Agni Purana — Ayurveda, Shloka 10
Chapter 288 — अश्वचिकित्सा
Aśva-cikitsā) | Horse-Medicine (Śālihotra to Suśruta
पालितस्तु हयो दन्ती शुभदो दुःखदो ऽन्यथा श्रियः पुत्रास्तु गन्धर्वा वाजिनो रत्नमुत्तमम्
pālitastu hayo dantī śubhado duḥkhado 'nyathā śriyaḥ putrāstu gandharvā vājino ratnamuttamam
நன்றாகப் பராமரிக்கப்பட்ட குதிரையும், தந்தம் உடைய யானையும் நல்விளைவு தருவன; இல்லையெனில் அவையே துன்பத்திற்குக் காரணமாகும். குதிரைகள் ‘ஸ்ரீ’ (லக்ஷ்மி)யின் புதல்வர்கள், கந்தர்வருடன் தொடர்புடையோர், மேலும் ரத்தினங்களில் சிறந்த செல்வம் எனப் போற்றப்படுகின்றன।
Lord Agni (narrating to sage Vasiṣṭha, as per the Agni Purāṇa’s standard dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Samanya","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Guidance for royal household/army logistics: maintain horses and elephants well to secure prosperity and avoid suffering; treat them as high-value assets.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Śubha-phala of well-kept horse and tusked elephant; horses as supreme treasure","lookup_keywords":["pālita-haya","dantī-gaja","śubhada","duḥkhada","śrī-putra-vājina"],"quick_summary":"Properly maintained horses and tusked elephants yield auspicious results; neglected ones bring distress. Horses are praised as precious wealth, linked symbolically with Śrī and Gandharvas."}
Alamkara Type: Rūpaka (implicit identification of horses with ‘sons of Śrī’ / Gandharvas)
Concept: Stewardship (pālana) of dependent beings and resources is itself auspicious; negligence yields suffering.
Application: Institutional care: establish stables/elephant-houses, regular feeding, grooming, and medical oversight to sustain prosperity and security.
Khanda Section: Shakuna-śāstra (Omens) / Aśva–Gaja-lakṣaṇa (Horse & Elephant physiognomy)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A prosperous royal stable and elephant-yard: a well-groomed horse and a tusked elephant receive care; a contrasting vignette shows neglected animals causing mishap; allegorical presence of Śrī and Gandharvas blessing the horse.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, symmetrical composition: attendants grooming a horse and offering fodder to a tusked elephant; Śrī as a radiant figure bestowing blessing; Gandharvas with instruments in the upper register; bold outlines and decorative borders.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style with gold work: central jeweled horse as ‘ratna’; Śrī with lotus and gold halo; small Gandharva musicians; rich reds and greens, ornate stable setting.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting: didactic split-scene—left ‘pālita’ (well-kept) horse/elephant with auspicious symbols, right neglected with warning signs; fine linework and soft palette.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: courtly stable management scene with detailed tack, attendants, and a tusked elephant; subtle allegorical figures of Śrī and Gandharvas in the sky; intricate textiles and architecture."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: पालितस्तु = पालितः + तु. दुःखदो ऽन्यथा = दुःखदः + अन्यथा. पुत्रास्तु = पुत्राः + तु. रत्नमुत्तमम् = रत्नम् + उत्तमम्.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 288 (aśva–gaja-lakṣaṇa and śakuna context)
FAQs
It teaches śubha–aśubha (auspicious/inauspicious) assessment of royal animals: properly maintained horses and tusked elephants bring prosperity, while neglected or improperly kept ones lead to adversity.
It preserves practical statecraft-adjacent knowledge—royal animal management and omenology—showing the Purāṇa’s coverage beyond theology into governance, wealth indicators, and applied sign-science (śakuna).
The verse implies that dharmic care and right stewardship of living dependents (horses/elephants) aligns with Śrī (fortune) and yields śubha-phala, whereas negligence produces duḥkha-phala (painful karmic outcomes).