Adhyaya 297

Verse 1

इत्य् आग्नेये महापुरणे विषहृन्मन्त्रौषधं नाम षन्नवत्यधिकद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः अथ सप्तनवत्यधिकद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः गोनसादिचिकित्सा अग्निरुचाच गोनसादिचिकित्साञ्च वशिष्ठ शृणु वच्मि ते ह्रीं ह्रीं अमलपक्षि स्वाहा ताम्बूलखादनान्मन्त्री हरेन्मण्डलिनो विषं

Thus, in the Agni Mahāpurāṇa ends chapter 297, entitled “The Mantra-and-Medicinal Remedy that Removes Poison.” Now begins chapter 298: “Treatment for the Gonas and other (snakebites).” Agni said: “O Vasiṣṭha, listen; I shall also declare to you the treatment for the gonas and other snakes. (Recite:) ‘hrīṃ hrīṃ amalapakṣi svāhā.’ After uttering the mantra and then eating betel (tāmbūla), the practitioner removes the poison of the maṇḍalin serpent.”

Verse 2

लशुनं रामठफलं कुष्ठाग्निव्योषकं विषे स्नुहीक्षीरं गव्यघृतं पक्षं पीत्वाहिजे विषे

In cases of poisoning, administer garlic, the fruit of rāmaṭha, kuṣṭha, agni (citraka), and tryoṣa (the three pungents). For snake-bite poison, one should drink snuhī latex mixed with cow’s ghee for a fortnight.

Verse 3

अथ राजिलदष्टे च पेया कृष्णा समैन्धवा आज्यक्षौद्रशकृत्तोयं पुरीतत्या विषापहं

Now, in the case of a bite by the rājilā (a venomous snake), one should administer peya, a thin gruel prepared with kṛṣṇā (black pepper) and rock-salt; and also a mixture of ghee, honey, and cow-dung-water together with purītatyā—this acts as an antidote that removes poison.

Verse 4

सकृष्णाखण्डदुग्धाज्यं पातव्यन्तेन माक्षिकं व्योषं पिच्छं विडालास्थि नकुलाङ्गरुहैः समैः

Honey should be taken together with a mixture of black sugar, milk, and ghee; and, in equal measure, add vyōṣa (the three pungents—dry ginger, black pepper, and long pepper), feather-down, cat-bone, and the body-hairs of a nakula (mongoose), each in the same proportion.

Verse 5

चूर्णितैर् मेषदुग्धाक्तैर् धूपः सर्वविषापहः रोमनिर्गुण्डिकाकोकवर्णैर् वा लशुनं समं

A fumigation (dhūpa) made from powdered ingredients moistened with sheep’s milk removes all kinds of poison. Alternatively, one may use roma, nirguṇḍikā, and kokavarṇa, mixed in equal proportion with garlic.

Verse 6

मुनिपत्रैः कृतस्वेदं दष्टं काञ्चिकपाचितैः मूषिकाः षोडश प्रोक्ता रसङ्कार्पासजम्पिवेत्

Sixteen types of mūṣikā (mice/rats) are described. For a bite, one should apply fomentation (sveda) with muni-leaves and administer a preparation cooked with kāñcikā (sour gruel, a vinegar-like ferment). One should also drink a medicated rasa (juice/extract) with kārpāsa and jambu.

Verse 7

सतैलं मूषिकार्तिघ्नं फलिनीकुसुमन्तथा सनागरगुडम्भक्ष्यं तद्विषारोचकापहं

Taken together with oil, it alleviates the distress caused by rats (rat-bite or rat-poison). Likewise, the flower of phalinī—when eaten with śuṇṭhī (dry ginger) and jaggery—removes the loss of appetite that follows from that poison.

Verse 8

चिकित्सा विंषतिर्भूता लूताविषहरो गणः पद्मकं पाटली कुष्ठं नतमूशीरचन्दनं

This is the twentyfold therapeutic regimen: the group of drugs that neutralizes spider-poison (lūta-viṣa)—padmaka, pāṭalī, kuṣṭha, nata, uśīra, and candana.

Verse 9

निर्गुण्डी शारिवा शेलु लूतार्तं सेचयेज्जलैः गुञ्जानिर्गुण्डिकङ्कोलपर्णं शुण्ठी निशाद्वयं

For one afflicted by a spider-bite (or spider-poison), one should wash/irrigate the affected part with water prepared with nirguṇḍī, śārivā, and śelu; and apply/administer a preparation consisting of guñjā, nirguṇḍī, kaṅkola-leaf, śuṇṭhī (dry ginger), and the two niśās (turmeric and daruharidrā).

Verse 10

करञ्जास्थि च तत्पङ्कैः वृश्चिकार्तिहरं शृणु मञ्जिष्ठा चन्दनं व्योषपुष्पं शिरीषकौमुदं

Now listen to a remedy that alleviates the distress caused by a scorpion sting: karañja seed/stone together with its paste (mud); also mañjiṣṭhā, candana (sandalwood), the flowers of vyoṣa (the three pungents), and śirīṣa and kaumuda.

