Agni Purana — Ayurveda, Shloka 5
Chapter 280 — रसादिलक्षणम् / सर्वरोगहराण्यौषधानि
Characteristics of Taste and Related Factors; Medicines that Remove All Diseases
शीतवीर्याः समुद्दिष्टाः शेषास्तूष्णाःप्रकीर्तिताः गुडुची तत्र तिक्तपि भवत्युष्णातिवीर्यतः
śītavīryāḥ samuddiṣṭāḥ śeṣāstūṣṇāḥprakīrtitāḥ guḍucī tatra tiktapi bhavatyuṣṇātivīryataḥ
Esas sustancias se declaran de potencia refrescante (śīta-vīrya); las restantes se proclaman de potencia calentadora (uṣṇa). En ese marco, la guḍūcī—aunque de sabor amargo—actúa como intensamente caliente por la fuerza extrema de su potencia.
Lord Agni (instructional narration to Vasiṣṭha, in the encyclopedic discourse of the Agni Purāṇa)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Ayurveda","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Determine vīrya (cooling/heating potency) beyond rasa; recognize exceptions like guḍūcī where bitter taste does not imply cooling action.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Śīta/Uṣṇa-vīrya Classification and Guḍūcī Exception","lookup_keywords":["vīrya","śīta","uṣṇa","guḍūcī","tikta"],"quick_summary":"Substances are grouped by cooling or heating potency; guḍūcī is a key example where bitter taste coexists with strong heating potency, warning against simplistic rasa→vīrya inference."}
Dosha: Tridosha
Concept: Guṇa/rasa are indicators but not absolute determinants; vīrya can override rasa in therapeutic outcome.
Application: In decision-making, prioritize the factor with greatest causal force (here vīrya), and keep a catalog of exceptions validated by experience.
Khanda Section: Ayurveda (Dravyaguna—properties of medicinal substances)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A physician separates herbs into two groups labeled ‘śīta-vīrya’ and ‘uṣṇa-vīrya’; guḍūcī vine is highlighted as bitter yet placed among heating drugs.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, two baskets marked śīta and uṣṇa, guḍūcī vine curling prominently, teacher pointing to it as an exception, stylized foliage, muted temple palette.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, guḍūcī vine rendered centrally with gold highlights, two side panels for cooling/heating categories, teacher with manuscript, ornamental borders.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, didactic chart-like composition: left ‘cooling’, right ‘heating’, guḍūcī illustrated with notes ‘tikta’ and ‘uṣṇāti-vīrya’, fine detailing.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, botanically detailed guḍūcī on a trellis, hakim-like physician explaining to scholars, labeled categories in margins, refined interior setting."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: शेषास्तूष्णाःप्रकीर्तिताः→शेषाः तु उष्णाः प्रकीर्तिताः; तिक्तपि→तिक्ता अपि; भवत्युष्णातिवीर्यतः→भवति उष्णातिवीर्यतः.
Related Themes: Agni Purana entries on rasa–vīrya–vipāka–prabhāva (same sequence); Agni Purana rasāyana/tonic discussions where guḍūcī may recur
FAQs
Ayurvedic dravyaguṇa-vidyā: it teaches classification by vīrya (cooling vs heating potency) and highlights that guḍūcī, despite bitter taste (tikta-rasa), is functionally heating due to strong potency.
It preserves clinical-style pharmacological reasoning (rasa–vīrya distinctions) inside a Purāṇa, showing the text’s scope beyond theology into practical medicine and materia medica.
By guiding correct medicinal discernment (knowing a substance’s true potency beyond taste), it supports dharmic living through health-preservation, enabling steadier performance of vows, worship, and duties.