Agni Purana — Veda-vidhana & Vamsha, Shloka 18
अध्याय २७८: सिद्धौषधानि
Siddha Medicines / Perfected Remedies
तिक्तरुक्षाणि शाकानि तिक्तानि हरितानि च तैलानि तिलशिग्रुकविभीतकेङ्गुदानि च
tiktarukṣāṇi śākāni tiktāni haritāni ca tailāni tilaśigrukavibhītakeṅgudāni ca
Bitter and drying (rukṣa) vegetables, as well as bitter green leafy vegetables, should be used; and also oils such as sesame oil, śigrū (moringa) oil, bibhitaka oil, and ingudī oil are to be considered.
Lord Agni (in instruction to sage Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Ayurveda","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Selecting vegetable qualities (bitter, drying) and appropriate oils for therapeutic cooking aligned to disease/dosha needs.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Tikta-Rūkṣa Śāka and Therapeutic Oils (Tila, Śigrū, Vibhītaka, Iṅgudī)","lookup_keywords":["tikta","rūkṣa","śāka","tila taila","ingudī"],"quick_summary":"Bitter, drying vegetables and certain oils (sesame, moringa, bibhitaka, ingudi) are indicated as dietary/therapeutic considerations, typically to counter heaviness and excess kapha/meda."}
Dosha: Kapha
Concept: Guṇa-based dietetics: selecting dravya by rasa (tikta) and guṇa (rūkṣa) to balance doṣa.
Application: Plan meals by qualities (bitter/drying) rather than only by items; adjust oils and greens to the patient’s doṣa and season.
Khanda Section: Ayurveda (Āhāra-vidhi / Pathya-Apathya: dietetics and therapeutic diet)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"An ingredient tableau: bitter leafy greens and drying vegetables beside small jars of sesame, moringa, bibhitaka, and ingudi oils, arranged for therapeutic cooking.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural still-life with stylized greens and oil jars, bold outlines, decorative floral borders, a vaidya’s hand indicating tikta-rūkṣa items.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore still-life with gold-highlighted oil vessels, richly colored greens, symmetrical arrangement, ornate frame.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore instructional plate showing each oil jar labeled (tila, śigrū, vibhītaka, iṅgudī) and samples of bitter greens, delicate shading.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature kitchen scene with jars of oils and heaps of greens, naturalistic plant depiction, fine detailing of glass/metal containers."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Hamsadhwani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तिलशिग्रुकविभीतकेङ्गुदानि → तिल + शिग्रु + कविभीतक + इङ्गुदानि (इङ्गुदानि; के + इङ्गुदानि → केङ्गुदानि).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 278 (Ahāra-vidhi; pathya lists)
FAQs
Āyurvedic dietetic guidance: it lists tikta (bitter) and rukṣa (drying) vegetables/greens and specific medicinal oils (sesame, moringa, bibhitaka, ingudī) as items to be used/considered in therapeutic food planning.
It shows the text functioning as a compendium by preserving practical Āyurvedic materia medica and diet rules—topics far beyond mythology—integrating health science into a Purāṇic framework.
In Purāṇic ethics, maintaining bodily balance through disciplined, appropriate diet supports purity (śauca), steadiness in worship and duty (dharma), and reduces tamas-inducing excess—thereby aiding sāttvika living.