Shloka 1

Aśva–Gaja Āyurveda: Marks, Defects, Wounds, Doṣa-Therapy, and Protective Rites

Devanagari script

धन्वन्तरिरुवाच / हयायुर्वेदमाख्यास्ये हयं सर्वार्थलक्षणम् / काकतुण्डः कृष्णजिह्वो वृक्षास्यश्चोष्णतालुकः

Transliteration

dhanvantariruvāca / hayāyurvedamākhyāsye hayaṃ sarvārthalakṣaṇam / kākatuṇḍaḥ kṛṣṇajihvo vṛkṣāsyaścoṣṇatālukaḥ

Translation

Wika ni Dhanvantari: “Ngayon ay ipaliliwanag ko ang Ayurveda para sa mga kabayo—ang kabayong ang mga tanda ay nagpapakita ng ganap na kahusayan. Ang gayong kabayo ay may ngusong tila tuka ng uwak, dila na itim, bibig na malapad at matatag na parang puno, at ngalangala na mainit.”

Word by Word

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

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Speech act/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• हयायुर्वेदम्: the horse-Ayurveda
• हयायुर्वेदम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हय + आयुर्वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (“Ayurveda of the horse”)

• आख्यास्ये: I will explain/declare
• आख्यास्ये: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-ख्या (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (simple future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• हयम्: a horse
• हयम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (accusative), एकवचन

• सर्वार्थलक्षणम्: characterized by all features
• सर्वार्थलक्षणम्: Karman (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + अर्थ + लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (“having marks of all purposes/meanings”); विशेषणम् (qualifying hayam)

• काकतुण्डः: crow-beaked
• काकतुण्डः: Karta (Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काक + तुण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (“one whose beak is like a crow’s”)

• कृष्णजिह्वः: black-tongued
• कृष्णजिह्वः: Karta (Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्ण + जिह्वा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (“one whose tongue is black”)

• वृक्षास्यः: tree-faced (woody-mouthed)
• वृक्षास्यः: Karta (Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृक्ष + आस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (“one whose mouth/face is like a tree (i.e., rough/woody)”)

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

• उष्णतालुकः: hot-palated
• उष्णतालुकः: Karta (Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उष्ण + तालु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (“one whose palate is hot”)

Speaker

Dhanvantari

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Lakṣaṇa-śāstra: recognizing ideal bodily marks (here, of a horse) supports right selection and proper stewardship.

Vedantic Theme: Prakṛti’s guṇa-patterns manifest as observable signs; knowledge applied to sustain order (dharma) in worldly roles.

Application: In selecting/assessing horses, examine mouth/muzzle form, tongue color, oral cavity robustness, and palate warmth as indicators of quality and health.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.201 (Hayāyurveda / veterinary-lakṣaṇa section); Garuda Purana first khaṇḍa material attributed to Dhanvantari on medical knowledge

Characters & Entities

• Dhanvantari
• Horse (Haya)

FAQs

What is the importance of Hayāyurveda in the Garuda Purana?

This verse introduces a specialized Ayurvedic section on horses, framing the topic as a systematic account of identifying and understanding a horse through diagnostic “marks” (lakṣaṇas).

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not discuss the soul’s journey or afterlife themes; it begins a practical, medical-lakṣaṇa teaching attributed to Dhanvantari about horses.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a traditional checklist for observing external indicators (tongue, palate, mouth/muzzle form) when assessing an animal’s constitution and suitability, alongside modern veterinary evaluation.