Agni Purana — Ayurveda, Shloka 21

Kalpasāgara (Ocean of Formulations) — Mṛtyuñjaya Preparations and Rasāyana Regimens

Devanagari script

चित्रकेन तथा पुर्वस् तथा शुण्ठीविडङ्गतः लोहेन भृङ्गराजेन बलया निम्बपञ्चकैः

Transliteration

citrakena tathā purvas tathā śuṇṭhīviḍaṅgataḥ lohena bhṛṅgarājena balayā nimbapañcakaiḥ

Translation

ਇਸੇ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਚਿਤ੍ਰਕ ਅਤੇ ਪੂਰਵ (ਪਹਿਲਾਂ ਦੱਸੇ ਦ੍ਰਵ੍ਯ) ਨਾਲ, ਅਤੇ ਸੁੰਠ ਤੇ ਵਿਡੰਗ ਦੇ ਸੰਯੋਗ ਨਾਲ; ਲੋਹ (ਲੌਹ-ਪ੍ਰਯੋਗ) ਨਾਲ, ਭ੍ਰਿੰਗਰਾਜ, ਬਲਾ ਅਤੇ ਨੀਮ ਦੇ ਪੰਚਾਂਗ ਨਾਲ (ਇਹ ਯੋਗ ਬਣਾਇਆ ਜਾਵੇ)।

Word by Word

• चित्रकेन: with citraka (Plumbago zeylanica)
• चित्रकेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्रक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; करण/सहकार (with/using)

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थ (in the same way/also)

• पूर्वः: previous/former
• पूर्वः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (reading normalized from ‘पुर्वस्’)

• तथा: also
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थ

• शुण्ठी-विडङ्गतः: from (the combination of) dry ginger and viḍaṅga
• शुण्ठी-विडङ्गतः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शुण्ठी (प्रातिपदिक) + विडङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + तः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव (X-तः = ‘from/starting with X’); तः-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय

• लोहेन: with iron
• लोहेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; करण

• भृङ्गराजेन: with bhṛṅgarāja (Eclipta alba)
• भृङ्गराजेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृङ्गराज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; करण

• बलया: with balā (Sida cordifolia)
• बलया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; करण

• निम्ब-पञ्चकैः: with the neem-pañcaka (five neem items)
• निम्ब-पञ्चकैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निम्ब (प्रातिपदिक) + पञ्चक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (निम्बसम्बन्धि पञ्चक—‘five (parts) of neem’/neem-group of five)

Speaker

Lord Agni (in discourse to Sage Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purana framing)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: पुर्वस् normalized to पूर्वः (likely scribal/orthographic). शुण्ठीविडङ्गतः analyzed as avyaya ending in -तः (ablatival adverbial), functioning as अपादान.

Characters & Entities

• Agni
• Ayurveda
• Citraka
• Śuṇṭhī
• Viḍaṅga
• Lauha (iron preparation)
• Bhṛṅgarāja
• Balā
• Nimba (Neem)

FAQs

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

Ayurvedic materia medica: it enumerates specific herbs and an iron preparation to be combined as ingredients in a therapeutic formulation.

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

It shows the Agni Purana functioning as a compendium beyond myth—preserving practical medical knowledge by listing drug-ingredients (herbs and mineral/metal preparations) used in classical Ayurveda.

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

By framing healthcare as dharmic upkeep of the body, such prescriptions support purity and capacity for religious duties; healing is treated as a meritorious, life-sustaining application of sacred knowledge.