Agni Purana — Ayurveda, Shloka 5
Aśvāyurveda
Medical Science of Horses
घतान्सर्वरसैः पूर्णान् दिक्षु दद्यात्सवस्त्रकान् यवाज्यं जुहुयात् प्रार्च्य यजेदश्वांश् च साश्विनान्
ghatānsarvarasaiḥ pūrṇān dikṣu dadyātsavastrakān yavājyaṃ juhuyāt prārcya yajedaśvāṃś ca sāśvinān
Man soll in den Richtungen (den acht Himmelsrichtungen) Töpfe darbringen, die mit allerlei wohlschmeckenden Flüssigkeiten gefüllt sind, zusammen mit Gewändern. Nachdem man zuvor in gebührender Weise verehrt hat, soll man eine Opfergabe aus Gerste, mit Ghee vermischt, ins Feuer darbringen und auch die Pferde zusammen mit den Aśvin-Gottheiten verehren.
Lord Agni (narrating to sage Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purana frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Directional offerings (dik-dāna/nyāsa-like placement) with rasa-filled pots and garments; homa with yavāgya (barley + ghee); ancillary worship of horses with Aśvin-deities for auspiciousness, vitality, and protection.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Dikṣu kalaśa-dāna, Yavāgya-homa, and Aśvinau-sahita Aśva-pūjā","lookup_keywords":["dikṣu","ghaṭa","sarvarasa","yavāgya","aśvinau"],"quick_summary":"Place pots filled with various liquids in the directions with cloth-gifts, offer barley mixed with ghee into fire after worship, and perform horse-worship together with the Aśvins."}
Concept: Reciprocity and completeness in yajña: directional honoring, proper dāna, and fire-offering as harmonizing acts.
Application: In household/temple rites, structure offerings by directions and conclude with homa to seal the ritual intention.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi (Yajna and Dana-vidhi)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Eight directional stations around a fire-altar: pots brimming with different liquids placed in each direction with folded garments; a priest pours barley mixed with ghee into the fire; nearby, horses are garlanded as the Aśvins are invoked.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, symmetrical eight-direction layout around a vedi, bright kalaśas at cardinal/intercardinal points, stylized flames, priests in white, horses with garlands, small twin Aśvin icons above, decorative borders","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central homa-kunda with gold flame accents, eight ornate pots with jeweled rims, cloth offerings depicted as rich textiles, horses adorned, twin Aśvinau shown in small medallions, heavy gold ornamentation","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, diagrammatic clarity: labeled eight directions, pots and garments at each, priest offering yavāgya into fire, horses to the side, soft colors and precise lines","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtly ritual scene with attendants carrying pots and textiles to each direction, detailed horses with tack and garlands, fire-altar with smoke, refined architectural courtyard"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: घतान्सर्वरसैः = घटान् + सर्वरसैः; दद्यात्सवस्त्रकान् = दद्यात् + सवस्त्रकान्; यजेदश्वांश् = यजेत् + अश्वान् (त् + अ → द्; final -न् before च often written -ंश् in padapāṭha-like orthography).
Related Themes: Agni Purana Puja-vidhi passages on dik-pūjā, kalaśa-sthāpana, and homa-dravya lists (same khanda context)
FAQs
It prescribes a combined dana-and-homa procedure: gifting directionally placed pots filled with ritual liquids (sarvarasa) along with cloth, performing a barley-and-ghee oblation (yavājya), and conducting horse-related worship invoking the Aśvins.
It showcases the text’s procedural detail in ritual science—linking dana (charitable gifting), homa (fire oblation), and deity-specific invocations (Aśvins) within a larger sacrificial framework, reflecting the Purana’s compendium-like coverage of practical rites.
Such offerings and directional gifts are presented as merit-generating acts that support ritual completeness, invoke auspicious healing-protective forces associated with the Aśvins, and contribute to purification and the accrual of punya through properly executed yajna and dana.