Agni Purana — Ayurveda, Shloka 5
Chapter 280 — रसादिलक्षणम् / सर्वरोगहराण्यौषधानि
Characteristics of Taste and Related Factors; Medicines that Remove All Diseases
शीतवीर्याः समुद्दिष्टाः शेषास्तूष्णाःप्रकीर्तिताः गुडुची तत्र तिक्तपि भवत्युष्णातिवीर्यतः
śītavīryāḥ samuddiṣṭāḥ śeṣāstūṣṇāḥprakīrtitāḥ guḍucī tatra tiktapi bhavatyuṣṇātivīryataḥ
Essas substâncias são declaradas de potência refrescante (śīta-vīrya); as demais são proclamadas de potência aquecedora (uṣṇa). Nesse contexto, a guḍūcī—embora de sabor amargo—age como intensamente quente devido à sua potência extrema.
Lord Agni (instructional narration to Vasiṣṭha, in the encyclopedic discourse of the Agni Purāṇa)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Ayurveda","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Determine vīrya (cooling/heating potency) beyond rasa; recognize exceptions like guḍūcī where bitter taste does not imply cooling action.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Śīta/Uṣṇa-vīrya Classification and Guḍūcī Exception","lookup_keywords":["vīrya","śīta","uṣṇa","guḍūcī","tikta"],"quick_summary":"Substances are grouped by cooling or heating potency; guḍūcī is a key example where bitter taste coexists with strong heating potency, warning against simplistic rasa→vīrya inference."}
Dosha: Tridosha
Concept: Guṇa/rasa are indicators but not absolute determinants; vīrya can override rasa in therapeutic outcome.
Application: In decision-making, prioritize the factor with greatest causal force (here vīrya), and keep a catalog of exceptions validated by experience.
Khanda Section: Ayurveda (Dravyaguna—properties of medicinal substances)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A physician separates herbs into two groups labeled ‘śīta-vīrya’ and ‘uṣṇa-vīrya’; guḍūcī vine is highlighted as bitter yet placed among heating drugs.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, two baskets marked śīta and uṣṇa, guḍūcī vine curling prominently, teacher pointing to it as an exception, stylized foliage, muted temple palette.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, guḍūcī vine rendered centrally with gold highlights, two side panels for cooling/heating categories, teacher with manuscript, ornamental borders.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, didactic chart-like composition: left ‘cooling’, right ‘heating’, guḍūcī illustrated with notes ‘tikta’ and ‘uṣṇāti-vīrya’, fine detailing.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, botanically detailed guḍūcī on a trellis, hakim-like physician explaining to scholars, labeled categories in margins, refined interior setting."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: शेषास्तूष्णाःप्रकीर्तिताः→शेषाः तु उष्णाः प्रकीर्तिताः; तिक्तपि→तिक्ता अपि; भवत्युष्णातिवीर्यतः→भवति उष्णातिवीर्यतः.
Related Themes: Agni Purana entries on rasa–vīrya–vipāka–prabhāva (same sequence); Agni Purana rasāyana/tonic discussions where guḍūcī may recur
FAQs
Ayurvedic dravyaguṇa-vidyā: it teaches classification by vīrya (cooling vs heating potency) and highlights that guḍūcī, despite bitter taste (tikta-rasa), is functionally heating due to strong potency.
It preserves clinical-style pharmacological reasoning (rasa–vīrya distinctions) inside a Purāṇa, showing the text’s scope beyond theology into practical medicine and materia medica.
By guiding correct medicinal discernment (knowing a substance’s true potency beyond taste), it supports dharmic living through health-preservation, enabling steadier performance of vows, worship, and duties.