Shloka 30

Rasa-Dravya Varga: Sweet, Sour, Salty, Pungent, Bitter, Astringent; Snehana and Svedana Guidelines

Devanagari script

उत्तमस्य पलं मात्रा त्रिभिश्चाक्षैश्च मध्यमे / जघन्यस्य पलार्धेन स्नेहक्वाथौषधेषु च

Transliteration

uttamasya palaṃ mātrā tribhiścākṣaiśca madhyame / jaghanyasya palārdhena snehakvāthauṣadheṣu ca

Translation

Với người mạnh nhất, liều thích hợp là một pala; với người sức trung bình là ba akṣa; và với người yếu nhất là nửa pala—đó là chuẩn lượng cho các chế phẩm có tính nhuận (snehana), các thang thuốc sắc và các dược phẩm khác nữa.

Word by Word

• उत्तमस्य: of the highest (grade)
• उत्तमस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन — ‘of the best/upper (dose)’

• पलम्: a pala (unit of weight)
• पलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन — measure ‘pala’

• मात्रा: as the measure
• मात्रा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मात्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन — ‘as the measure/by measure’

• त्रिभिः: with three
• त्रिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन — ‘with three’

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

• अक्षैः: with akṣa-units
• अक्षैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन — ‘with akṣa (unit/seed/weight)’

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

• मध्यमे: in the medium (grade)
• मध्यमे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मध्यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन — ‘in the middle (grade)’

• जघन्यस्य: of the lowest (grade)
• जघन्यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जघन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन — ‘of the lowest (grade)’

• पलार्धेन: by half a pala
• पलार्धेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पल + अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन — षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘पलस्य अर्धम्’ → ‘by half a pala’

• स्नेहक्वाथौषधेषु: in fats, decoctions, and medicines
• स्नेहक्वाथौषधेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नेह + क्वाथ + औषध (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन — इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (enumerative) ‘in fats, decoctions, and medicines’

• च: and/also
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Yukti (appropriate measure) according to bala (strength) in administering medicines.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as right order (ṛta) expressed through proportion and restraint in bodily care.

Application: Dose medicines/unctuous preparations/decoctions by patient strength: strong 1 pala, medium 3 akṣa, weak 1/2 pala; avoid one-size-fits-all dosing.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.173.31-33 (oleation, signs, sudation cautions); Garuda Purana 1.174.1 (Dhanvantari’s formulations)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of dosage (mātrā) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse stresses that medicine and therapies must be measured according to a person’s strength—overdosing the weak and underdosing the strong are both improper.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not describe afterlife travel here; it gives practical dharmic guidance on maintaining the body through correct therapeutic measures.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use strength-appropriate dosing: adjust quantity to constitution and capacity, especially for rich substances like ghee/oil and concentrated decoctions.