Agni Purana — Ayurveda, Shloka 9
अध्यायः २८६ — गजचिकित्सा
Elephant Medicine
लवणैः पञ्चभिर्मश्रा प्रतिपानाय वारुणी धन्वन्तरिरुवाचेति ञ मर्दना इति ञ विडङ्गत्रिफलाव्योषसैन्धवैः कवलान् कृतान्
lavaṇaiḥ pañcabhirmaśrā pratipānāya vāruṇī dhanvantariruvāceti ña mardanā iti ña viḍaṅgatriphalāvyoṣasaindhavaiḥ kavalān kṛtān
পাঁচ লবণ মিশ্রিত বারুণী প্রতিপান (অনুপান) হিসেবে গ্রহণযোগ্য—এমনই ধন্বন্তরি বললেন। ‘মর্দনা’ নামে যোগটি বিডঙ্গ, ত্রিফলা, ব্যোষ ও সৈন্ধব দিয়ে কবল (মুখে ধারণযোগ্য গোলক) করে প্রস্তুত।
Dhanvantari (as cited within Lord Agni’s encyclopedic narration)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Ayurveda","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Formulation guidance: anupāna (post-dose vehicle) using vāruṇī with pañca-lavaṇa; preparation of kavala (oral bolus/gargle) named Mardanā from specific drugs.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Formula","entry_title":"Vāruṇī + Pañca-lavaṇa Anupāna; ‘Mardanā’ Kavala with Viḍaṅga–Triphala–Vyoṣa–Saindhava","lookup_keywords":["vāruṇī","pañca-lavaṇa","anupāna","mardanā","kavala"],"quick_summary":"Use vāruṇī mixed with five salts as a post-dose drink; prepare ‘Mardanā’ as oral boluses (kavala) from viḍaṅga, triphalā, vyoṣa, and saindhava for oral/upper-channel cleansing and stimulation."}
Dosha: Kapha
Concept: Aushadha-yoga and anupāna-vidhi: efficacy depends on correct vehicle and mode (kavala).
Application: Select anupāna to direct drug action; use kavala as a localized therapy for mouth/throat and as dīpana support.
Khanda Section: Ayurveda (Agni Purana medicinal remedies and formulations)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A dispensary scene: vāruṇī in a flask being mixed with five salts; nearby, a mortar and pestle grind viḍaṅga, triphalā, vyoṣa, and saindhava into boluses labeled ‘Mardanā’, with a patient holding a kavala in the mouth.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, stylized pharmacy table with five salt bowls, a dark fermented vāruṇī pot, vaidya grinding herbs, patient performing kavala, decorative borders and flat color fields.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, gold-leaf accents on bowls of salts and ornate medicine containers, central vaidya presenting a kavala bolus, rich jewel tones, symmetrical composition.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional clarity: labeled ingredients (viḍaṅga, triphalā, vyoṣa, saindhava), stepwise depiction of mixing and forming kavala, delicate shading and fine outlines.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature workshop scene with detailed utensils, translucent flask of vāruṇī, small bowls of salts, scribe noting ‘Dhanvantari uvāca’, patient in profile doing kavala."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: पञ्चभिर्मश्रा → पञ्चभिः + मिश्राः/मिश्रा (here taken as मिश्राः→मिश्रा by textual variant); धन्वन्तरिरुवाच → धन्वन्तरिः + उवाच; (ña markers ignored as editorial/printing artifacts)
Related Themes: Agni Purana Ayurveda khanda: sections on lavaṇa-varga, anupāna, asava/ariṣṭa-like preparations, kavala/gandūṣa
FAQs
It gives an Ayurvedic protocol: Vāruṇī mixed with the five salts is prescribed as an anupāna (after-drink), and it teaches a specific cavana/kavala-style oral bolus formula made from viḍaṅga, triphalā, vyoṣa, and saindhava.
Alongside theology and ritual, the Agni Purana preserves practical medical recipes and dosage-vehicles (anupāna) and even oral-therapy preparations (kavala), showing it functions as a compendium of applied sciences like Ayurveda.
By promoting bodily purification—especially of digestion and the mouth/speech-organs—such remedies support sāttvika discipline and cleanliness, indirectly aiding ritual fitness (adhikāra) and reducing doṣa-driven impurity that obstructs worship and right conduct.