Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 41

Adhyaya 223 — Rājadharmāḥ

Royal Duties: Inner Palace Governance, Trivarga Protection, Courtly Conduct, and Aromatic/Hygienic Sciences

Devanagari script

त्वक्पथ्ययोः समावंशौ शशिभागार्धसंयुतौ नागवल्लीसमो भाति मुखवासो मनोहरः

Transliteration

tvakpathyayoḥ samāvaṃśau śaśibhāgārdhasaṃyutau nāgavallīsamo bhāti mukhavāso manoharaḥ

Translation

দারুচিনি-ত্বক ও হরীতকী সমান ভাগে নিয়ে, তাতে অর্ধভাগ কর্পূর মিশালে মনোহর মুখবাস প্রস্তুত হয়, যা পানপাতার ন্যায় সুগন্ধ দেয়।

Word by Word

• tvak: skin
• tvak: Adhikaraṇa/Viśeṣya (अधिकरण/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvac (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• pathyayoḥ: of the two wholesome (items)
• pathyayoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pathya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Dual (द्विवचन)

• samāvaṃśau: having equal lineage / of the same family
• samāvaṃśau: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: samāvaṃśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Dual (द्विवचन)

• śaśi-bhāga-ardha-saṃyutau: joined with half a lunar portion
• śaśi-bhāga-ardha-saṃyutau: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śaśi (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāga (प्रातिपदिक) + ardha (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃyuta (कृदन्त; √yuj (धातु) + सम्, क्त)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Dual (द्विवचन); compound: ‘joined with half a portion of the moon’

• nāgavallī-samaḥ: like betel-vine
• nāgavallī-samaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nāgavallī (प्रातिपदिक) + sama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); upamā: ‘equal to nāgavallī (betel-vine)’

• bhāti: shines / appears
• bhāti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhā (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• mukha-vāsaḥ: mouth-fragrance / breath-perfume
• mukha-vāsaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mukha (प्रातिपदिक) + vāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); ‘mouth-perfume / mouth-fragrance’

• manoharaḥ: charming
• manoharaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: manohara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Lord Agni (instructional narration to Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shringara

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: nāgavallīsamo = nāgavallī-samaḥ; mukhavāso = mukha-vāsaḥ; śaśibhāgārdhasaṃyutau treated as tatpuruṣa compound.

Characters & Entities

• Tvak (cinnamon)
• Pathyā (Harītakī)
• Karpūra (camphor)
• Nāgavallī (betel leaf)
• Ayurveda

FAQs

What technical or ritual knowledge (Vidya) is imparted in this verse?

It gives an Ayurvedic mukhavāsa (mouth-perfume) recipe: equal parts cinnamon bark and harītakī, with half-part camphor, to create a betel-like pleasant mouth fragrance.

How does this verse contribute to the 'Encyclopedic' nature of the Agni Purana?

Alongside theology and ritual, the Agni Purāṇa preserves practical Ayurveda—here, a precise household formulation for oral deodorizing and pleasant breath, showing its wide-ranging applied knowledge.

What is the spiritual or karmic significance of this specific instruction?

Maintaining bodily cleanliness and pleasant speech-related purity (mouth/breath) supports sāttvika conduct and fitness for recitation, worship, and social interaction—an indirect aid to ritual purity and merit.