Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 32
Adhyaya 223 — Rājadharmāḥ
Royal Duties: Inner Palace Governance, Trivarga Protection, Courtly Conduct, and Aromatic/Hygienic Sciences
चन्दनागुरुशैलजमिति ख , छ च देवदारुश्चेति घ , ञ च ग्रन्थिपर्णकमिति ग , घ , ञ च सह सर्जरसेनेत्यादिः चोलं कर्पूरमेव चेत्यन्तः पाठः ट पुस्तके नास्ति मञ्जिष्ठातगरं चोलं त्वचं व्यघ्रनखं नक्खं गन्धपत्रञ्च विन्यस्य गन्धतैलं भवेच्छुभं
candanāguruśailajamiti kha , cha ca devadāruśceti gha , ña ca granthiparṇakamiti ga , gha , ña ca saha sarjarasenetyādiḥ colaṃ karpūrameva cetyantaḥ pāṭhaḥ ṭa pustake nāsti mañjiṣṭhātagaraṃ colaṃ tvacaṃ vyaghranakhaṃ nakkhaṃ gandhapatrañca vinyasya gandhatailaṃ bhavecchubhaṃ
بوضع (ومزج) المَنْجِشْثَا (manjiṣṭhā) والتَّغَرَا (tagara) والقماش (للتصفية/النقع) وقِشر القِرفة، وڤياغْرَنَخَ (vyāghranakha) ونَكْخَ (nakkha) والأوراق العَطِرة معًا، يُستحصَل على زيتٍ مُعَطَّرٍ مبارك. (وتُسجِّل المخطوطات قراءاتٍ مختلفة بشأن الصندل، والأغارو، والشَّيلَجَ، والدِّيفَدارو، والغْرَنْثِپَرْنَكَ، وراتنج السَّرْجَ؛ كما أن خاتمة «القماش والكافور» غائبة في مخطوطٍ واحد.)
Lord Agni (teaching to sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s instructional dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Ayurveda","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Preparation of perfumed oil (gandha-taila) by assembling specified aromatics (and optionally noted variants), then infusing/processing for personal anointing, hair oil, ritual lamp-scenting, or deodorizing.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Gandha-taila yoga: Mañjiṣṭhā–Tagara–Tvak–Vyāghranakha–Nakkha–Gandhapatra","lookup_keywords":["gandha-taila","mañjiṣṭhā","tvak","vyāghranakha","nakkha","gandhapatra"],"quick_summary":"Combine the listed aromatics (with manuscript variants including sandalwood/agaru/deodara etc.) to obtain an auspicious perfumed oil; the verse preserves a recipe plus textual variant tradition."}
Concept: Saṃskāra (processing) and saṃyoga (combination) produce a new guṇa (fragrance) in a carrier medium (taila).
Application: Treat oil as a carrier; select top/middle/base notes and fixatives; preserve recipe variants with source notation for reproducibility.
Khanda Section: Ayurveda / Gandha-dravya & Taila-yoga (Perfumery and medicated oils)
Primary Rasa: Adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: Shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"An apothecary lays out multiple aromatics—roots, barks, leaves—then infuses them into oil, with side-notes indicating variant ingredient lists from different manuscripts.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style, a vaidya preparing gandha-taila, rows of labeled leaf-bundles and bark pieces, oil pot on low stove, palm-leaf manuscript with variant readings, flat iconic composition.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, ornate brass vessels, saffron-red mañjiṣṭhā tones, gold leaf on jars, a scribe noting variants beside the perfumer, temple-like interior glow.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, step-by-step instructional layout: ingredients arranged, cloth filtration shown, infusion pot, annotations for optional candana/agaru/devadāru, clean lines and soft shading.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed still-life of aromatics and oil flasks, a scholar-perfumer comparing manuscripts, fine calligraphy margins, delicate architectural niche background."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"focused","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: devadāruśceti = devadāruḥ + ca + iti; gandhapatrañca = gandhapatram + ca; bhavecchubham = bhavet + śubham. Several items (kha/ga/gha/ña/ṭa) are manuscript sigla included in the transmitted text.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 223 (Gandha-dravya & Taila-yoga)
FAQs
It teaches an Ayurvedic-perfumery formulation: combining specific fragrant drugs (mañjiṣṭhā, tagara, tvak, aromatic leaf-drugs, etc.) to prepare a ‘gandha-taila’—a perfumed oil used for anointing, fragrance, and allied therapeutic/cosmetic purposes.
Beyond theology, it preserves applied technical knowledge—materia medica and preparation methods for aromatic oils—showing the Agni Purana’s coverage of practical Ayurveda, cosmetics, and household/ritual utilities alongside religious instruction.
By prescribing ‘śubha’ (auspicious) fragrant oil, the text links purity and auspiciousness with bodily anointing and ritual cleanliness—supporting sattvic conduct and sanctified preparation for worship and daily rites.