Agni Purana — Ayurveda, Shloka 50
Chapter 288 — अश्वचिकित्सा
Aśva-cikitsā) | Horse-Medicine (Śālihotra to Suśruta
निस्तूषाणां प्रदातव्या यवानां चतुराटकी चणकव्रीहिमौद्गानि कलायं वापि दापयेत्
nistūṣāṇāṃ pradātavyā yavānāṃ caturāṭakī caṇakavrīhimaudgāni kalāyaṃ vāpi dāpayet
应当施与已去壳之大麦（yava），其量为四阿吒迦（āṭaka）；并且也应施与鹰嘴豆、稻米、绿豆（mung），或豌豆等。
Lord Agni (in instruction to Vasiṣṭha, in the Agni Purāṇa’s didactic dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Prescribes specific food-grain donations (barley, legumes, rice) with measure; used for merit-making and expiatory gifting (dāna).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Dhānya-dāna: yava-caturāṭaka and allied grains","lookup_keywords":["dāna","yava","caturāṭaka","canaḳa","mudga"],"quick_summary":"Give dehusked barley in a four-āṭaka measure; alternatively/also donate chickpeas, rice, mung, or peas as prescribed charitable gifts."}
Concept: Dāna of staple foods sustains society and accrues puṇya; measured giving is part of regulated dharma.
Application: Organize grain donations (especially dehusked barley) in standard measures for feeding, ritual gifting, or expiation.
Khanda Section: Dāna-dharma (Charity, gifts, and expiatory/merit-making prescriptions)
Primary Rasa: Shanta
Secondary Rasa: Karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A donor measuring dehusked barley into a standard vessel (āṭaka) and distributing barley, chickpeas, rice, mung, and peas to recipients or a ritual setting.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, a temple courtyard with a donor and brahmins/poor receiving dhānya, large measuring vessel labeled by gesture, heaps of barley and legumes, warm earthy palette, didactic calm.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, donor couple offering bowls of grains before a deity lamp, gold foil on vessels and halos, richly patterned textiles, piles of yava and pulses rendered ornamentally.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, precise depiction of measuring cup and grain types, a scribe noting 'caturāṭaka', clean instructional layout with soft colors.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, market-like granary scene with accurate grain sacks, a noble giving measured barley to scholars, fine architectural background, detailed vessels and textures."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: vāpi = vā api.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 288 (dāna-dharma subsections)
FAQs
It specifies annadāna (food-grain charity) with a technical quantity—barley donated as dehusked grain in a fixed measure (catur-āṭaka), and lists acceptable substitute grains/pulses.
Beyond theology, it preserves practical dharma-guidance: concrete donation items, quality (dehusked), and standardized measures—showing the text’s coverage of social ethics and ritual economy.
Annadāna is treated as a high-merit act; donating staple grains in proper form and measure is understood to generate puṇya (religious merit) and support purity through righteous giving.