Agni Purana — Kosha, Shloka 53

Bhūmi–Vana–Auṣadhi–Ādi Vargāḥ (भूमिवनौषध्यादिवर्गाः) — Lexical Groups on Earth, Settlements, Architecture, Forests, Materia Medica, and Fauna

Devanagari script

काला मसूरविदला त्रिपुटा त्रिवृता त्रिवृत् मधुकं क्लीतकं यष्टिमधुका मधुयष्टिका

Transliteration

kālā masūravidalā tripuṭā trivṛtā trivṛt madhukaṃ klītakaṃ yaṣṭimadhukā madhuyaṣṭikā

Translation

“Kālā”“masūravidalā”“tripuṭā”皆为trivṛt（泻下用旋花）之名；“Madhuka”“klītaka”“yaṣṭimadhukā”“madhuyaṣṭikā”皆为甘草（yaṣṭīmadhu）之名。

Word by Word

• kālā: Kālā (a plant name; ‘black’ variety)
• kālā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kālā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• masūravidalā: Masūravidalā (a medicinal plant)
• masūravidalā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: masūra-vidalā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘lentil-splitting/like lentil’)

• tripuṭā: Tripuṭā (three-fold herb)
• tripuṭā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri-puṭā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); द्विगु-समास (‘three-fold/three-pouched’)

• trivṛtā: Trivṛtā (Operculina turpethum)
• trivṛtā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri-vṛtā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); द्विगु-समास (‘three-turning’; plant name)

• trivṛt: Trivṛt (turpeth; variant name)
• trivṛt: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri-vṛt (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); द्विगु-समास; variant form of trivṛtā

• madhukam: Madhuka (licorice/mahua; drug name)
• madhukam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhuka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• klītakam: Klītaka (a medicinal plant)
• klītakam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: klītaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• yaṣṭimadhukā: Yaṣṭimadhukā (licorice)
• yaṣṭimadhukā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yaṣṭi-madhukā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुषः (कर्मधारय: ‘stick-like madhukā’ = licorice)

• madhuyaṣṭikā: Madhuyaṣṭikā (licorice)
• madhuyaṣṭikā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhu-yaṣṭikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुषः (कर्मधारय: ‘honey-stick’ = licorice)

Speaker

Lord Agni (teaching in an encyclopedic Ayurvedic register to Sage Vasiṣṭha)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: Mostly a list of plant names; no major external sandhi except internal compounds (dvigu/tatpuruṣa).

Characters & Entities

• Agni Purana
• Trivrit (Operculina turpethum)
• Yashtimadhu / Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra)

FAQs

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

Ayurvedic dravyaguṇa knowledge: the verse provides synonym-names (paryāya) for two key drugs—trivṛt (a purgative) and yaṣṭīmadhu/licorice (a soothing, restorative herb)—useful for identifying substances across regional terminologies.

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

It functions like a nighaṇṭu (Ayurvedic glossary), cataloging multiple names for the same medicinal plants so physicians and ritual practitioners can correctly recognize and apply them, reflecting the Purana’s broad coverage beyond theology into medical science.

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

Accurate identification of medicinal substances supports dharmic healing and proper ritual/therapeutic practice; in the Purāṇic view, sustaining health and relieving suffering are meritorious acts aligned with dharma.