Verse 11

संयोज्याश् चतुरो योगा लेपादौ वृश्चिकापहाः ॐ नमो भगवते रुद्राय चिवि छिन्द किरि भिन्द खड्गे न छेदय शूलेन भेदय चक्रेण दारय ॐ ह्रूं फट् मन्त्रेण मन्त्रितो देयो गर्धभादीन्निकृन्तति

Four formulations are to be compounded; as ointments and related applications they remove scorpion-poison. (One should recite:) “Oṃ, homage to the Blessed Lord Rudra—civi; chinda, ‘cut’; kiri, ‘pierce’; bhinda, ‘split’; ‘with the sword, cut’; ‘with the spear, pierce’; ‘with the discus, rend’—Oṃ hrūṃ phaṭ.” Empowered by this mantra, it is to be administered; it severs (destroys) the affliction arising from scorpion and similar envenomations.

Verse 12

त्रिफलोशीरमुस्ताम्बुमांसीपद्मकचन्दनं अजाक्षीरेण पानादेर्गर्धभादेर्विषं हरेत्

Triphala, uśīra (vetiver), mustā, ambu (a cooling aqueous preparation), māṁsī, padmaka, and candana (sandalwood)—when administered to drink with goat’s milk—remove the poison arising from the bite of a donkey and similar animals.

Verse 13

हरेत् शिरीषपञ्चाङ्गं व्योषं शतपदीविषं सकन्धरं शिरीषास्थि हरेदुन्दूरजं विषं

One should administer the five parts of the śirīṣa tree (śirīṣa-pañcāṅga), vyoṣa (the three pungents), and the antidote for centipede-poison; likewise, sakandhara and śirīṣa seed/stone—these remove poison arising from a mouse/rat.

Verse 14

व्योषं ससर्पिः पिण्डीतमूलमस्य विषं हरेत् तत्पक्षैर् इति ज , ञ , ट च चिरि इति ज क्षारव्योषवचाडिङ्गुविडङ्गं सैन्धवन्नतं

Trikaṭu (dry ginger, black pepper, and long pepper) mixed with ghee, together with the pounded root (of the prescribed plant), removes this poison. For this type of envenomation, the remedy is taught with the syllabic-group mnemonic “ja, ña, ṭa”; and likewise “ciri” is indicated. An alkaline preparation (kṣāra) combined with trikaṭu, vacā (sweet flag), iṅgu (asafoetida-type resin), viḍaṅga, saindhava (rock-salt), and nnata (a medicinal herb) is prescribed as an antidotal formulation.

Verse 15

अम्बष्ठातिबलाकुष्ठं सर्वकीटविषं हरेत् यष्टिव्योषगुडक्षीरयोगः शूनो विषापहः

The compound of ambaṣṭhā, atibalā, and kuṣṭha removes the poison of all insects. A preparation with yaṣṭi (licorice), vyoṣa (the pungent triad), jaggery, and milk serves as an antidote for swelling and poison.

Verse 16

ॐ सुभद्रायै नमः ॐ सुप्रभायै नमः यान्यौषधानि गृह्यन्ते विधानेन विना जनैः

“Om, obeisance to Subhadrā; Om, obeisance to Suprabhā.” Whatever medicinal herbs people gather without the prescribed procedure—

Verse 17

तेषां वीजन्त्व्या ग्राह्यमिति ब्रह्माब्रवीच्च ताम् ताम्प्रणम्यौषधीम्पश्चात् यवान् प्रक्षिप्य मुष्टिना

Brahmā further declared, “They should be gathered while fanning them.” Then, having bowed to each medicinal plant, one should cast a fistful of barley grains (yava) as an offering.

Verse 18

दश जप्त्वा मन्त्रमिदं नमस्कुर्यात्तदौषधं त्वामुद्धराम्यूर्ध्वनेत्रामनेनैव च भक्षयेत्

Having recited this mantra ten times, one should bow in reverence. Then (addressing the herb) one should say, “O medicine-plant, I uproot (take) you—you who are ‘upward-eyed’,” and thereafter ingest it by that very mantra/rite.

Verse 19

नमः पुरुषसिंहाय नमो गोपालकाय च आत्मनैवाभिजानाति रणे कृष्णपराजयं

Salutation to the Man-Lion (Nṛsiṃha); salutation also to the Cowherd (Gopāla). By himself alone, on the battlefield, he comes to know the defeat of Kṛṣṇa.

Verse 20

एतेन सत्यवाक्येन अगदो मे ऽस्तु सिध्यतु नमो वैदूर्यमाते तन्न रक्ष मां सर्वविषेभ्यो गौरि गान्धारि चाण्डालि मातङ्गिनि स्वाहा हरिमाये औषधादौ प्रयोक्तव्यो मन्त्रो ऽयं स्थावरे विषे

By this truthful utterance, may my antidote (agada) be accomplished. Homage to you, O Vaidūryamātā; protect me from all poisons. O Gaurī, Gāndhārī, Cāṇḍālī, Mātaṅginī—svāhā! O Harimāyā—this mantra is to be employed in medicines and the like, for poison arising from inanimate (immobile) sources.

Verse 21

भुक्तमात्रे स्थिते ज्वाले पद्मं शीताम्बुसेवितं पाययेत्सघृतं क्षौद्रं विषञ्चेत्तदनन्तरं

When the burning sensation has just begun immediately after ingestion, one should administer lotus prepared by steeping/processing in cool water, together with ghee and honey; and thereafter treat the poison in the appropriate manner.