Agni Purana — Ayurveda, Shloka 6
Chapter 288 — अश्वचिकित्सा
Aśva-cikitsā) | Horse-Medicine (Śālihotra to Suśruta
रन्ध्रोपरन्ध्रयोर्द्वौ द्वौ द्वौ द्वौ मस्तकवक्षसोः प्रयाणे च ललाटे च कण्ठावर्ताः शुभा दश
randhroparandhrayordvau dvau dvau dvau mastakavakṣasoḥ prayāṇe ca lalāṭe ca kaṇṭhāvartāḥ śubhā daśa
ৰন্ধ্ৰ-উপরন্ধ্ৰত দুটা দুটা, মস্তক আৰু বক্ষত দুটা দুটা; লগতে শিখা (প্ৰয়াণ) আৰু ললাটত—কণ্ঠৰ শুভ আবৰ্ত মুঠ দহ।
Lord Agni (in discourse to the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Ayurveda","secondary_vidya":"Jyotisha","practical_application":"Samudrika/aṅga-lakṣaṇa: interpreting hair-whorls (āvarta) on body regions as auspicious markers for prognosis, suitability for rites, and social/royal selection norms.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Śubha-āvarta-saṅkhyā: auspicious whorls on head, chest, crown, forehead, neck","lookup_keywords":["samudrika","avarta","anga-lakshana","shubha-dasha","kantha-avarta"],"quick_summary":"Enumerates auspicious counts/placements of whorls at key bodily sites, culminating in ten auspicious neck-related whorls. Used as a physiognomic checklist."}
Concept: The body as a field of nimittas (signs) where patterned marks are read for auspiciousness.
Application: Apply as a structured checklist (counts and sites) during samudrika examination; record placements for comparison with traditional norms.
Khanda Section: Ayurveda / Samudrika-śāstra (Aṅga-lakṣaṇa: auspicious bodily marks)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A teacher points out whorl locations on a seated figure: head apertures, head, chest, crown, forehead, and neck—counting them as auspicious ten.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, guru demonstrating avarta points on a stylized human figure, marked spirals at head/chest/neck, palm-leaf manuscript, temple-school ambience, bold outlines and flat colors","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, didactic portrait with gold haloed guru and disciple, spirals rendered as decorative motifs on neck and chest, gold leaf borders, rich textile patterns","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, anatomical-instruction style: clean lines showing ten auspicious whorls, labels in Devanagari, soft shading, emphasis on clarity","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, scholarly lesson in a pavilion, figure with subtle spiral marks indicated, teacher counting on fingers, manuscript open with diagrams"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: रन्ध्र+उपरन्ध्रयोः→रन्ध्रोपरन्ध्रयोः (स्वर-सन्धि); कण्ठ+आवर्ताः→कण्ठावर्ताः.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 288 (aṅga-lakṣaṇa/āvarta sections)
FAQs
It teaches Samudrika-style diagnostics: counting and locating auspicious hair-whorls (āvartas) on the neck region and nearby loci (fontanels, head, chest, crown, forehead) as indicators of good fortune.
Beyond theology, the Agni Purana preserves applied knowledge like physiognomy (aṅga-lakṣaṇa) used for assessing prosperity, character, and destiny—showing its wide coverage of practical sciences alongside ritual and devotion.
Auspicious bodily signs are treated as outward indicators of accumulated merit (puṇya) and favorable destiny; recognizing them supports traditional decision-making (marriage, leadership, rites) aligned with dharma.