Agni Purana — Ayurveda, Shloka 28
अध्यायः २८६ — गजचिकित्सा
Elephant Medicine
कटुमत्स्यविडङ्गानि क्षारः कोषातकी पयः हरिद्रा चेति धूपोयं कुञ्जरस्य जयावहः
kaṭumatsyaviḍaṅgāni kṣāraḥ koṣātakī payaḥ haridrā ceti dhūpoyaṃ kuñjarasya jayāvahaḥ
కాటు మత్స్యద్రవ్యం, విడంగ, క్షారం, కోషాతకీ పాలరసం, హరిద్ర—ఇవి కలిపిన ధూపము; ఇది కుంజరునికి (ఏనుగుకు) విజయప్రదం.
Lord Agni (in discourse to the sage Vasiṣṭha, as typical for Agni Purana’s instructional chapters)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Ayurveda","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Veterinary (gaja) care: preparing a medicated fumigation (dhupa) to protect/strengthen an elephant, especially for campaign readiness and warding off pests/inauspicious influences.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Formula","entry_title":"Gaja-dhupa (Elephant fumigation) with viḍaṅga–kṣāra–koṣātakī-latex–haridrā","lookup_keywords":["gaja-chikitsa","dhupa","vidanga","kshara","haridra"],"quick_summary":"A pungent, antiparasitic fumigation blend is prescribed for elephants. It is framed as ‘victory-bringing’, i.e., protective and performance-supporting for war/royal use."}
Concept: Rakṣā through dravya-guṇa (substance qualities) applied as dhūpa for animal health and auspicious success.
Application: Integrate preventive care (fumigation, hygiene) into royal/war-elephant maintenance routines.
Khanda Section: Ayurveda (Veterinary / Gaja-chikitsa: Elephant-care, medicated fumigation)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A royal elephant in a stable while attendants prepare a smoking brazier of herbs/resins; turmeric-yellow tones and ritualistic care suggesting ‘victory’ before a campaign.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, flat bold colors, royal elephant with ornate caparison, attendants holding a dhupa-brazier emitting stylized smoke, turmeric and herbal bowls, auspicious motifs, warm ochres and greens.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-leaf highlights on elephant ornaments and brazier, attendants in rich silk, dhupa smoke curling in decorative patterns, temple-stable backdrop, high contrast reds and gold.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, fine linework, instructional layout showing ingredients (viḍaṅga, kṣāra, koṣātakī latex, haridrā) around a central fumigation scene with labeled vessels, soft shading.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed stable interior, naturalistic elephant, attendants mixing powders and latex, small brazier with smoke, courtly realism, delicate borders and calligraphic cartouche."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":null,"pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: धूपोयं = धूपः + अयम्; जयावहः = जय + आवहः; चेति = च + इति.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 286 (gaja/ashva chikitsa context); Agni Purana 279-285 (bhaiṣajya-yoga style sections, if present in the recension)
FAQs
It gives an Ayurvedic-veterinary dhūpa (medicated fumigation) formula—ingredients to be burned/applied as smoke for the elephant’s protection and effectiveness.
Beyond theology, it preserves practical applied science: materia medica and veterinary management (gaja-cikitsā), showing the Purana’s coverage of medicine and real-world protocols.
As a protective dhūpa, it is framed as auspicious and obstacle-removing—supporting success (“victory”) while implying purification and warding-off of harmful influences affecting the animal.