Agni Purana

धन्वन्तरिरुवाच शारीरमानसागन्तुसहजा व्याधयो मताः । शारीरा ज्वरकुष्ठाद्याः क्रोधाद्या मानसा मताः ।। २८०.

Dhanvantari said: Diseases are considered to be of bodily, mental, external, and congenital origin; bodily diseases include fever and skin disorders, while those from anger and such are mental.

आगन्तवो विघातोत्थाः सहजाः क्षुज्जरादयः । शारीरागन्तुनाशाय सूर्य्यवारे घृतं गुड़म् ।। २८०.

External diseases arise from injury; congenital ones include hunger and old age. To destroy bodily and external diseases, offer ghee and jaggery on Sunday.

लवणं सहिरण्यञ्च विप्रायापूपमर्पयेत् । चन्द्रे चाभ्यङ्गदो विप्रे सर्वरोगैः प्रमुच्यते ।। २८०.

Offer salted rice-cake with gold to a Brahmin; on the day of the moon, anoint the Brahmin, and he will be freed from all diseases.

तैलं शनैश्चरे दद्यादाश्विने गोरसान्नदः । घृतेन पयसा लिङ्गं संस्नाप्य स्याद्रुगुज्झितः ।। २८०.

On the day of Saturn, give oil; on the day of Ashvini, offer cow's milk and rice. Bathe the image with ghee and milk, and one will be freed from disease.

गायत्र्या हावयेद्वह्नौ दूर्वान्त्रिमधुराप्लुताम् । यस्मिन् भे व्याधिमाप्नोति तस्मिन् स्नानं बलिः शुभे ।। २८०.

Recite the Gāyatrī while offering darbha grass soaked in three sweet substances into the fire; bathe and make offerings at the place where the disease occurred.

मानसानां रुजादीनां विष्णोः स्तोत्रं हरं भवेत् । वातपित्तकफा दोषा धातवश्च तथा श्रृणु ।। २८०.

For mental pains and afflictions, the praise of Viṣṇu is curative; now hear about the humors—vāta, pitta, kapha—and the bodily tissues.

भुक्तं पक्काशयादन्नं द्विधा याति च सुश्रुत । अंशेनैकेन किट्टत्वं रसताञ्चापरेण च ।। २८०.

The food eaten and digested in the stomach, O Suśruta, divides into two parts: one becomes waste, the other becomes essence.

किट्टभागो मलस्तत्र विण्मूत्रस्वेददूषिकाः । नासामलह्कर्णमलं तथा देहमलञ्च यत् ।। २८०.

The waste portion forms the excretions—feces, urine, sweat, nasal, ear, and other bodily impurities.

रसभागाद्रसस्तत्र समाच्छोणिततां व्रजेत् । मांसं रक्तात्ततो मेदो मेदसोऽस्थ्नश्च सम्भवः ।। २८०.

From the essence portion arises rasa (nutritive fluid), which then becomes blood; from blood comes flesh, from flesh fat, and from fat, bone.

अस्थनो मज्जा ततः शुक्रं शुक्राद्रागस्तथौजसः । देशमार्त्ति बलंशक्तिं कालं प्रकृतिमेव च ।। २८०.

From bone comes marrow, from marrow semen, from semen passion, and from passion vigor; likewise, region, form, strength, power, time, and nature.

ज्ञात्वा चिकित्सितं कुर्य्याद्‌भेषजस्य तथा बलम् । तिथिं रिक्तान्त्यजेद् भौमं मन्द्भन्दारुणोग्रकम् ।। २८०.

Having understood, one should administer treatment, considering also the potency of the medicine; one should avoid the lunar day called Rikta, as well as Tuesday, and the constellations Mula, Bharani, and Krittika.

हरिगोद्विजचन्द्रार्क्कसुरादीन् प्रतिपूज्य च । श्रृणु मन्त्रमिमं विद्वन् भेषजारम्भमाचरेत् ।। २८०.

Having duly honored Hari, cows, twice-borns, the moon, the sun, and the gods, listen, O learned one, to this mantra and then begin the administration of medicine.

ब्रह्मदक्षाश्विरुद्रेन्द्रभूचन्द्रार्क्काऽनिलानलाः । ऋषयश्चौषधिग्रामा भूतसकङ्घाश्च पान्तु ते ।। २८०.

May Brahma, Daksha, Ashvins, Rudra, Indra, Earth, Moon, Sun, Wind, Fire, the sages, the hosts of medicinal plants, the spirits, and the protectors guard you.

रसायनमिवर्षीणां देवानाममृतं यथा । सुधेवोत्तमनागानां भैषज्यमिदमस्तु ते ।। २८०.

As elixirs are for the seers, as nectar is for the gods, and as the best medicine is for noble serpents, so may this remedy be for you.

