Agni Purana — Ayurveda, Shloka 52

मृतसञ्जीवनीकरसिद्धयोगः (Mṛtasañjīvanī-kara Siddha-yogaḥ) — Perfected Formulations for Revivification and Disease-Conquest

Devanagari script

विडङ्गानलसिन्धूत्थरास्नाग्रक्षारदारुभिः तैलञ्चतुर्गुणं सिद्धं कटुद्रव्यं जलेन वा

Transliteration

viḍaṅgānalasindhūttharāsnāgrakṣāradārubhiḥ tailañcaturguṇaṃ siddhaṃ kaṭudravyaṃ jalena vā

Translation

ବିଡଙ୍ଗ, ଚିତ୍ରକ, ସୈନ୍ଧବ ଲବଣ, ରାସ୍ନା, ଯବକ୍ଷାର ଓ ଦେବଦାରୁ ସହିତ ଚାରିଗୁଣ ଜଳରେ ତୈଳ ପ୍ରସ୍ତୁତ କରନ୍ତୁ।

Word by Word

• viḍaṅga-anala-sindhūttha-rāsnā-agra-kṣāra-dārubhiḥ: with viḍaṅga, anala, sindhūttha, rāsnā, agra, alkali, and dāru
• viḍaṅga-anala-sindhūttha-rāsnā-agra-kṣāra-dārubhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viḍaṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + anala (प्रातिपदिक) + sindhūttha (प्रातिपदिक) + rāsnā (प्रातिपदिक) + agra (प्रातिपदिक) + kṣāra (प्रातिपदिक) + dāru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter/Masculine mix, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (list of ingredients)

• tailam: oil
• tailam: Karma (कर्म) / medicine base
• Type: Noun
• Root: taila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/प्रथमा or 2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• caturguṇam: fourfold (in measure)
• caturguṇam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of tailam
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catur (प्रातिपदिक) + guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; द्विगु-समासः (= fourfold in quantity)

• siddham: cooked/processed
• siddham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of tailam
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sidh (धातु) → siddha (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; past passive participle (क्त)

• kaṭu-dravyam: pungent substance(s)
• kaṭu-dravyam: Karma (कर्म) / ingredient
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaṭu (प्रातिपदिक) + dravya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; कर्मधारयः ‘कटुं द्रव्यम्’

• jalena: with water
• jalena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Disjunctive particle (विकल्पार्थक अव्यय)

Speaker

Lord Agni (teaching to Sage Vasiṣṭha, in the Agni Purana’s instructional discourse)

Vidya Category

Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Ayurveda","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Bhaiṣajya-kalpanā: preparation of medicated oil (taila) using a specified drug list and proportion (fourfold oil), with an alternative aqueous processing for pungent drugs.","sutra_style":true}

Encyclopedic Reference

Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Formula","entry_title":"Viḍaṅgādi Taila (Caturguṇa Taila-siddhi) / Kaṭu-dravya Jala-sādhana","lookup_keywords":["vidanga","saindhava","rasna","kshara","daru","taila-siddhi"],"quick_summary":"A medicated oil is to be prepared using viḍaṅga and allied drugs with oil in a fourfold measure; alternatively, pungent drugs may be processed with water, indicating flexible pharmaceutical methods."}

Ayurveda Layer

Dosha: Kapha

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Kalpanā-bheda (multiple preparation pathways) and māna (proportion) as core to effective medicine-making.

Application: Select oil-based or water-based processing depending on patient suitability and desired drug delivery, while maintaining proportional rigor.

Khanda Section

Khanda Section: Ayurveda (Agni Purana medicinal remedies and formulations)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: Samanya

Secondary Rasa: Adbhuta

Visual Art Cues

Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A pharmacy scene: herbs laid out (viḍaṅga, rāsnā, saindhava, kṣāra), a large cauldron simmering oil, and a separate pot showing water-based processing of pungent drugs.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural; stylized apothecary with copper cauldron of taila-pāka; ingredient piles labeled in Devanagari; rhythmic decorative borders; earthy reds and ochres.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore; ornate vessels with gold leaf; central cauldron with shimmering oil; surrounding ingredient trays; emphasis on abundance and clarity of materials.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore; technical step diagram feel—measuring ‘caturguṇa’ oil, adding paste/decoction; inset for jala-sādhana; fine lines and muted tones.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature; detailed still-life of spices, salts, alkali; physician overseeing oil cooking; assistants stirring; precise depiction of weights/measures."}

Audio Atmosphere

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

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: tailañcaturguṇaṃ = tailam caturguṇam; sindhūttha-rāsnāgra... reflects compound chaining; agra here taken as a drug-name component (e.g., śuṇṭhī/agra).

Cross References

Related Themes: Agni Purana 284 (taila/kvātha/kalpanā sections)

Characters & Entities

• Agni Purana
• Ayurveda
• Taila (medicated oil)
• Kṣāra (alkali)
• Viḍaṅga
• Rāsnā
• Saindhava

FAQs

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

It teaches an Ayurvedic pharmacy instruction: how to cook (sādhana/siddhi) a medicated oil using specified pungent and alkaline ingredients, including the proportional rule of making the oil in a fourfold measure (caturguṇa).

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

Beyond theology, the Agni Purana preserves practical sciences; here it records Ayurvedic compounding rules (ingredient lists, proportions, and processing media like oil or water), showing its role as a compendium of applied knowledge.

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

In Purāṇic framing, maintaining health through dhārmic, text-sanctioned remedies supports daily duties (svadharma) and purity of conduct; the instruction is thus indirectly linked to sustaining righteous living rather than being a standalone ritual act.