Agni Purana — Ayurveda, Shloka 15
Bala-graha-hara Bāla-tantram (बालग्रहहर बालतन्त्रम्) — Pediatric protection and graha-affliction management
बलिः पूर्वैव मत्स्याद्यैर् धूपलेपे च हिङ्गुला वचासिद्धर्थलशुनैश्चोर्ध्वग्राही महाग्रही
baliḥ pūrvaiva matsyādyair dhūpalepe ca hiṅgulā vacāsiddharthalaśunaiścordhvagrāhī mahāgrahī
প্ৰথমে মাছ আদি বস্তুৰে বলি দিয়া উচিত। ধূপ আৰু লেপ (ৰক্ষাপ্ৰয়োগ)ৰ বাবে হিঙ্গুলা (সিন্নাবৰ) বিধেয়; আৰু বচা, সিদ্ধার্থ (বগা সৰিষা) আৰু নহৰুসহ ‘ঊৰ্ধ্বগ্ৰাহী’ আৰু ‘মহাগ্ৰাহী’ গ্ৰহপীড়াৰ শমন কৰিব লাগে।
Lord Agni (instructing the sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purāṇa’s encyclopedic teachings)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Ayurveda","secondary_vidya":"Tantra","practical_application":"Therapeutic-ritual protocol for graha-bādhā: bali offering first, then dhūpa (fumigation) and lepa (smearing/unction) using hingulā and pungent protective herbs for specific grahas (ūrdhvagrāhī, mahāgrāhī).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Bali–dhūpa–lepa krama for Ūrdhvagrāhī and Mahāgrāhī grahas","lookup_keywords":["bali matsyādi","hingulā dhūpa lepa","vacā siddhārtha laśuna","ūrdhvagrāhī","mahāgrāhī"],"quick_summary":"Prescribes a sequence: offer bali (fish etc.), then apply fumigation and smearing using cinnabar with vacā, white mustard, and garlic to counter upward-seizing and great-seizing graha afflictions."}
Concept: Upāya-bheda: combining dravya-cikitsā (substances) with śānti-karma (appeasement rites) for unseen afflictions.
Application: Integrate behavioral/ritual steps (bali) with sensory interventions (smell/unction) to address community-understood etiologies of illness.
Khanda Section: Ayurveda / Bhaiṣajya-Kalpa (Therapeutics; Graha-roga and protective rites)
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A ritual-physician prepares a bali offering of fish and sets it aside; nearby, a brazier emits fumigation while a paste is mixed from hingulā, vacā, white mustard, and garlic for protective smearing.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, ritual corner with lamp and brazier, bowls of red hingulā and herbs, bali plate with fish, priest-vaidya in traditional attire, strong outlines and flat color fields, protective yantra-like motifs subtly in background.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, richly ornamented altar scene, gold-leaf highlights on bali plate and vessels, vivid red hingulā paste, priest applying lepa, symmetrical composition with decorative borders.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, didactic layout showing sequence: (1) bali with matsya-ādi, (2) dhūpa, (3) lepa preparation; fine lines, soft gradients, labeled ingredients in small cartouches.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtyard ritual with attendants, detailed depiction of fish offering, mortar-and-pestle mixing garlic and mustard, red cinnabar paste, smoke curling from brazier, naturalistic faces and textiles."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: pūrvaiva = पूर्वा + एव; matsyādyaiḥ = मत्स्य-आद्यैः; dhūpalepe = धूप-लेपे (loc. dual); vacāsiddharthalaśunaiḥ = वचा-सिद्धार्थ-लशुनैः; vacāsiddharthalaśunaiścordhvagrāhī = ... + च + ऊर्ध्वग्राही.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 298 (bali, dhūpa, lepa for graha-roga)
FAQs
It prescribes a combined ritual-therapeutic protocol: a bali offering (including fish-type items) plus protective fumigation (dhūpa) and smearing/anointing (lepa) using hiṅgulā (cinnabar) and aromatics/antimicrobials like vacā, mustard, and garlic for graha-type afflictions.
It blends ritual procedure (bali, dhūpa, lepa) with materia medica (hiṅgulā, vacā, siddhārtha, laśuna) and disease/affliction taxonomy (ūrdhvagrāhī, mahāgrahī), illustrating the text’s cross-disciplinary coverage of religion, healing, and applied protective practices.
By propitiating and pacifying harmful grahas through bali and purificatory applications, the practitioner seeks removal of obstructive influences, restoration of well-being, and ritual purification—framing healing as both a spiritual appeasement and a practical remedy.