Agni Purana — Veda-vidhana & Vamsha, Shloka 56
अध्याय २७८: सिद्धौषधानि
Siddha Medicines / Perfected Remedies
भक्षणं निम्बपत्राणां सर्पदष्टस्य भेषजम् तालनिम्बदलङ्केश्यं जीर्णन्तैलं यवाघृतम्
bhakṣaṇaṃ nimbapatrāṇāṃ sarpadaṣṭasya bheṣajam tālanimbadalaṅkeśyaṃ jīrṇantailaṃ yavāghṛtam
Das Essen von Neemblättern ist ein Heilmittel für den von einer Schlange Gebissenen. (Ferner verabreicht man) eine Zubereitung aus Tāla-Nimba-Blättern, altem Öl und Gerste, mit Ghee vermengt.
Lord Agni (in discourse to sage Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purana dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Ayurveda","secondary_vidya":"Tantra","practical_application":"Emergency first-aid and antidotal regimen for snakebite using neem and adjunct preparations.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Sarpa-daṃśa-cikitsā: Nimba-patra-bhakṣaṇa and adjuncts","lookup_keywords":["sarpa-daṣṭa","nimba","tāla-nimba","jīrṇa-taila","yava-ghṛta"],"quick_summary":"Neem leaves are prescribed as a primary remedy for snakebite, along with preparations using tāla-nimba leaves, aged oil, and barley with ghee. The entry functions as a quick toxicology protocol."}
Dosha: Tridosha
Concept: Agada-tantra as compassionate applied knowledge for preserving life
Application: Maintain household knowledge of readily available antidotal plants (nimba) and supportive carriers (ghṛta, yava) for emergencies.
Khanda Section: Ayurveda (Chikitsa / Agada-tantra: toxicology and antidotes)
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A healer administering neem leaves and preparing barley-with-ghee and aged oil remedies beside a snakebite patient.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style, village vaidya with palm-leaf bundle of neem, patient seated with bandaged limb, assistants grinding leaves, muted greens and ochres, stylized flora","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, gold accents on medicine bowls and lamp, neem branch prominent, healer offering neem leaves, patient supported by family, ornate border motifs","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clear instructional depiction: neem leaves, tāla-nimba leaves, aged oil jar, barley and ghee in labeled bowls, healer demonstrating dosage, neat composition","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed apothecary scene with jars of oil and ghee, barley grains, neem leaves on a tray, physician examining bite mark, fine architectural interior"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"focused","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: जीर्णन्तैलम् = जीर्णम् + तैलम्; यवाघृतम् = यव + घृतम्.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 278 (Agada-tantra remedies cluster)
FAQs
It gives a practical Ayurvedic toxicology (Agada-tantra) instruction for snake-bite management: ingest neem leaves and administer specific adjunct formulations (tāla-nimba leaf preparation, aged oil, and barley with ghee).
Alongside theology and ritual, the Agni Purana preserves applied sciences; here it records emergency therapeutics for envenomation, showing its wide-ranging coverage of public health and medical practice.
While primarily medical, it reflects the Purana’s dharmic aim of preserving life (prāṇa-rakṣaṇa), treating healing knowledge as a righteous, welfare-oriented duty rather than merely secular technique.