṃ nāgasaṃjñābhirnāgakeśara ucyate / asṛkkuṅkumamākhyātaṃ tathā kāśmīrabāhlikam

Translation

సువర్ణవర్ణంగా ఉన్నదాన్ని ‘నాగ’ అని పిలిచేవారు ‘నాగకేశర’మని అంటారు. అది ‘రక్తసదృశ కుంకుమం’ అని కూడా ప్రసిద్ధి, అలాగే కాశ్మీర–బాహ్లిక దేశాల కేశరమని కూడా చెప్పబడుతుంది।

Word by Word

• हेमाभम्: golden-hued
• हेमाभम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हेम + आभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण (golden-lustrous)

• नागसंज्ञाभिः: by nāga-designations
• नागसंज्ञाभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग + संज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; करण/हेतु-प्रयोग (by the names called nāga)

• नागकेशरः: Nāgakeśara (a plant/drug name)
• नागकेशरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग + केशर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• उच्यते: is called
• उच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• असृक्कुङ्कुमम्: asṛk and kuṅkuma (blood & saffron)
• असृक्कुङ्कुमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असृक् + कुङ्कुम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (blood and saffron)

• आख्यातम्: is declared/called
• आख्यातम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + ख्या (धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे (called/declared)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः—समुच्चय/उपमानार्थ (likewise/also)

• काश्मीरबाह्लिकम्: Kāśmīra and Bāhlika (names/varieties)
• काश्मीरबाह्लिकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काश्मीर + बाह्लिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (Kāśmīra and Bāhlika)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Correct knowledge through nāma-bheda (synonymic/technical nomenclature) to avoid confusion in substances.

Vedantic Theme: Pramāṇa and vyavahāra: accurate designation (saṃjñā) supports right action in the empirical domain.

Application: When reading recipes/ritual/medical instructions, map variant names (naga/nāgakeśara/kuṅkuma/kaśmīra-bāhlika) to the same substance before use.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: region

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.204 (nighaṇṭu/kośa-style synonym lists for substances)

Characters & Entities

• Kashmir (Kāśmīra)
• Bāhlika

FAQs

What is the importance of nāgakeśara in the Garuda Purana?

This verse functions as a nomenclature note, clarifying that the golden-hued fragrant substance called nāgakeśara is also spoken of as kuṅkuma-like and associated with Kashmir and Bāhlika—useful for correctly identifying ritual or medicinal ingredients.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not directly describe the soul’s journey; instead, it provides technical identification of substances (names and regional varieties), which supports accurate performance of Purāṇic rites and formulations referenced elsewhere in the text.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When following Garuda Purana-inspired rituals or traditional preparations, use this verse as a cross-name guide: nāgakeśara may be described with kuṅkuma-like color and linked to Kashmir/Bāhlika sourcing, helping avoid confusion in ingredient selection.