Agni Purana — Ayurveda, Shloka 22
Kalpasāgara (Ocean of Formulations) — Mṛtyuñjaya Preparations and Rasāyana Regimens
खदिरेण च निर्गुण्ड्या कण्टकार्याथ वासकात् वर्षाभुवा तद्रसैर् वा भावितो वटिकाकृतः
khadireṇa ca nirguṇḍyā kaṇṭakāryātha vāsakāt varṣābhuvā tadrasair vā bhāvito vaṭikākṛtaḥ
يُحضَّر بخدِيرا (khadira) ونيرغونḍī (nirguṇḍī) وكانṭakārī (kaṇṭakārī) وفاسكا (vāsaka)، أو يُسحق ويُشبَّع بعصارات varṣābhū وتلك الأعشاب، ثم يُصاغ على هيئة حبوب (vaṭikā).
Lord Agni (instructional narration within the Agni Purana’s encyclopedic medical section)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Ayurveda","secondary_vidya":"Tantra","practical_application":"Preparation of a polyherbal pill (vaṭikā) by bhāvanā (trituration/impregnation) using specified herbs and their juices for therapeutic use.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Vaṭikā-nirmāṇa with Khadira–Nirguṇḍī–Kaṇṭakārī–Vāsaka and Varṣābhū bhāvanā","lookup_keywords":["vaṭikā","bhāvanā","khadira","nirguṇḍī","vāsaka"],"quick_summary":"Make pills from khadira, nirguṇḍī, kaṇṭakārī, and vāsaka; alternatively (or additionally) triturate the mass with the expressed juices of varṣābhū and the listed herbs before rolling into vaṭikā."}
Dosha: Kapha
Concept: Bhaiṣajya-kalpanā: potency is increased through saṃskāra like bhāvanā and appropriate dosage form (vaṭikā).
Application: Standardize preparation steps (ingredients + juice-trituration + pill-making) for reproducible medicine.
Khanda Section: Ayurveda (Agni Purana medicinal remedies / Bhaiṣajya-kalpa)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"An Ayurvedic physician-apothecary grinding herbs on a stone slab, adding fresh green juice, then rolling the paste into small round pills arranged on a leaf tray.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style, flat vivid colors, traditional vaidya preparing medicine, stone mortar (śilā), herbs khadira bark, nirguṇḍī leaves, kaṇṭakārī berries, vāsaka leaves, assistants holding juice vessel, temple-atelier ambience, ornate borders","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central seated vaidya with gold-leaf highlights on vessels and ornaments, herbal ingredients displayed in bowls, pill-making scene, rich reds and greens, embossed gold detailing on containers","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, delicate linework, instructional composition showing step-by-step: grinding, bhāvanā with juice, rolling vaṭikā, labeled herb bowls, calm workshop interior","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed apothecary scene with attendants, precise depiction of herbs and stone grinder, small pills on parchment, naturalistic palette, fine architectural interior"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तद्रसैर् वा → तत्-रसैः वा (र्-लोप/विसर्ग-सन्धि लेखन); कण्टकार्याथ → कण्टकार्य अथ; वटिकाकृतः → वटिका-कृतः (समास/उपपद-योग).
Related Themes: Agni Purana Khanda: Ayurveda, Bhaiṣajya-kalpa sections around Adhyāya 285 (Kalpa-sāgara context)
FAQs
It teaches an Ayurvedic pharmacy method: preparing a vaṭikā (pill) by combining specific herbs and performing bhāvanā (repeated levigation/impregnation) with their expressed juices to enhance potency and bind the mass for pill-making.
Beyond theology, the Agni Purana preserves practical applied sciences—here, bhaishajya-kalpa (pharmaceutics)—listing materia medica and a concrete dosage-form process (juicing, levigation, pill formation) typical of classical Ayurvedic compendia.
While primarily medical, such prescriptions in the Purana are framed as dharmic welfare-knowledge (lokānugraha): preserving health supports ritual duty, study, and righteous living, making healing knowledge part of meritorious conduct.