Agni Purana — Ayurveda, Shloka 57

अश्ववाहनसारः

Aśvavāhana-sāra) — Essentials of Horses as Mounts (and Horse-Treatment

Devanagari script

गोमयं लवणं मूत्रं क्वथितं मृत्समन्वितम् अङ्गलेपो मक्षिकादिदंशश्रमविनाशनः

Transliteration

gomayaṃ lavaṇaṃ mūtraṃ kvathitaṃ mṛtsamanvitam aṅgalepo makṣikādidaṃśaśramavināśanaḥ

Translation

A body-paste prepared from cow-dung, salt, and urine—boiled and combined with clay—destroys fatigue and alleviates the effects of bites or stings from flies and similar insects.

Word by Word

• gomayam: cow-dung
• gomayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक) + maya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (go-maya = ‘of cow’)

• lavaṇam: salt
• lavaṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lavaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular)

• mūtram: urine
• mūtram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūtra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular)

• kvathitam: boiled
• kvathitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kvath (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त-क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular); (mixture) विशेषण

• mṛt-samanvitam: mixed with clay
• mṛt-samanvitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mṛt (प्रातिपदिक) + samanvita (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त-क्त (samanvita ‘endowed with’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषार्थे (‘with clay’)

• aṅga-lepaḥ: application/ointment for the body
• aṅga-lepaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + lepa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘of the limbs’)

• makṣikā-ādi-daṃśa-śrama-vināśanaḥ: destroying fly-bites etc. and fatigue
• makṣikā-ādi-daṃśa-śrama-vināśanaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: makṣikā (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + daṃśa (प्रातिपदिक) + śrama (प्रातिपदिक) + vināśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular); बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (determinative: ‘destroyer of bites etc. and fatigue’)

Speaker

Lord Agni (instructing Vasiṣṭha, as per the typical Agni Purana dialogue frame)

Vidya Category

Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Ayurveda","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Household topical paste for insect bites/stings and fatigue: preparing and applying a boiled mixture of cow-dung, salt, urine, and clay as an external lepa.","sutra_style":true}

Encyclopedic Reference

Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Formula","entry_title":"Gomaya–lavaṇa–mūtra lepa with clay for bites and fatigue","lookup_keywords":["gomaya lepa","mūtra","lavaṇa","mṛt","insect bite remedy"],"quick_summary":"Boil cow-dung, salt, and urine; combine with clay to make a body-paste that reduces fatigue and soothes fly/insect bites and stings."}

Ayurveda Layer

Dosha: Tridosha

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Laukika-upāya (pragmatic remedy) using readily available substances; external therapy as immediate first response.

Application: Field/household first-aid mindset: stabilize symptoms with accessible materials before advanced care.

Khanda Section

Khanda Section: Ayurveda (Chikitsa / Bhaiṣajya-kalpa: external applications and household remedies)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Visual Art Cues

Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A healer prepares a boiled mixture in a pot, mixes it with clay into a paste, and applies it to a person’s arm with visible insect bite marks; calm domestic setting.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style domestic healing scene, earthen pot on fire, attendant mixing paste on a leaf/plate, application on forearm with stylized bite marks, warm earthy palette.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, seated healer with ritual-like neatness, gold highlights on vessels and borders, paste application gesture emphasized, flat background with decorative motifs.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clear step-by-step depiction: boiling pot, mixing with clay, applying lepa; delicate lines, soft colors, instructional clarity.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature indoor courtyard, detailed utensils and textures of clay and paste, physician applying lepa to a bitten limb, naturalistic faces and textiles."}

Audio Atmosphere

Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kapi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: mṛt + samanvitam → mṛtsamanvitam; aṅga + lepaḥ → aṅgalepaḥ; makṣikā + ādi + daṃśa + śrama + vināśanaḥ → makṣikādidaṃśaśramavināśanaḥ.

Cross References

Related Themes: Agni Purana Ayurveda sections on lepa/pralepa, viṣa/daṃśa-pratikāra, and bhaiṣajya-kalpa (same khanda)

Characters & Entities

• Agni Purana
• Ayurveda
• Lepa (topical paste)

FAQs

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

It gives an Ayurvedic-style lepa (external paste) formula—cow-dung, salt, and (cow-)urine boiled and mixed with clay—used to reduce insect-bite/sting irritation and bodily fatigue.

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

Alongside theology and ritual, the Agni Purana preserves practical health instructions (folk-Ayurveda/medical recipes), showing its wide-ranging coverage of everyday therapeutics and applied knowledge.

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

While primarily medical, the use of cow-derived substances also aligns with traditional notions of śauca (purificatory cleanliness) and protective practice, supporting bodily well-being for sustaining dharmic duties.