Shloka 12

Roganidāna: Definitions, Fivefold Diagnostic Method, and Doṣa-wise Causes

Devanagari script

हेत्वादिकार्त्स्न्यावयवैर्बलाबलविशेषषणम् / नक्तन्दिनार्धभुक्तांशैर्व्याधिकालो यथामलम्

Transliteration

hetvādikārtsnyāvayavairbalābalaviśeṣaṣaṇam / naktandinārdhabhuktāṃśairvyādhikālo yathāmalam

Translation

Do xét các nguyên nhân cùng toàn bộ các yếu tố và phần thể của thân, phải định rõ những dấu hiệu riêng của mạnh và yếu. Cũng vậy, từ các nếp như ăn ban đêm, ăn ban ngày, và ăn chỉ nửa phần, phải hiểu tiến trình thời gian của bệnh, tùy theo sự uế trược (mala) ẩn bên trong.

Word by Word

• हेतु: cause
• हेतु: Samasa-anga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; (समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण)

• आदि: and so on
• आदि: Avyaya (Particle/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययार्थक)
• Form: अव्यय; ‘etc.’ अर्थे (समासपूर्वपद)

• कार्त्स्न्य: entirety/wholeness
• कार्त्स्न्य: Samasa-anga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्त्स्न्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; (समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण)

• अवयवैः: by the components of the complete set of causes etc.
• अवयवैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवयव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; हेत्वादिकार्त्स्न्यावयवैः इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषसमासः (हेत्वादिकार्त्स्न्यस्य अवयवाः)

• बल: strength
• बल: Samasa-anga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; (समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण)

• अबला: weakness
• अबला: Samasa-anga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अबल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; (समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण)

• विशेषणम्: the specification/assessment of strength and weakness
• विशेषणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशेषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बलाबलविशेषणम् इति द्वन्द्व-पूर्वपद (बल+अबल) सह कर्मधारयार्थे ‘बलाबलस्य विशेषणम्’

• नक्तम्: at night
• नक्तम्: Avyaya (Adverbial/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नक्तम् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययार्थक)
• Form: अव्यय; ‘रात्रौ’ अर्थे (समासपूर्वपद)

• दिन: day
• दिन: Samasa-anga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; (समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण)

• अर्ध: half
• अर्ध: Samasa-anga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; (समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण)

• भुक्त: eaten/consumed
• भुक्त: Samasa-anga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भुज् (धातु) → भुक्त (कृदन्त, भूतकर्मणि/क्त)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक-सम्भव; (समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण)

• अंशैः: by portions such as (food taken) at night, by day, half-eaten etc.
• अंशैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; नक्तन्दिनार्धभुक्तांशैः इति बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (नक्तं दिनं अर्धं भुक्तं च ये अंशाः तैः)

• व्याधि: disease
• व्याधि: Samasa-anga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्याधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; (समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण)

• कालः: the time/period of the disease
• कालः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; व्याधिकालः इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (व्याधेः कालः)

• यथा: as/according to
• यथा: Avyaya (Adverbial/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारे (as/according to)

• मलम्: impurity/doṣa (mala)
• मलम्: Adhikarana/Avyaya (According to/अनुसार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन; अत्र ‘यथामलम्’ इति अव्ययीभावार्थे (मलानुसारम्)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinatā-putra)

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Vata/Pitta/Kapha

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Holistic assessment: hetu (causes) and aṅga/avayava (components) reveal bala–abala; dietary timing/quantity patterns indicate vyādhi-kāla aligned with mala-doṣa disturbance.

Vedantic Theme: Pramāṇa-based attentiveness (yathārtha-jñāna) to conditions and change; disciplined observation as a means to reduce duḥkha.

Application: Take a full history of causes and bodily factors; evaluate strength/weakness signs; note night-eating, day-eating, and half-meal habits to infer disease stage/progression and tailor regimen.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.146.13 (aggravated malāḥ as universal nidāna); Garuda Purana 1.146.15 (specific ahita-vihāra/āhāra aggravators)

FAQs

What is the importance of determining bala and abala in the Garuda Purana?

This verse stresses that accurate assessment of a person’s strength and weakness must be based on a complete review of causes and contributing factors, which guides proper understanding of illness and response.

How does this verse explain the progression (time-course) of disease?

It links disease timing to dietary patterns—such as eating at night or irregular restriction—and says prognosis should be inferred in line with the underlying ‘mala’ (morbid impurity/doṣa disturbance).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain disciplined eating times and avoid habitual night-eating; when evaluating health issues, consider the full set of causes and lifestyle factors rather than a single symptom.