Shloka 12

Oṣadhi-nāma-nirdeśa: Paryāya (Synonyms) of Herbs, Minerals, and Classical Measures

Devanagari script

कथिता पिप्पली तज्ज्ञैस्तन्मूलं ग्रन्थिकं स्मृतम् / ऊषणं मरिचं ज्ञेयं शुण्ठी विश्वं महौषधम्

Transliteration

kathitā pippalī tajjñaistanmūlaṃ granthikaṃ smṛtam / ūṣaṇaṃ maricaṃ jñeyaṃ śuṇṭhī viśvaṃ mahauṣadham

Translation

博学之士称其为“毕波利”(pippalī，长胡椒)，其根忆为“格兰提迦”(granthika，即毕波利之根)。当知“乌沙那”(uṣaṇa)即“摩利遮”(marica，黑胡椒)；而“顺提”(śuṇṭhī，干姜)亦名“毗湿婆”(viśvā)——大药王。

Word by Word

• कथिता: is said/called
• कथिता: Karma-samānādhikaraṇa (Object complement/कर्मसमाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कथित (कृदन्त; √कथ् धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त) — ‘having been said/called’

• पिप्पली: pippalī (long pepper)
• पिप्पली: Karma-samānādhikaraṇa (Object complement/कर्मसमाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिप्पली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• तज्ज्ञैः: by the experts/knowers
• तज्ज्ञैः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तज्ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक; तत्+ज्ञ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; समास: तत्पुरुष (तत् ‘that’ + ज्ञ ‘knower’)

• तत्: of it/its
• तत्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन (सम्बन्धे)

• मूलम्: root
• मूलम्: Karma-samānādhikaraṇa (Object complement/कर्मसमाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• ग्रन्थिकम्: granthika (knotty root; name)
• ग्रन्थिकम्: Karma-samānādhikaraṇa (Object complement/कर्मसमाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रन्थिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• स्मृतम्: is considered/remembered
• स्मृतम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृत (कृदन्त; √स्मृ धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त) — ‘remembered/considered’ (passive sense)

• ऊषणम्: ūṣaṇa (dry ginger/pepper name; here a synonym)
• ऊषणम्: Karma-samānādhikaraṇa (Object complement/कर्मसमाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऊषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• मरिचम्: marica (black pepper)
• मरिचम्: Karma-samānādhikaraṇa (Object complement/कर्मसमाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरिच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• ज्ञेयम्: should be known as
• ज्ञेयम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञेय (कृदन्त; √ज्ञा धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधिलिङ्गार्थक कृदन्त (तव्यत्/यत्) — ‘to be known’

• शुण्ठी: śuṇṭhī (dry ginger)
• शुण्ठी: Karma-samānādhikaraṇa (Object complement/कर्मसमाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुण्ठी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• विश्वम्: viśva (a name; ‘universal’)
• विश्वम्: Karma-samānādhikaraṇa (Object complement/कर्मसमाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• महौषधम्: mahauṣadha (great medicine; name)
• महौषधम्: Karma-samānādhikaraṇa (Object complement/कर्मसमाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महौषध (प्रातिपदिक; महा+औषध)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समास: कर्मधारय (महत् औषधम्)

Speaker

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

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Kapha

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Right knowledge (yathā-nāma-jñāna) of substances is part of proper practice; accurate identification prevents error in healing and ritual use.

Vedantic Theme: Loka-saṅgraha through vidyā: preserving ordered knowledge for welfare; sattvic orientation of learning.

Application: Use correct synonyms to avoid confusion in prescriptions: pippalī and its root (granthika/pippalī-mūla), marica (uṣaṇa), and śuṇṭhī (viśvā) when formulating remedies (e.g., pungent-triad preparations).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.204.13 (vyoṣa/tryūṣaṇa triad); Garuda Purana 1.204 (herb synonym lists continuing)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of this herb-synonym verse in the Garuda Purana?

It functions like a traditional glossary, preserving authoritative synonym-identifications of key medicinal substances (pippalī, marica, śuṇṭhī) used in ritual and health contexts.

Does this verse relate to death rituals or the soul’s journey described in the Garuda Purana?

Indirectly: while the verse itself is medical/lexical, such identifications support correct preparation of remedies and ritual materials, which the Purana often links with dharma, purification, and well-being.

What is a practical application of this verse today?

Use it to correctly match Sanskrit names with the right herbs—pippalī (long pepper), its root granthika, marica (black pepper), and śuṇṭhī (dry ginger)—when reading traditional recipes or consulting classical Ayurvedic references.