Shloka 10

Kāsa-bheda: The Fivefold Classification of Cough and Its Clinical Signs

Devanagari script

युद्धाद्यैः साहसैस्तैस्तैः सेवितैरयथाबलम् / उपस्यन्तः क्षतो वायुः पित्तेनानुगतो बली

Transliteration

yuddhādyaiḥ sāhasaistaistaiḥ sevitairayathābalam / upasyantaḥ kṣato vāyuḥ pittenānugato balī

Translation

若逞强投身战斗等诸般冒进之举，超越己力，则生命之风 vāyu 受损；当其又被炽盛之 pitta（胆热）所随伴，便更猛烈地折磨其身。

Word by Word

• युद्धाद्यैः: by battles and the like
• युद्धाद्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्धादि (प्रातिपदिक; युद्ध + आदि)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; करण (instrumental)

• साहसैः: by rash acts, exertions
• साहसैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साहस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; करण

• तैः: by those
• तैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम; करण

• तैः: by those (various)
• तैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; पुनरुक्ति-बल (emphatic repetition)

• सेवितैः: practised/indulged in
• सेवितैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सेव् (धातु) → सेवित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; विशेषण (qualifying साहसैः/युद्धाद्यैः)

• अयथाबलम्: beyond one’s strength, improperly as to strength
• अयथाबलम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अयथा + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial)

• उपस्यन्तः: approaching/attending (doing)
• उपस्यन्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप + अस् (धातु) → उपस्यत् (कृदन्त, शतृ)
• Form: वर्तमानकर्तरि कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्तृवाचक (describing agents)

• क्षतः: injured, aggravated
• क्षतः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षत (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-रूप)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying वायुः)

• वायुः: Vāyu (vāta-doṣa)
• वायुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्ता/विषय (topic: vāta)

• पित्तेन: with pitta
• पित्तेन: Sahakari/Karana (Accompaniment/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; सहकारक/करण (with/by pitta)

• अनुगतः: accompanied/followed
• अनुगतः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनु + गम् (धातु) → अनुगत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying वायुः)

• बली: strong, powerful
• बली: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying वायुः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda)

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Vata

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ati-sāhasa (excessive daring) beyond one’s capacity disrupts vāyu; pitta association worsens pathology—measure and self-knowledge prevent harm.

Vedantic Theme: Yukta (moderation) and svadharma aligned with one’s śakti; bodily instrument must be preserved for sādhana.

Application: Avoid overtraining/overwork and reckless risk; pace exertion to capacity; manage heat/inflammation (pitta) with cooling/rest and timely treatment.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.149 (etiology: improper exertion leading to vāta injury; doṣa-saṃsarga with pitta)

FAQs

What is the importance of acting according to one’s capacity (ayathābalam) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse warns that overexertion and rash heroics damage vāyu (vital functioning) and, when joined with pitta’s heat, increase affliction—so restraint and right measure are protective.

How does this verse explain suffering in terms of vāyu and pitta?

It links suffering to a doṣa-like disturbance: reckless exertion injures vāyu, and pitta intensifies it, producing stronger torment—an inner, causal explanation rather than mere external fate.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Avoid pushing the body and mind into extreme risk or overstrain; choose disciplined effort, recovery, and measured courage to prevent avoidable distress.