Agni Purana — Ayurveda, Shloka 22
Chapter 291 — Śāntyāyurveda
Ayurveda for Pacificatory Rites): Go-śānti, Penance-Regimens, and Therapeutics (incl. Veterinary Care
पिवन्ति यत्र तत्तीर्थं गङ्गाद्या गाव एव हि गवां माहात्म्यमुक्तं हि चिकित्साञ्च तथा शृणु
pivanti yatra tattīrthaṃ gaṅgādyā gāva eva hi gavāṃ māhātmyamuktaṃ hi cikitsāñca tathā śṛṇu
જ્યાં ગાયો પાણી પીવે છે તે સ્થાન ગંગા વગેરે પવિત્ર નદીઓ સમાન તીર્થ છે. ગૌમાહાત્મ્ય કહેવાયું; હવે તેમનાં ચિકિત્સા-પ્રયોગો પણ તેમ જ સાંભળો.
Lord Agni (narrating to Sage Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tirtha-Mahatmya & Go-Mahatmya (Sacred Geography and the Sanctity of Cows)","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Treat cow-grazing and cow-drinking sites as sanctified spaces; motivates protection of cattle and reverent conduct at such places; introduces veterinary/therapeutic section.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Go-pāna-sthāna as Tīrtha; transition to Go-cikitsā","lookup_keywords":["go-mahātmya","tīrtha-lakṣaṇa","gāvaḥ","gaṅgā-sāmya","cikitsā"],"quick_summary":"Where cows drink is declared a tīrtha comparable to Gaṅgā. After praising cows, the text pivots to practical therapeutic knowledge (cikitsā), especially for bovine care."}
Concept: Sacrality arises from dhārmic beings and their life-sustaining acts; go-sevā is a purifier and merit-source.
Application: Protect water sources used by cattle; maintain cleanliness and non-violence around herds; integrate reverence with practical care.
Khanda Section: Tirtha-Mahatmya & Go-Mahatmya (Sacred Geography and the Sanctity of Cows)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: śānta
Type: Tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A serene riverside or pond where a herd of cows drinks; the spot is shown as a tīrtha with subtle sacred markers, while a sage narrates the shift from praise to therapy.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, flat earthy palette, sacred pond with lotuses, cows drinking in a row, a rishi seated under a tree gesturing teaching, minimal background architecture, devotional calm","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-leaf haloed sacred waterbank, richly adorned cows with bells, a seated sage holding palm-leaf manuscript, ornate border, luminous tīrtha ambiance","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, delicate linework, instructional tableau: sage pointing to cows at water, labeled palm-leaf scroll motif indicating 'cikitsā', soft pastel landscape","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed naturalistic herd at a stream, sage and disciples in the foreground, fine flora and water ripples, balanced composition, subtle sacred symbolism"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: tattīrtham = tat + tīrtham; māhātmyamuktaṃ = māhātmyam + uktam; cikitsāñca = cikitsām + ca.
Related Themes: Agni Purana Go-mahātmya passages (same adhyāya/khanda); Agni Purana Ayurveda/Chikitsā sections following this transition
FAQs
It establishes a dharmic-ritual principle: any place where cows drink is to be treated as a tīrtha (pilgrimage-grade purifier), and it transitions into cikitsā—practical therapeutics connected with cows (typically cow-derived medicinal uses in later lines/sections).
In a single move it links sacred geography (tīrtha-mahātmya) with applied knowledge (cikitsā/therapeutics), showing how the Agni Purāṇa integrates ritual purity, dharma, and proto-medical instruction within one continuous discourse.
It elevates cow-associated spaces to the status of major holy rivers, implying strong purificatory merit (puṇya) and reinforcing the karmic value of honoring and protecting cows as a dharmic act.