Agni Purana — Veda-vidhana & Vamsha, Shloka 56

अध्याय २७८: सिद्धौषधानि

Siddha Medicines / Perfected Remedies

Devanagari script

भक्षणं निम्बपत्राणां सर्पदष्टस्य भेषजम् तालनिम्बदलङ्केश्यं जीर्णन्तैलं यवाघृतम्

Transliteration

bhakṣaṇaṃ nimbapatrāṇāṃ sarpadaṣṭasya bheṣajam tālanimbadalaṅkeśyaṃ jīrṇantailaṃ yavāghṛtam

Translation

ニームの葉を食すことは、蛇に噛まれた者の薬である。さらに、ターラ・ニンバの葉の調剤、古い油、そしてギー（澄ましバター）と和えた大麦を与える。

Word by Word

• भक्षणम्: eating/consumption
• भक्षणम्: Karma (कर्म/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक; √bhakṣ ‘भक्ष्’ ल्युट्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc); एकवचन

• निम्ब-पत्राणाम्: of neem leaves
• निम्ब-पत्राणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nimba (प्रातिपदिक) + patra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive); बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (nimba-patrāṇām = ‘of neem leaves’)

• सर्प-दष्टस्य: of a snake-bitten person
• सर्प-दष्टस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarpa (प्रातिपदिक) + daṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक; √daṃś ‘दंश्/दश्’ क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive); एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (sarpa-daṣṭasya = ‘of one bitten by a snake’)

• भेषजम्: medicine/remedy
• भेषजम्: Karma (कर्म/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bheṣaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc); एकवचन

• ताल-निम्ब-दल-अङ्केश्यं: (a preparation) to be applied using palmyra/neem leaves
• ताल-निम्ब-दल-अङ्केश्यं: Karma (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tāla (प्रातिपदिक) + nimba (प्रातिपदिक) + dala (प्रातिपदिक) + aṅkeśya (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त; √aṅk ‘अङ्क्’ + एष्य/यत्-प्राय ‘to be applied/placed on the lap/body’)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘भेषजम्’/उपचारद्रव्यम्)

• जीर्णम्-तैलम्: aged oil
• जीर्णम्-तैलम्: Karma (कर्म/द्रव्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jīrṇa (प्रातिपदिक; √jṝ ‘जॄ’ क्त) + taila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (jīrṇa-tailaṃ = ‘old/aged oil’)

• यव-घृतम्: ghee with barley
• यव-घृतम्: Karma (कर्म/द्रव्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yava (प्रातिपदिक) + ghṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (yavā-ghṛtam = ‘barley ghee’/ghee with barley)

Speaker

Lord Agni (in discourse to sage Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purana dialogue frame)

Vidya Category

Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Ayurveda","secondary_vidya":"Tantra","practical_application":"Emergency first-aid and antidotal regimen for snakebite using neem and adjunct preparations.","sutra_style":true}

Encyclopedic Reference

Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Sarpa-daṃśa-cikitsā: Nimba-patra-bhakṣaṇa and adjuncts","lookup_keywords":["sarpa-daṣṭa","nimba","tāla-nimba","jīrṇa-taila","yava-ghṛta"],"quick_summary":"Neem leaves are prescribed as a primary remedy for snakebite, along with preparations using tāla-nimba leaves, aged oil, and barley with ghee. The entry functions as a quick toxicology protocol."}

Ayurveda Layer

Dosha: Tridosha

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Agada-tantra as compassionate applied knowledge for preserving life

Application: Maintain household knowledge of readily available antidotal plants (nimba) and supportive carriers (ghṛta, yava) for emergencies.

Khanda Section

Khanda Section: Ayurveda (Chikitsa / Agada-tantra: toxicology and antidotes)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Visual Art Cues

Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A healer administering neem leaves and preparing barley-with-ghee and aged oil remedies beside a snakebite patient.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style, village vaidya with palm-leaf bundle of neem, patient seated with bandaged limb, assistants grinding leaves, muted greens and ochres, stylized flora","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, gold accents on medicine bowls and lamp, neem branch prominent, healer offering neem leaves, patient supported by family, ornate border motifs","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clear instructional depiction: neem leaves, tāla-nimba leaves, aged oil jar, barley and ghee in labeled bowls, healer demonstrating dosage, neat composition","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed apothecary scene with jars of oil and ghee, barley grains, neem leaves on a tray, physician examining bite mark, fine architectural interior"}

Audio Atmosphere

Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"focused","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: जीर्णन्तैलम् = जीर्णम् + तैलम्; यवाघृतम् = यव + घृतम्.

Cross References

Related Themes: Agni Purana 278 (Agada-tantra remedies cluster)

Characters & Entities

• Agni Purana
• Nimba (Neem)
• Sarpa (Snake)

FAQs

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

It gives a practical Ayurvedic toxicology (Agada-tantra) instruction for snake-bite management: ingest neem leaves and administer specific adjunct formulations (tāla-nimba leaf preparation, aged oil, and barley with ghee).

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

Alongside theology and ritual, the Agni Purana preserves applied sciences; here it records emergency therapeutics for envenomation, showing its wide-ranging coverage of public health and medical practice.

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

While primarily medical, it reflects the Purana’s dharmic aim of preserving life (prāṇa-rakṣaṇa), treating healing knowledge as a righteous, welfare-oriented duty rather than merely secular technique.