शुण्ठीकविता(Poem on Śuṇṭhī – Zingiber officinale)

शुण्ठीकविता

(Poem on Śuṇṭhī – Zingiber officinale)

📜 Sanskrit Poem (8 lines):

शुण्ठी कटु तीक्ष्णोष्णा दीपन्यग्निविवर्धिनी।
आमपाचकरी रुच्या कफवातविनाशिनी॥
शूलकुच्छ्रश्वासकासप्रमेहव्रणनाशिनी।
ग्रहणीदोषनाशिन्या हृद्योष्णा रुचिप्रदा॥
शोथपाचनशक्तिः सा स्रोतःशुद्धिकरी शिवा।
अर्शोऽग्निमान्द्यहन्त्री च मेध्योष्णा बुद्धिवर्धिनी॥
स्निग्धा बल्योषणा सौम्या दोषधातुनिवारिणी।
नमस्ते शुण्ठि सौम्ये त्वं जीवनी गुणप्रदा॥

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🧩 Word-by-Word Sanskrit–English Anvaya:

1. शुण्ठी कटु तीक्ष्ण उष्णा – Śuṇṭhī is pungent, sharp, and hot,
   दीपन्य् अग्नि-विवर्धिनी – stimulates and enhances digestive fire

2. आम-पाचकरी रुच्या – digests toxins and improves taste,
   कफ-वात-विनाशिनी – destroys kapha and vāta

3. शूल-कृच्छ्र-श्वास-कास-प्रमेह-व्रण-नाशिनी – cures pain, dysuria, asthma, cough, diabetes, and wounds

4. ग्रहणी-दोष-नाशिन्या – eliminates grahaṇī (malabsorption disorders),
   हृद्य-उष्णा रुचिप्रदा – warming to the heart, enhances appetite

5. शोथ-पाचन-शक्तिः सा – digests swelling (inflammation),
   स्रोतः-शुद्धि-करी शिवा – purifies the bodily channels, auspicious

6. अर्शः-अग्नि-मान्द्य-हन्त्री च – destroys piles and weak digestion,
   मेध्य-उष्णा बुद्धि-वर्धिनी – warming to the brain and increases intelligence

7. स्निग्धा बल्या उष्णा सौम्या – slightly oily, strengthening, hot yet gentle,
   दोष-धातु-निवारिणी – balances doṣas and dhātus

8. नमस्ते शुण्ठि सौम्ये – Salutations to you, gentle Śuṇṭhī,
   त्वं जीवनी गुण-प्रदा – life-giver and bestower of many virtues

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📖 Full English Sentence Translation:

Śuṇṭhī is pungent, sharp, and hot in nature. It enhances digestion and kindles digestive fire. It removes toxins (āma), improves taste, and balances kapha and vāta. It cures abdominal pain, urinary troubles, respiratory issues like cough and asthma, and also benefits those with diabetes and wounds. Śuṇṭhī effectively treats grahaṇī (digestive absorption disorders), is warming to the heart, and increases appetite. It digests swelling (inflammation), purifies the body’s channels, and is considered highly auspicious. It eliminates piles and sluggish digestion, promotes intellect, and is a brain tonic. Slightly oily, strengthening, and warm, it balances bodily doṣas and dhātus. O gentle Śuṇṭhī, salutations to you — the life-giving herb full of noble virtues.

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✍ लेखकः

डॉ. पाउस् पाउलोस्
(Dr. Pouse Poulose)