Shloka 18

Keśa-vardhana, Pālitā-nāśa, Śiraḥ-roga and Karṇa-śūla Cikitsā

Hair Growth, Greying Reversal, Head & Ear Remedies

Devanagari script

वल्कलैः साधितैर्लिप्तं लिङ्गं तेन विवर्धते

Transliteration

valkalaiḥ sādhitairliptaṃ liṅgaṃ tena vivardhate

Translation

درخت کی چھال کے ریشوں سے تیار کردہ لیپ جب عضوِ تناسل پر مل دیا جائے تو اس سے وہ بڑھتا اور مضبوط ہوتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• वल्कलैः: with bark (fibres)
• वल्कलैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वल्कल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन — ‘with barks/fibres’

• साधितैः: prepared
• साधितैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √साध् (धातु) → साधित (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त-विशेषण, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग — क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle): ‘prepared/processed’ (वल्कलैः इति विशेष्य)

• लिप्तम्: smeared
• लिप्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √लिप् (धातु) → लिप्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त-विशेषण, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग — क्त-प्रत्यय: ‘smeared/anointed’ (लिङ्गम् इति विशेष्य)

• लिङ्गम्: the genital
• लिङ्गम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन — ‘genital’

• तेन: thereby
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन — सर्वनाम: ‘by that/thereby’

• विवर्धते: increases
• विवर्धते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वृध् (धातु) उपसर्ग: वि-
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद — ‘grows/increases’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra, as per Garuda Purana dialogue style)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Proper application (yukti) of preparations yields intended results; disciplined regimen over mere wish.

Vedantic Theme: Kārya-kāraṇa-bhāva (causality) in embodied life; regulated action as support for puruṣārthas.

Application: Apply (lipta) preparations made by cooking/processing bark-fibres (valkala-sādhita) as an unction to promote increase, as per the text’s claim.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.176.17 (strengthening/growth-promoting applications); Garuda Purana 1.176.15–16 (remedy and ingredient context)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Liṅga)

FAQs

What is the importance of anointing the liṅga in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents anointing as a specific upacāra (ritual service) whose stated fruit is the flourishing of the liṅga’s sacred efficacy and the devotee’s merit.

How does this verse relate to dharma and ritual observance?

It emphasizes correct materials and procedure (prepared bark-based substances) as part of ritual discipline, a recurring theme in Purāṇic dharma.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform worship with purity and appropriate traditional materials, focusing on disciplined practice rather than improvisation.