Agni Purana — Ayurveda, Shloka 28
Chapter 279 — सिद्धौषधानि (Siddhauṣadhāni, “Perfected Medicines”) — Colophon/Closure
विवर्धयेत्तथा तिक्तकषायकटुकान् क्रमात् यथा रजन्यो वर्धन्ते वलमेकं हि वर्धते
vivardhayettathā tiktakaṣāyakaṭukān kramāt yathā rajanyo vardhante valamekaṃ hi vardhate
ਇਸੇ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਤਿੱਖਾ (ਤਿਕਤ), ਕਸੈਲਾ (ਕਸ਼ਾਯ) ਅਤੇ ਕਟੁ ਰਸ ਵੀ ਕ੍ਰਮਵਾਰ ਵਧਾਉਣੇ ਚਾਹੀਦੇ ਹਨ, ਤਾਂ ਜੋ ਦੋਸ਼ ਨਿਯੰਤਰਿਤ ਢੰਗ ਨਾਲ ਵਧਣ; ਕਿਉਂਕਿ ਅਸਲ ਵਿੱਚ ਵਧਾਉਣ ਯੋਗ ਇਕੋ ਹੀ—ਬਲ (ਦੇਹ-ਸ਼ਕਤੀ) ਹੈ।
Lord Agni (narrating Ayurvedic guidance in the Agni Purana’s encyclopedic discourse)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Ayurveda","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Dietetic titration of tastes (tikta/kaṣāya/kaṭu) to manage doṣas while prioritizing strength (bala/ojas) rather than indiscriminate doṣa increase.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Tikta–Kaṣāya–Kaṭu Krama-vardhana (Gradual increase of bitter/astringent/pungent)","lookup_keywords":["tikta","kaṣāya","kaṭu","doṣa-vardhana","bala-vardhana"],"quick_summary":"Increase bitter, astringent, and pungent tastes gradually and intelligently so that regulation—not provocation—results, with the goal of improving bodily strength."}
Dosha: Tridosha
Concept: Moderation and purposeful regimen: controlled adjustment of inputs yields a single desired outcome (bala) rather than uncontrolled multiplicity (doṣa disturbance).
Application: Apply gradualism (krama) in diet/therapy; evaluate outcomes by strength, digestion, and stability.
Khanda Section: Ayurveda (Chikitsa/Vaidyaka—dietetic and doṣa-balancing regimen)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A physician-teacher demonstrating a stepwise dietary ladder: bitter leaves, astringent legumes, pungent spices, with a central scale showing doṣas kept steady while ‘bala’ rises.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, seated vaidya instructing disciple, three bowls labeled tikta/kaṣāya/kaṭu arranged in ascending order, a stylized body silhouette with three doṣa icons stabilized, warm mineral palette.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, ornate vaidya figure with gold foil, three offering plates (greens, pomegranate/legumes, pepper/ginger) in sequence, central golden emblem ‘bala’ rising like a lamp flame, rich decorative borders.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style didactic panel, clean linework, step-chart arrows showing gradual increase, annotations in Devanagari, calm classroom setting with palm-leaf manuscript.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, court physician in a garden pavilion, attendants bringing three dishes in order, a balance scale motif indicating controlled doṣas and increased strength, fine textiles and detail."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shri","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: विवर्धयेत् = विवर्धयेत् (t + t assimilation not present); तिक्तकषायकटुकान् is dvandva; क्रमात् used adverbially; रजन्यः (pl.) + वर्धन्ते; वलम् एकम् (subject phrase) + हि + वर्धते.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 279 (rasa-krama, doṣa-kāla, chikitsā hints)
FAQs
Ayurvedic dietetics (rasa-cikitsā): it prescribes gradually increasing bitter, astringent, and pungent tastes to regulate doṣa behavior while chiefly building bodily strength (bala/valam).
It shows the text functioning beyond mythic narration by embedding practical Ayurveda—specific taste-based dietary strategy for health and doṣa management—alongside its many other sciences.
Maintaining bodily balance and strength supports dharma and disciplined living; health-preserving regimen is treated as a supportive foundation for sustained religious practice and purity of conduct.