Agni Purana — Ayurveda, Shloka 7
Chapter 280 — रसादिलक्षणम् / सर्वरोगहराण्यौषधानि
Characteristics of Taste and Related Factors; Medicines that Remove All Diseases
लवणो मध्रश् चैव विपाकमधुरौ स्मृतौ अम्लोष्णश् च तथा प्रोक्तः शेषाः कटुविपाकिनः
lavaṇo madhraś caiva vipākamadhurau smṛtau amloṣṇaś ca tathā proktaḥ śeṣāḥ kaṭuvipākinaḥ
लवणो मधुरश्चैव विपाकमधुरौ स्मृतौ; अम्लोष्णौ तथा प्रोक्तौ; शेषाः कटुविपाकिनः।
Lord Agni (teaching Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Ayurveda","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Vipāka mapping for diet and drugs: predict long-term post-digestive effect from rasa to guide doṣa management and formulation design.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Vipāka of Rasas (Post-digestive Outcomes)","lookup_keywords":["vipāka","lavana","madhura","amla","kaṭu"],"quick_summary":"Sweet and salty yield madhura-vipāka; sour and pungent yield amla-vipāka; the remaining tastes (bitter, astringent) yield kaṭu-vipāka—used to anticipate systemic effects after digestion."}
Dosha: Tridosha
Concept: Immediate perception (rasa) differs from post-process outcome (vipāka); effects must be judged at the end of transformation.
Application: Evaluate interventions by downstream results (after ‘digestion’/processing), not only by initial properties.
Khanda Section: Ayurveda (Ahara-Vihara & Dravya-Guna: Rasas and Vipaka)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A schematic teaching scene: six tastes arranged in a circle, arrows pointing to three vipāka outcomes (madhura, amla, kaṭu) as the physician explains post-digestive effects.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, mandala-like chart of six rasas with arrows to three vipākas, teacher and students seated, traditional pigments, clear symbolic labels.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, decorative diagram with gold leaf borders: six rasa icons leading to three vipāka panels, central teacher holding palm-leaf, rich reds and greens.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clean instructional chart aesthetic, fine calligraphic labels for rasas and vipāka, teacher pointing with stylus, calm classroom setting.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, scholar presenting a painted chart of tastes and vipāka to students, detailed textiles and books, marginal annotations in Nastaliq-like styling (visual only)."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: मध्रश्→मधुरः (IAST madhraś is scribal/phonetic for madhuraḥ); अम्लोष्णश्→अम्लोष्णः; 'विपाकमधुरौ स्मृतौ' refers to two (लवणः, मधुरः).
Related Themes: Agni Purana rasa–vīrya–vipāka–prabhāva sequence (same khanda); Agni Purana doṣa and digestion (agni) discussions in Ayurveda portions
FAQs
It teaches an Ayurvedic rule of vipāka (post-digestive effect): sweet and salty tastes tend toward sweet vipāka; sour and pungent toward sour vipāka; the remaining tastes (bitter, astringent) toward pungent vipāka—useful for planning diet and medicine according to digestive outcome.
By codifying a technical Ayurvedic principle (rasa–vipāka mapping) inside a Purāṇa, it shows the text’s wide scope beyond myth—preserving practical medical and nutritional theory alongside ritual and theology.
Right diet aligned with digestion supports bodily balance and clarity of mind, which in Purāṇic ethics is a foundation for disciplined conduct (dharma), steadier worship, and reduced harm caused by improper food habits.