Shloka 13

Kuṣṭha-bheda-lakṣaṇa-nidāna and Śvitra (Kilāsa) Prognosis

Devanagari script

रोमहर्षो ऽसृजः कार्ष्ण्यं कुष्ठलक्षणमग्रजम् / कृष्णारुणकपालाभं यद्रूक्षं परुषं तनु

Transliteration

romaharṣo 'sṛjaḥ kārṣṇyaṃ kuṣṭhalakṣaṇamagrajam / kṛṣṇāruṇakapālābhaṃ yadrūkṣaṃ paruṣaṃ tanu

Translation

毛发竖立、血色缺失（或失去健康红润）与发黑，被说为麻风之最先要相。凡其身形如黑中带赤之骷髅，干枯粗涩者，即为此疾所印记。

Word by Word

• रोमहर्षः: horripilation, hair-raising
• रोमहर्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोम + हर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (रोम्णः हर्षः)

• असृजः: of blood
• असृजः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असृज्/असृक् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचन (genitive: of blood)

• कार्ष्ण्यम्: blackness
• कार्ष्ण्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण + य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; भाववाचक (blackness)

• कुष्ठलक्षणम्: a sign of leprosy/skin disease
• कुष्ठलक्षणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुष्ठ + लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कुष्ठस्य लक्षणम्)

• अग्रजम्: foremost, primary
• अग्रजम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अग्रज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (agreeing with कुष्ठलक्षणम्; earlier/primary)

• कृष्ण: black
• कृष्ण: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रातिपदिक (as member in compound)

• अरुण: reddish-brown
• अरुण: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रातिपदिक (as member in compound)

• कपाल: skull, skull-bowl
• कपाल: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रातिपदिक (as member in compound)

• आभम्: having the appearance of
• आभम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; उपमान-तत्पुरुष (कपालस्य आभम् = skull-like)

• यत्: which
• यत्: Sambandha (Relative connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (relative pronoun)

• रूक्षम्: dry, rough
• रूक्षम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रूक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (agreeing with यत्/तन् implied)

• परुषम्: harsh, coarse
• परुषम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन

• तनु: thin
• तनु: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (thin)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Clear recognition (lakṣaṇa-jñāna) of disease signs dispels denial and prompts right response; the body’s decay-like appearance underscores impermanence.

Vedantic Theme: Asat-kāyābhimāna-nivṛtti (loosening identification with the body) through confronting decay and suffering.

Application: Use hallmark signs (romaharṣa, pallor/absence of healthy blood tone, blackening, extreme dryness/roughness) for early identification and prompt care.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.164.11-12 (general symptomatology); Garuda Purana 1.164.14-15 (types: viṣama, audumbara)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of kuṣṭha (leprosy/skin disease) descriptions in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames kuṣṭha as identifiable through specific bodily signs (dryness, roughness, dark discoloration), supporting the Purana’s broader teaching that actions (karma) manifest as visible consequences.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana context?

While not describing the after-death journey directly, it links embodied suffering to moral causality—an idea used throughout the Garuda Purana to explain why souls experience particular pains and conditions.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as an ethical reminder: cultivate non-harm and disciplined living, and seek timely care for illness—seeing health as a responsibility shaped by conduct and compassion.