Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 21

Adhyaya 223 — Rājadharmāḥ

Royal Duties: Inner Palace Governance, Trivarga Protection, Courtly Conduct, and Aromatic/Hygienic Sciences

Devanagari script

वासनञ्चैव निर्दिष्टं कर्माष्टकमिदं स्मृतं कपित्थबिल्वजम्वाम्रकरवीरकपल्लवैः

Transliteration

vāsanañcaiva nirdiṣṭaṃ karmāṣṭakamidaṃ smṛtaṃ kapitthabilvajamvāmrakaravīrakapallavaiḥ

Translation

La parfumerie rituelle (vāsana) est également prescrite ; on s’en souvient comme d’un procédé en huit parties, préparé avec les jeunes feuilles de kapittha (wood-apple), bilva, jambu (pomme-rose), āmra (manguier) et karavīra (laurier-rose).

Word by Word

• vāsanam: perfume; scenting substance
• vāsanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• eva: indeed; just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निश्चय/अवधारणार्थक अव्यय)

• nirdiṣṭam: prescribed; indicated
• nirdiṣṭam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir-√diś (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त-कृदन्त), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); qualifying 'idam'

• karma-aṣṭakam: the set of eight acts
• karma-aṣṭakam: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karma (प्रातिपदिक) + aṣṭaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• idam: this
• idam: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• smṛtam: is remembered; is stated in tradition
• smṛtam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/statement predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √smṛ (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त-कृदन्त), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); predicate adjective with 'idam'

• kapittha-bilva-jambu-āmra-karavīra-kapallavaiḥ: with the tender leaves of wood-apple, bilva, jambu, mango, and oleander
• kapittha-bilva-jambu-āmra-karavīra-kapallavaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kapittha (प्रातिपदिक) + bilva (प्रातिपदिक) + jambu (प्रातिपदिक) + āmra (प्रातिपदिक) + karavīra (प्रातिपदिक) + pallava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvandva (द्वन्द्व) compound list; Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); masculine/neuter collective usage; denotes means/materials

Speaker

Lord Agni (teaching to Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purāṇa’s instructional dialogue)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: vāsanañcaiva = vāsanam + ca + eva. karmāṣṭakamidaṃ = karma-aṣṭakam + idam. kapitthabilvajamvāmrakaravīrakapallavaiḥ treated as a dvandva-compound ending in -pallavaiḥ (instrumental plural).

Characters & Entities

• Agni
• Vasiṣṭha
• Ayurveda
• Vāsana
• Kapittha
• Bilva
• Jambu
• Āmra
• Karavīra

FAQs

What technical or ritual knowledge (Vidya) is imparted in this verse?

It specifies vāsana (perfuming) as part of an eightfold practical procedure and lists the botanical ingredients—tender leaves of kapittha, bilva, jambu, mango, and karavīra—used to prepare the scenting formulation.

How does this verse contribute to the 'Encyclopedic' nature of the Agni Purana?

By preserving applied Ayurvedic-cosmetic and ritual hygiene knowledge—concrete ingredient lists and procedural classification (karmāṣṭaka)—the text functions as a compendium spanning ritual practice and practical health/beauty formulations.

What is the spiritual or karmic significance of this specific instruction?

Perfuming and bodily purification are treated as supportive disciplines for cleanliness and auspiciousness, strengthening ritual readiness and sattvic conduct, thereby aiding merit (puṇya) through orderly, pure practice.