Agni Purana — Ayurveda, Shloka 10
Vṛkṣāyurveda (The Science of Plant-Life) — Tree Placement, Muhūrta, Irrigation, Spacing, and Plant Remedies
विडङ्गघृतपङ्काक्तान् सेचयेच्छीतवारिणा फलनाशे कुलथैश् च मासैर् मुद्गैर् यवैस्तिलैः
viḍaṅgaghṛtapaṅkāktān secayecchītavāriṇā phalanāśe kulathaiś ca māsair mudgair yavaistilaiḥ
When fruits are being destroyed, one should anoint the affected plants or trees with a paste of vidanga mixed with ghee, and then irrigate with cool water; one should also apply remedies using horse-gram, black gram, green gram, barley, and sesame.
Lord Agni (instructing the sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s encyclopedic discourse)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Ayurveda","secondary_vidya":"Vastu","practical_application":"Plant-therapeutics for orchards: topical paste (lepa) and irrigation protocol to prevent fruit loss, plus supportive applications using specified grains/pulses/oilseed.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Formula","entry_title":"Vidanga–ghṛta lepa and cool irrigation for fruit-destruction","lookup_keywords":["vidanga ghrita paste","fruit loss remedy","cool water irrigation","kulattha māṣa mudga yava tila","vṛkṣāyurveda treatment"],"quick_summary":"For fruit destruction, apply a paste of viḍaṅga mixed with ghee and irrigate with cool water; additional supportive preparations using horse-gram, black gram, green gram, barley, and sesame are indicated."}
Concept: Applied dravya-yoga (formulation) and kriyā (procedure) to counter decline and preserve yield.
Application: Use topical and irrigation-based interventions promptly when fruit damage appears, integrating botanical and dietary dravyas as plant-support measures.
Khanda Section: Ayurveda (Agni Purana medicinal remedies / herbal therapeutics)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"An orchard healer/gardener prepares a paste of viḍaṅga and ghee, applies it to a tree trunk/branches, then waters with cool water; nearby are bowls of kulattha, māṣa, mudga, yava, and tila as adjunct ingredients.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, vivid herbal-preparation scene: mortar and pestle grinding viḍaṅga, ghee pot, gardener applying lepa to tree; cool water poured from a vessel; grains and sesame depicted in stylized heaps; recovering fruits on branches.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central tree with gold-highlighted fruits; foreground shows ornate bowls of viḍaṅga and ghṛta, and separate bowls of kulattha/māṣa/mudga/yava/tila; attendant applying paste; shimmering gold accents on vessels.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, stepwise instructional composition: (1) mix viḍaṅga + ghṛta, (2) apply paste, (3) irrigate with cool water; labeled ingredients arranged neatly; clear, calm palette.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed horticultural remedy: apothecary-like preparation of paste, careful application to bark, irrigation channel with cool water; realistic rendering of pulses and sesame in small trays; orchard background with damaged vs restored fruit clusters."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kedar","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: पङ्काक्तान् = पङ्क+आक्तान्; सेचयेच्छीतवारिणा = सेचयेत्+शीतवारिणा; कुलथैश् च = कुलथैः+च; मासैर् = माषैः; मुद्गैर् = मुद्गैः; यवैस् = यवैः (before t-); तिलैः unchanged.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 281.9 (pruning to prevent aphalatā); Agni Purana 281.8 (watering rules)
FAQs
It gives a practical horticultural-therapeutic method: smear a vidanga–ghee paste on the affected plant and irrigate with cool water, alongside the use of pulses/grains (horse-gram, black gram, green gram, barley, sesame) as remedial inputs to check fruit spoilage.
Beyond theology, the Agni Purana preserves applied knowledge—here, an Ayurveda-aligned, field-level prescription for plant/fruit protection—showing its coverage of agriculture, materia medica, and pragmatic household economy.
By protecting food-bearing trees and preventing loss of produce, the instruction supports dharmic livelihood and sustenance; safeguarding nourishment is traditionally treated as a meritorious, welfare-oriented act aligned with maintaining order and prosperity.