Agni Purana — Ayurveda, Shloka 8

Chapter 296 — Viṣa-cikitsā: Mantras and Antidotes for Poison, Stings, and Snake-bite

Devanagari script

इन्द्रबलाग्निकन्द्रोणं तुलसी देविका सहा तद्रसाक्तं त्रिकटुकं चूर्णम्भक्ष्ययिषापहं पञ्चाङ्गं कृष्णपञ्चभ्यां शिरीषस्य विषापहं

Transliteration

indrabalāgnikandroṇaṃ tulasī devikā sahā tadrasāktaṃ trikaṭukaṃ cūrṇambhakṣyayiṣāpahaṃ pañcāṅgaṃ kṛṣṇapañcabhyāṃ śirīṣasya viṣāpahaṃ

Translation

Indrabala, Agni-kanda và Drona, cùng với Tulasi, Devika và Saha—trộn với nước ép của chúng—rồi thêm Trikaṭuka giã thành bột để uống, đều là phương dược giải độc. Cũng vậy, năm phần (pañcāṅga) của cây Śirīṣa, phối hợp với năm vị ‘Kṛṣṇā’, cũng có công năng tiêu trừ chất độc.

Word by Word

• इन्द्रबला-अग्नि-कन्द्रोणम्: (a mixture of) indrabalā, agni, and kandroṇa
• इन्द्रबला-अग्नि-कन्द्रोणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रबला (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + कन्द्रोण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (collective copulative)

• तुलसी: tulsi (holy basil)
• तुलसी: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुलसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (context: list-item as ingredient)

• देविका: devikā (a herb)
• देविका: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देविका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (ingredient)

• सहा: together with
• सहा: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक (with/together with)

• तत्-रस-आक्तम्: smeared with its juice
• तत्-रस-आक्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + रस (प्रातिपदिक) + आक्त (कृदन्त; √अञ्ज्/√अक्त्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तद्रसेन आक्तम् = तृतीया-तत्पुरुष; भूतकृदन्त (past participle)

• त्रिकटुकम्: trikaṭuka (the three pungents)
• त्रिकटुकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + कटुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (three pungents)

• चूर्णम्: powder
• चूर्णम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• भक्ष्य: to be eaten / edible
• भक्ष्य: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भक्ष्य (प्रातिपदिक; √भक्ष्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कृदन्त (gerundive/fit to be eaten) used adjectivally

• इषा-अपहम्: removing venom/poison
• इषा-अपहम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इषा (प्रातिपदिक) + अपह (प्रातिपदिक; √अप-हृ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: इषायाः अपहः = removing the poison/venom

• पञ्च-अङ्गम्: the five-part (mixture)
• पञ्च-अङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास

• कृष्ण-पञ्चभ्याम्: with the two ‘kṛṣṇa-pañca’ (two sets of five black items)
• कृष्ण-पञ्चभ्याम्: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), द्विवचन; द्विगु-समास; instrumental dual indicating means/ingredients

• शिरीषस्य: of śirīṣa (Albizia lebbeck)
• शिरीषस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरीष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• विष-अपहम्: removing poison
• विष-अपहम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विष (प्रातिपदिक) + अपह (प्रातिपदिक; √अप-हृ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: विषस्य अपहः

Speaker

Lord Agni (in discourse to Sage Vasiṣṭha, typical frame of Agni Purana)

Vidya Category

Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Ayurveda","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Vishahara-yoga: preparing and administering herbal juice and powdered formulations as antidotes in suspected poisoning, including plant-part selection (pañcāṅga) and adjuvant combinations.","sutra_style":true}

Encyclopedic Reference

Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Formula","entry_title":"Vishahara Yoga with Indrabala–Tulasi and Śirīṣa Pañcāṅga","lookup_keywords":["vishahara","indrabala","trikaṭuka","śirīṣa pañcāṅga","antidote yoga"],"quick_summary":"A combined svarasa (expressed juice) and cūrṇa (powder) regimen using Indrabala/Agni-kanda/Droṇa with Tulasi etc., plus Trikaṭuka, is prescribed as an antidote; Śirīṣa pañcāṅga with five Kṛṣṇā-items is also stated to neutralize poison."}

Ayurveda Layer

Dosha: Tridosha

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Prayoga-jñāna: efficacy through correct dravya-saṅgraha (ingredient selection), saṃyoga (combination), and anupāna/kalpanā (vehicle and preparation).

Application: Standardize antidotal recipes by naming drugs, form (svarasa/cūrṇa), and plant-part scope (pañcāṅga) for repeatable emergency use.

Khanda Section

Khanda Section: Ayurveda (Vishahara-prayoga / Toxicology and antidotal formulations)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Visual Art Cues

Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"An Ayurvedic physician expresses herbal juices, mixes a pungent powder (Trikaṭuka), and prepares an antidote while assistants bring Śirīṣa plant parts (roots, bark, leaves, flowers, fruits) for pañcāṅga use.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style, traditional vaidya in white dhoti near a palm-leaf manuscript, grinding herbs on a stone, green Tulasi plant prominent, Śirīṣa branches displayed, warm earthy palette, temple-clinic ambience.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central seated vaidya with ornate aureole, gold-leaf highlights on medicine vessels, Tulasi in a decorated pot, labeled herb bundles (Indrabala, Droṇa, Trikaṭuka), devotional-clinical fusion.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional layout showing steps: juice extraction, powder mixing, pañcāṅga parts arranged symmetrically, fine linework, muted colors, clear didactic composition.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtly dispensary scene with physician preparing cūrṇa and svarasa, attendants holding Śirīṣa pañcāṅga, detailed botanical rendering, delicate borders and calligraphy panel."}

Audio Atmosphere

Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: इन्द्रबलाग्निकन्द्रोणम् = इन्द्रबला + अग्नि + कन्द्रोणम् (समास/समुच्चय). तद्रसाक्तम् = तद् + रस + आक्तम्. चूर्णम्भक्ष्ययिषापहम् parsed as चूर्णम् + भक्ष्य + इषापहम् (orthographic sandhi/compound-like concatenation). पञ्चाङ्गम् = पञ्च + अङ्गम्. कृष्णपञ्चभ्यां treated as द्विगु with तृतीया-द्विवचन ending -भ्याम्.

Cross References

Related Themes: Agni Purana Ayurveda-khaṇḍa: viṣahara-prayoga sections preceding and following 296.8; Agni Purana: mantra-auṣadha and sarpa-viṣa-cikitsā chapters around 297

Characters & Entities

• Agni
• Tulasi
• Trikaṭuka
• Śirīṣa

FAQs

What technical or ritual knowledge (Vidya) is imparted in this verse?

Ayurvedic toxicology: it lists specific herbs and a Trikaṭuka powder preparation to be taken orally as a viṣāpaha (antidote), and highlights Śirīṣa pañcāṅga as a standard anti-poison drug.

How does this verse contribute to the 'Encyclopedic' nature of the Agni Purana?

It shows the Purana functioning as a compendium beyond mythology—preserving practical medical formulations (vishahara-yogas) alongside ritual, dharma, and other sciences.

What is the spiritual or karmic significance of this specific instruction?

By preserving life and removing harm caused by poison, the remedy aligns with dharmic protection (rakṣā) and compassionate action, supporting purity and the continuation of righteous duties.