Agni Purana — Ayurveda, Shloka 29
Chapter 279 — सिद्धौषधानि (Siddhauṣadhāni, “Perfected Medicines”) — Colophon/Closure
क्रमशो ऽथ मनुष्याणां हीयमानासु हीयते रात्रिभुक्तदिनानाञ्च वयसश् च तथैव च
kramaśo 'tha manuṣyāṇāṃ hīyamānāsu hīyate rātribhuktadinānāñca vayasaś ca tathaiva ca
انسانوں کے لیے جیسے جیسے گزری ہوئی (بھکتی ہوئی) راتیں اور دن بتدریج کم ہوتے جاتے ہیں، ویسے ہی عمر بھی اسی طرح گھٹتی جاتی ہے۔
Lord Agni (narrating Agni Purana’s instruction to the sages, traditionally including Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Philosophy","secondary_vidya":"Cosmology","practical_application":"Cultivating time-awareness and urgency for dharma/health practices by recognizing that each passing day-night reduces lifespan.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Kāla-kṣaya and Āyuḥ-kṣaya (Diminution of life with passing time)","lookup_keywords":["kāla","āyuḥ-kṣaya","rātri-dina","vayaḥ","mṛtyu-vicāra"],"quick_summary":"As days and nights are ‘consumed,’ lifespan correspondingly diminishes—prompting mindful living and timely practice of dharma and health regimen."}
Concept: Anityatā framed through kāla: life is a measurable remainder that decreases with every elapsed unit of time.
Application: Prioritize sādhanā, ethical living, and healthful routine now; reduce procrastination and wasteful habits.
Khanda Section: Kala–Mrityu–Vichara (Time, lifespan, and the diminution of life)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"An hourglass-like kala-yantra with alternating sun and moon discs; a human figure’s shadow shortening as day-night beads fall away, symbolizing diminishing lifespan.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, Kāla as a cosmic wheel with sun and moon alternating, a garland of day-night beads slipping through fingers, serene yet solemn palette, iconic symmetry.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, gilded kāla-cakra with sun-moon medallions, a central human silhouette with a diminishing life-lamp, heavy gold ornamentation emphasizing inevitability.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional allegory: calendar scroll unrolling while a life-meter decreases, fine lines and soft colors, contemplative sage pointing to the measure of time.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, a scholar in a library with a celestial globe showing day-night cycles, a sand-timer on the carpet, subtle melancholy, intricate detail."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ऽथ = अथ (avagraha); हीयमानासु (locative plural feminine participle) taken as adhikaraṇa; रात्रिभुक्तदिनानाम् = रात्रि + भुक्त + दिनानाम्; तथैव = तथा + एव.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 279 (kāla–mṛtyu–vicāra context)
FAQs
It conveys kāla-jñāna (knowledge of time): lifespan is reduced continuously as days and nights pass, urging practical vigilance in dharma and disciplined living.
Beyond ritual and iconography, the Agni Purana also preserves philosophical instruction on time (kāla), aging (vayas), and mortality—showing its wide scope across ethics, metaphysics, and practical life-guidance.
It functions as a reminder of impermanence: since life is steadily “spent,” one should prioritize meritorious action (puṇya), restraint, and devotion before time exhausts one’s allotted span.