बातश्लेष्मातको देशो वहुवृक्षो वहूदकः । अनूपइतिविख्यातो जाङ्गलस्तद्विवर्ज्जितः ।। २८०.

A region dominated by wind and phlegm, with many trees and much water, is known as marshy; the opposite, lacking these, is called arid.

किञ्चिद्वृक्षोदको देशस्तथा साधारणः स्मृतः । जाङ्गलः पित्तबहुलो मध्यः साधारणः स्मृतः ।। २८०.

A region with some trees and water is considered mixed; the arid region is rich in bile, while the mixed region is regarded as balanced.

सूक्ष्मः शीतश्चलो वायुः पित्तमुष्णं कटुत्रयम् । स्थिराम्लस्निग्धमधुरं बलाशञ्च प्रचक्षते ।। २८०.

Wind is subtle, cold, and mobile; bile is hot and pungent in three ways; phlegm is stable, sour, unctuous, and sweet, and is said to confer strength.

वृद्धिः समानैरेतेषां विपरीतैर्विपर्य्ययः । रसाः स्वाद्वम्ललवणाः श्लेष्मला वायुनाशनाः ।। २८०.

Increase comes from similar qualities, decrease from opposites; sweet, sour, and salty tastes increase phlegm and diminish wind.

कटुतिक्तकषायाश्य वातलाः श्लेष्मनाशनाः । कट्‌वम्‌ललवणा ज्ञेयास्तथा पित्तविवर्द्धनाः ।। २८०.

Pungent, bitter, and astringent tastes are windy and reduce phlegm; pungent, sour, and salty tastes are known to increase bile.

तिक्तस्वादुकषायाश्च तथा पित्तविनाशनाः । रसस्यैतद्‌गुणं नास्ति विपाकस्यैतदिष्यते ।। २८०.

Bitter, sweet, and astringent tastes likewise destroy bile; these properties do not belong to taste itself but are attributed to the post-digestive effect.

वीर्य्योष्णाः कफवातघ्नाः शीताः पित्तविनाशनाः । प्रभावतस्तथा कर्म्म ते कुर्वन्ति च सुश्रुत ।। २८०.

Substances with hot potency destroy phlegm and wind; those with cold potency destroy bile; by their inherent power and action, they produce effects, O Sushruta.

शिशिरे च वसन्ते च निदाघे च तथा क्रमात् । चयप्रकोपप्रशमाः कफस्य तु प्रकीर्त्तिताः ।। २८०.

In winter, spring, and summer, in due order, the accumulation, aggravation, and pacification of phlegm are described.

निदाघवर्षारात्रौ च तथा शरदि सुश्रुत । चयप्रकोपप्रशमाः पवनस्य प्रकीर्त्तिताः ।। २८०.

In summer, the rainy season, and at night, as well as in autumn, O Sushruta, the accumulation, aggravation, and pacification of wind are described.

मेघकाले च शरदि हेमन्ते च यथाक्रमात् । चयप्रकोपप्रशमास्तथा पित्तस्य कीर्त्तिताः ।। २८०.

In the rainy season, autumn, and early winter, in due order, the accumulation, aggravation, and pacification of bile are described.

वर्षादयो विसर्गास्तु हेमन्ताद्यास्तथा त्रयः । शिशिराद्यास्तथादानं ग्रीष्मान्ता ऋतवस्त्रयः ।। २८०.

The seasons beginning with the rains are of the nature of release; the three beginning with early winter are likewise; the three beginning with late winter, ending with summer, are of the nature of absorption.

सौम्यो विसर्गस्त्वादानमाग्नेयं परिकीर्त्तितम् । वर्षादीस्त्रीनृतून् सोमश्चरन् पर्य्यायशो रसान् ।। २८०.

The lunar influence is said to be releasing, while the solar is absorbing; the moon, moving through the three seasons beginning with the rains, produces tastes in turn.

जनयत्यम्ललवणमधुरांस्त्रीन् यथाक्रमम् । शिशिरादीनृतूनर्कश्चरन् पर्य्यायशो रसान् ।। २८०.

He generates, in order, the three tastes—sour, salty, and sweet; the sun, moving through the seasons beginning with late winter, produces the tastes in turn.

विवर्द्धयेत्तथा तिक्तकषायकटुकान् क्रमात् । यथा रजन्यो वर्द्धन्ते बलमेकं हि वर्द्धते ।। २८०.

One should gradually increase bitter, astringent, and pungent tastes, just as the humors grow; for only one strength increases.

क्रमशोऽथ मनुष्याणां हीयमानासु हीयते । रात्रिभुक्तदिनानाञ्च वयसश्च तथैव च ।। २८०.

Likewise, as the humors diminish in humans, they decrease gradually, along with the nights, days, and age.