Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 34
Adhyaya 223 — Rājadharmāḥ
Royal Duties: Inner Palace Governance, Trivarga Protection, Courtly Conduct, and Aromatic/Hygienic Sciences
एलालवङ्गकक्कोलजातीफलनिशाकराः जातीपत्रिकया सार्धं स्वतन्त्रा मुखवासकाः
elālavaṅgakakkolajātīphalaniśākarāḥ jātīpatrikayā sārdhaṃ svatantrā mukhavāsakāḥ
กระวาน กานพลู กักโกละ (kakkola) ลูกจันทน์เทศ การบูร พร้อมดอกจันทน์ (mace)—สิ่งเหล่านี้แม้ใช้เดี่ยว ๆ ก็เหมาะเป็นมุขวาสะ (mukhavāsa) คือเครื่องหอมสำหรับปาก
Lord Agni (narrating to sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s instructional discourse)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Ayurveda","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Selection of single-ingredient mouth-perfumes (mukhavāsa) for breath freshening and pleasant oral aroma in daily grooming and ritual etiquette.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Mukhavāsa-dravya: Elā–Lavaṅga–Kakkola–Jātīphala–Niśākara–Jātīpatrikā","lookup_keywords":["mukhavāsa","elā","lavaṅga","kakkola","jātīphala","karpūra"],"quick_summary":"Cardamom, clove, kakkola, nutmeg, camphor, and mace can each be used independently as mouth-perfumes for oral fragrance."}
Concept: Śauca and saṃskāra of the body through pleasant speech-breath; grooming as part of cultured conduct.
Application: Adopt mouth-perfume as part of daily regimen before worship, study, or social interaction.
Khanda Section: Ayurveda (Gandha-dravya & Mukha-vāsa / Oral fragrance preparations)
Primary Rasa: Shanta
Secondary Rasa: Shringara
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A small tray of spices—cardamom, clove, kakkola, nutmeg, camphor, mace—presented as individual mouth-perfumes for refined oral fragrance.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style, still-life of mukhavāsa spices on banana-leaf or brass plate, stylized forms, deep reds and greens, ornamental border motifs.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, jeweled tray with gold leaf accents, neatly arranged cardamom pods, cloves, nutmeg, mace, camphor crystals, devotional domestic setting.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clean instructional depiction with labeled ingredients, delicate shading, emphasis on individual-use concept (svatantrāḥ).","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, exquisite botanical-spice rendering on a carpeted surface, small containers, courtly grooming context, fine detail and calligraphy cartouches."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Khamas","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: Large ingredient list treated as a dvandva-compound chain; niśākara here understood as karpūra (camphor) by lexicographic usage.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 223 (Mukha-vāsa)
FAQs
It lists specific aromatic dravyas (cardamom, clove, kakkola, nutmeg, camphor, and mace) that can be used as mukha-vāsa—mouth-perfumes for breath fragrance and oral freshness—either singly or combined.
Alongside theology and ritual, the Agni Purana preserves practical Ayurveda-style materia medica and hygiene/fragrance formulations, showing its wide-ranging, handbook-like coverage of daily-life sciences.
Maintaining bodily and oral purity through approved fragrant substances supports śauca (cleanliness) and suitability for mantra-recitation, worship, and social conduct—seen as conducive to ritual propriety and merit.