Agni Purana — Ayurveda, Shloka 12
Chapter 288 — अश्वचिकित्सा
Aśva-cikitsā) | Horse-Medicine (Śālihotra to Suśruta
सिंहा गन्धकारी पिण्डी स्वेदश् च शिरसस् तथा हिङ्गु पुष्करमूलञ्च नागरं साम्लवेतसं
siṃhā gandhakārī piṇḍī svedaś ca śirasas tathā hiṅgu puṣkaramūlañca nāgaraṃ sāmlavetasaṃ
Siṃhā, Gandhakārī, Piṇḍī, and also a fomentation (sveda) for the head; likewise asafoetida (hiṅgu), the root of puṣkara, dry ginger (nāgara), and sour vetasa (sāmla-vetasa) are (to be used/combined) as medicinal ingredients.
Lord Agni (instructing sage Vasiṣṭha in an encyclopedic, technical register)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Ayurveda","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Materia medica listing for a formulation, including head-fomentation (śiro-sveda) and digestive/carminative drugs.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Bhaiṣajya-dravya: siṃhā, gandhakārī, piṇḍī; śiro-sveda; hiṅgu, puṣkaramūla, nāgara, sāmla-vetasa","lookup_keywords":["hiṅgu","puṣkaramūla","nāgara","śiro-sveda","vetasa"],"quick_summary":"A compact list of medicinal ingredients and a head-fomentation measure, pointing to combined use in treating head-related discomfort and digestive/colic-associated conditions via warming, carminative drugs."}
Dosha: Vata
Concept: Dravya-saṅgraha (systematic listing of substances) and upakrama (like sveda) as applied knowledge.
Application: Formulation-building: select drugs by guṇa/karma (warming, carminative) and pair with external therapy (fomentation) for targeted relief.
Khanda Section: Ayurveda (Agni Purana medicinal remedies and formulations)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"An Ayurvedic practitioner arranges herbs—asafoetida, puṣkara root, dry ginger, sour vetasa—beside a vessel for fomentation; a patient receives gentle head-fomentation (steam/heat application).","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: stylized physician with herb bundles and a steaming pot; patient seated receiving śiro-sveda; bold outlines, earthy reds and greens, decorative border with vine motifs (guḍūcī-like).","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: gold-accented apothecary scene; ornate containers labeled hiṅgu and nāgara; physician performing head-fomentation; rich textiles and gold halos for a classical sacred-medicine aesthetic.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: instructional herbal plate with neatly drawn roots and resins; side vignette of śiro-sveda technique; fine linework, muted palette, emphasis on clarity.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: detailed still-life of materia medica on a carpet; physician applying warm fomentation to the head; naturalistic rendering of roots and spices, delicate architecture backdrop."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Hamsadhwani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: स्वेदश् च = स्वेदः + च. पुष्करमूलञ्च = पुष्करमूलम् + च. साम्लवेतसं = स-आम्ल-वेतसम् (कर्मधारय).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 288 (bhaiṣajya lists and aśva-cikitsā remedies nearby)
FAQs
Ayurvedic knowledge: it lists specific medicinal substances and indicates their use in therapeutic preparation, including sveda (fomentation/steam therapy) specifically connected with head-related treatment.
It demonstrates the Purana’s inclusion of practical medical catalogues—naming drugs and therapies (like sveda)—alongside religious material, showing the text’s broad, handbook-like scope.
By preserving bodily health through dharmically sanctioned Ayurvedic means, the practitioner supports steadiness for ritual life (nitya-karma) and reduces suffering, which is traditionally treated as conducive to sattva and spiritual practice.