Agni Purana — Ayurveda, Shloka 28
Chapter 279 — सिद्धौषधानि (Siddhauṣadhāni, “Perfected Medicines”) — Colophon/Closure
विवर्धयेत्तथा तिक्तकषायकटुकान् क्रमात् यथा रजन्यो वर्धन्ते वलमेकं हि वर्धते
vivardhayettathā tiktakaṣāyakaṭukān kramāt yathā rajanyo vardhante valamekaṃ hi vardhate
وكذلك ينبغي أن تُزاد تدريجيًا، على الترتيب، المذاقات: المُرّ (tikta) والقابض (kaṣāya) والحارّ اللاذع (kaṭuka)، بحيث تزداد الدوشا (الأخلاط الجسدية) زيادةً منضبطة؛ إذ إن الذي ينبغي أن يُنمّى حقًّا هو أمرٌ واحد: قوة البدن وتماسكه.
Lord Agni (narrating Ayurvedic guidance in the Agni Purana’s encyclopedic discourse)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Ayurveda","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Dietetic titration of tastes (tikta/kaṣāya/kaṭu) to manage doṣas while prioritizing strength (bala/ojas) rather than indiscriminate doṣa increase.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Tikta–Kaṣāya–Kaṭu Krama-vardhana (Gradual increase of bitter/astringent/pungent)","lookup_keywords":["tikta","kaṣāya","kaṭu","doṣa-vardhana","bala-vardhana"],"quick_summary":"Increase bitter, astringent, and pungent tastes gradually and intelligently so that regulation—not provocation—results, with the goal of improving bodily strength."}
Dosha: Tridosha
Concept: Moderation and purposeful regimen: controlled adjustment of inputs yields a single desired outcome (bala) rather than uncontrolled multiplicity (doṣa disturbance).
Application: Apply gradualism (krama) in diet/therapy; evaluate outcomes by strength, digestion, and stability.
Khanda Section: Ayurveda (Chikitsa/Vaidyaka—dietetic and doṣa-balancing regimen)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A physician-teacher demonstrating a stepwise dietary ladder: bitter leaves, astringent legumes, pungent spices, with a central scale showing doṣas kept steady while ‘bala’ rises.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, seated vaidya instructing disciple, three bowls labeled tikta/kaṣāya/kaṭu arranged in ascending order, a stylized body silhouette with three doṣa icons stabilized, warm mineral palette.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, ornate vaidya figure with gold foil, three offering plates (greens, pomegranate/legumes, pepper/ginger) in sequence, central golden emblem ‘bala’ rising like a lamp flame, rich decorative borders.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style didactic panel, clean linework, step-chart arrows showing gradual increase, annotations in Devanagari, calm classroom setting with palm-leaf manuscript.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, court physician in a garden pavilion, attendants bringing three dishes in order, a balance scale motif indicating controlled doṣas and increased strength, fine textiles and detail."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shri","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: विवर्धयेत् = विवर्धयेत् (t + t assimilation not present); तिक्तकषायकटुकान् is dvandva; क्रमात् used adverbially; रजन्यः (pl.) + वर्धन्ते; वलम् एकम् (subject phrase) + हि + वर्धते.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 279 (rasa-krama, doṣa-kāla, chikitsā hints)
FAQs
Ayurvedic dietetics (rasa-cikitsā): it prescribes gradually increasing bitter, astringent, and pungent tastes to regulate doṣa behavior while chiefly building bodily strength (bala/valam).
It shows the text functioning beyond mythic narration by embedding practical Ayurveda—specific taste-based dietary strategy for health and doṣa management—alongside its many other sciences.
Maintaining bodily balance and strength supports dharma and disciplined living; health-preserving regimen is treated as a supportive foundation for sustained religious practice and purity of conduct.