Agni Purana — Veda-vidhana & Vamsha, Shloka 38
अध्याय २७८: सिद्धौषधानि
Siddha Medicines / Perfected Remedies
रक्तयष्टिकगोधूमयवमुद्गादिकं लघु काकमारी च वेत्राग्रं वास्तुकञ्च सुवर्चला
raktayaṣṭikagodhūmayavamudgādikaṃ laghu kākamārī ca vetrāgraṃ vāstukañca suvarcalā
La yaṣṭikā roja (rakta-yaṣṭikā), el trigo, la cebada, el frijol mungo y otros semejantes son ligeros (de fácil digestión). Asimismo, kākamārī, la punta tierna de la caña (vetrāgra), vāstuka y suvarcalā también son ligeros.
Lord Agni (in instruction to sage Vasiṣṭha, as the Agni Purana’s primary narrator)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Ayurveda","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Diet planning by classifying foods and herbs as laghu (light/easy to digest) for patients needing digestive ease.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Laghu (light) dravyas: grains, pulses, and greens","lookup_keywords":["laghu","godhūma","yava","mudga","vāstuka"],"quick_summary":"The verse lists substances considered laghu—supporting easy digestion—useful for selecting pathya in weak digestion or during illness."}
Dosha: Tridosha
Concept: Guṇa-based classification (laghu) as a decision tool in dietetics and materia medica.
Application: Select foods by guṇa (light/heavy) rather than taste alone, matching digestive capacity and disease stage.
Khanda Section: Ayurveda (Dravya-guṇa: medicinal substances and dietary classifications)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A didactic display: a physician points to a chart of 'laghu dravyas' while samples of wheat, barley, mung, and leafy greens (vāstuka, suvarcalā) and vetrāgra are laid out in bowls.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, symmetrical arrangement of grains and greens; physician holding palm-leaf chart titled 'laghu'; stylized botanical motifs; subdued tones and clear outlines.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-embellished bowls of grains and greens; central teaching scene with a seated vaidya; decorative border and temple-like backdrop.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style educational plate: neatly labeled specimens (godhūma, yava, mudga, vāstuka, vetrāgra, suvarcalā); fine lines, soft colors, emphasis on clarity and taxonomy.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature still-life with botanically accurate grains and leaves; physician and student discussing a scroll listing laghu items; intricate border patterns."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Hamsadhwani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: raktayaṣṭikagodhūmayavamudgādikam = rakta + yaṣṭika + godhūma + yava + mudga + ādikam; vāstukañca = vāstukam + ca.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 278 (Dravya-guṇa and dietary classifications)
FAQs
Ayurvedic dravya-guṇa knowledge: it classifies specific grains, pulses, and leafy herbs as “laghu”—light and easy to digest—useful for diet planning in illness, convalescence, and daily regimen.
It shows the text’s practical Ayurveda layer: alongside theology and ritual, the Agni Purana preserves technical lists of foods and medicinal greens with their digestibility classification (guṇa), functioning like a compact materia-medica/dietetics manual.
By recommending light, wholesome foods, the verse supports sāttvika living—clarity of mind, regulated appetite, and bodily purity—seen in Purāṇic tradition as conducive to japa, worship, and reduced karmic agitation through disciplined diet.