Agni Purana — Ayurveda, Shloka 1
Bala-graha-hara Bāla-tantram (बालग्रहहर बालतन्त्रम्) — Pediatric protection and graha-affliction management
इत्य् आग्नेये महापुराणे गोनसादिचिकित्सा नाम सप्तनवत्यधिकद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः षष्टिव्योषगुडक्षीरयोग इति क , ज , ञ , ट च अथाष्टनवत्यधिकद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः बलग्रहहरबालतन्त्रम् अग्निर् उवाच बालतन्त्रं प्रवक्ष्यामि बालादिग्रहमर्दनं अथ जातदिने वत्सं ग्रही गृह्णाति पापिनी
ity āgneye mahāpurāṇe gonasādicikitsā nāma saptanavatyadhikadviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ ṣaṣṭivyoṣaguḍakṣīrayoga iti ka , ja , ña , ṭa ca athāṣṭanavatyadhikadviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ balagrahaharabālatantram agnir uvāca bālatantraṃ pravakṣyāmi bālādigrahamardanaṃ atha jātadine vatsaṃ grahī gṛhṇāti pāpinī
Assim, no Agni Mahāpurāṇa encerra-se o capítulo 297, chamado “Terapia para gonasa e afecções correlatas”, incluindo a formulação “Mistura de sessenta (drogas) com o trio pungente (pungent-trio), jaggery e leite”, (classificada sob os grupos) ka, ja, ña e ṭa. Agora começa o capítulo 298: “Bāla-tantra para remover os espíritos que arrebatam crianças (bala-grahas)”. Agni disse: “Ensinarei o tantra pediátrico—métodos para esmagar/afastar os grahas que afligem bebês e crianças. No próprio dia do nascimento, a grahī pecaminosa apodera-se do bezerro/infante.”
Lord Agni
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Ayurveda","practical_application":"Pediatric protection and management of bāla-graha afflictions through ritual/therapeutic measures; chapter transition also indexes formulations.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Bāla-tantra: bāla-graha-hara introduction (chapter colophon + nidāna opening)","lookup_keywords":["bāla-tantra","bāla-graha","grahī","newborn day seizure","Agni Purana 298"],"quick_summary":"Introduces the pediatric tantra section on warding child-seizing spirits (bāla-grahas), noting onset from birth-day and framing subsequent protective procedures."}
Concept: Rakṣā (protective duty) toward infants as a dhārmic obligation, integrating seen/unseen causality in care.
Application: Establish household neonatal protection protocols (rakṣā, hygiene, calm environment, timely care) while following prescribed rites/therapies.
Khanda Section: Ayurveda & Bhuta/Bala-Graha Tantra (Pediatric protective rites and spirit-affliction therapy)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A newborn in a cradle while a shadowy grahī approaches; Agni (as teacher) instructs sages/physician on bāla-tantra protections; ritual items nearby.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, Agni as radiant teacher seated with palm-leaf manuscript, infant in cradle at side, protective circle and lamps, faint grahī silhouette at edge, bold outlines and traditional palette","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, Agni with gold halo teaching, ornate cradle scene with protective amulets, gold-embossed lamps and ritual vessels, grahī depicted symbolically as subdued dark form","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, didactic layout: Agni instructing, mid-panel newborn care scene with labeled protective items (lamp, incense, thread), soft colors and clarity","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, domestic zenana courtyard with cradle, physician-priest reading from text, subtle supernatural presence in background, fine architectural detail and textiles"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ity = iti; adhyāyo ' = adhyāyaḥ + (a-); agnir uvāca = agniḥ + uvāca. Some header/title material included as in source.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 297 (gonasādi-cikitsā; ṣaṣṭi-vyoṣa-guḍa-kṣīra-yoga colophon); Agni Purana 298 (bāla-graha-hara section begins)
FAQs
It introduces Bāla-tantra—pediatric protective and therapeutic measures aimed at repelling/neutralizing bala-grahas (child-afflicting spirits), while also marking the close of a prior Ayurvedic treatment chapter and its listed formulation.
In a single transition it moves from pharmacological formulation cataloging (yoga in cikitsā) to applied protective spirit-therapy for newborns (graha-hara tantra), showing the text’s breadth across medicine, ritual protection, and practical household concerns.
By framing infant affliction as a graha attack and teaching its warding, the passage presents protection of the vulnerable as a dharmic duty—reducing harm, fear, and impurity associated with malevolent forces at birth.