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
Cá có vị cay, viḍaṅga, chất kiềm (kṣāra), nhựa sữa của koṣātakī và nghệ—đó là hương xông (dhūpa); đem lại thắng lợi cho voi.
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.