Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 30
Chapter 246 — वास्तुलक्षणम्
Characteristics of Building-sites / Vāstu
मत्स्योदकेन शीतेन आम्राणां सेक इष्यते प्रशस्तं चाप्यशोकानां कामिनीपादताडनं
matsyodakena śītena āmrāṇāṃ seka iṣyate praśastaṃ cāpyaśokānāṃ kāminīpādatāḍanaṃ
Für Mangobäume wird die Bewässerung mit kühlem „Fischwasser“ empfohlen; und für Aśoka-Bäume gilt es ebenfalls als heilsam, wenn sie vom Fuß einer geliebten Frau berührt oder geschlagen werden.
Lord Agni (in dialogue, traditionally instructing Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Ayurveda","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Species-specific horticultural prescriptions: mango benefits from cool fish-water irrigation; aśoka is stimulated by a culturally framed practice (contact/striking by a beloved woman’s foot) associated with flowering.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Species-specific growth/flowering stimulants: mango and aśoka","lookup_keywords":["āmra","aśoka","matsyodaka","śīta-seka","kāminī-pāda-tāḍana"],"quick_summary":"Mango trees are to be irrigated with cool fish-water. Aśoka trees are said to respond beneficially to being struck by the foot of a beloved woman, a traditional flowering stimulant motif."}
Dosha: Pitta
Alamkara Type: Rūpaka/utprekṣā (traditional poetic motif of aśoka blooming by a woman’s touch)
Concept: Prakṛti responds to both material causes (cool nutritive water) and saṃskāra/saṅketa (symbolic auspicious acts).
Application: Apply species-specific care; recognize that some prescriptions encode ritual symbolism alongside horticulture.
Khanda Section: Ayurveda / Vṛkṣāyurveda (Horticulture & plant-care remedies)
Primary Rasa: shringara
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A mango orchard irrigated with cool fish-water; nearby an aśoka tree where a graceful woman lightly touches/strikes the trunk with her foot, and blossoms appear.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, two-panel composition: left mango tree with gardener pouring cool fish-water from bronze pot, fish motif visible; right aśoka tree with stylized woman in traditional attire in tribhaṅga gently touching with foot, blossoms bursting, rich greens and reds","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central aśoka with gold-leaf blossoms, elegant woman with ornate jewelry poised near the trunk, mango tree vignette with fish-water vessel, heavy gold work and decorative border","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional split scene: labeled āmra—śīta matsyodaka seka; labeled aśoka—kāminī-pāda-tāḍana (symbolic gentle contact), fine lines and soft colors, emphasis on clarity","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature garden, mango trees in orderly rows with attendant irrigating from a vessel showing fish, aśoka tree beside a pavilion where a lady lightly taps the trunk with her foot, delicate blossoms, detailed textiles and flora"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Vasant","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: मत्स्योदकेन = मत्स्य-उदकेन; सेक इष्यते = सेकः इष्यते; चाप्यशोकानां = च अपि अशोकानाम्; कामिनीपादताडनं = कामिनी-पाद-ताडनम्
Related Themes: Agni Purana 246 (matsyāmbhas seka; flowering/fruiting measures)
FAQs
It gives Vṛkṣāyurveda-style prescriptions: using cool, nutrient-rich ‘fish-water’ for irrigating mango trees, and a traditional stimulation method for aśoka trees described as foot-tapping by a beloved woman.
Beyond theology, the text records practical agronomic and horticultural know-how—plant nutrition, irrigation practices, and growth/flowering stimulants—showing the Purana’s wide coverage of applied sciences.
While primarily practical, such plant-care guidance aligns with dharmic stewardship of living beings and sacred flora (especially aśoka), supporting prosperity and auspiciousness through attentive cultivation.