Agni Purana

श्लेष्मा प्रकोपमायाति तथा ये चालसा जनाः । वाताद्युत्थानि रोगाणि ज्ञात्वा शाम्यानि लक्ष्णैः ।। २८०.

Kapha becomes aggravated in those who are lazy; knowing diseases arising from vāyu and others, one should pacify them by their symptoms.

अस्थिभङ्गः कषायत्वमास्ये शुष्कास्यता तथा । जृम्भणं लोमहर्षश्च वातिकव्याधिलक्षणम् ।। २८०.

Fracture of bones, astringency in the mouth, dryness of the mouth, yawning, and goosebumps are symptoms of vāta disorders.

नखनेत्रशिराणान्तु पीतत्वं कटुता मुखे । तृष्णा दाहोष्णता चैव पित्तव्याधिनिदर्शनम् ।। २८०.

Yellowing of nails, eyes, and veins, bitterness in the mouth, thirst, burning, and heat are indications of pitta disorders.

आलस्यञ्च प्रसेकश्च गुरुता मधुरास्यता । उष्णाभिलाषिता चेति श्लेष्मिकव्याधिलक्षणम् ।। २८०.

Laziness, excessive salivation, heaviness, sweetness in the mouth, and desire for warmth are symptoms of kapha disorders.

स्निग्धोष्णमन्नमभ्यङ्गस्तैलपानादि वातनुत् । आज्यं क्षीरांसिताद्यं च चन्द्ररश्म्यादि पित्तनुत् ।। २८०.

Oily, warm food, massage, oil-drinking, and similar things pacify vāta; clarified butter, milk, and things cooled by moon rays pacify pitta.

सक्षौद्रं त्रिफलातैलं व्यायामादि कफापहम् । सर्वरोगप्रशान्त्यै स्याद्विष्णोर्ध्यानञ्च चपूजनम् ।। २८०.

Honey, oil of triphala, exercise and similar practices dispel phlegm; for the pacification of all diseases, meditation and worship of Vishnu are also effective.

धन्वन्तरिरुवाच रसादिलक्षणं वक्ष्ये भेषजानां गुणं श्रृणु । रसवीर्य्यविपाकज्ञो नृपादीन्रक्षयेन्नरः ।। २८१.

Dhanvantari said: I will explain the characteristics of rasa and other qualities of medicines; listen to their virtues. One who knows rasa, potency, and post-digestive effect can protect kings and others.

रसाः स्वाद्वम्ललवणाः सोमजाः परिकीर्त्तिताः । कटुतिक्तकषायानि तथाग्नेया महाभुज ।। २८१.

The tastes sweet, sour, and salty are said to arise from Soma; bitter, pungent, and astringent are declared to be from Agni, O mighty-armed one.

त्रिधा विपाको द्रव्यस्य कट्‌वम्ल्लवणआत्मकः । द्विधा वीय्य समुद्दिष्टमुष्णं शीतं तथैव च ।। २८१.

The post-digestive effect of a substance is threefold: pungent, sour, or salty in nature. Potency is described as twofold: hot or cold.

अनिर्देश्यप्रभावश्च ओषधीनां द्विजोत्तम । मधुरश्च कषायश्च तिक्तश्चैव तथा रसः ।। २८१.

The influence of medicinal herbs is sometimes indescribable, O best of twice-born; the tastes are sweet, astringent, and bitter.

शीतवीर्य्याः समुद्दिष्टाः शेषास्तूष्णाः प्रकीर्त्तिताः । गुडुची तत्र तिक्तापि भवत्युष्णातिवीर्यतः ।। २८१.

Cold potency is specified; the rest are declared to be hot. Guduchi, though bitter, is considered to have very strong hot potency.

उष्णा कषायापि तथा पथ्या भवति मानद । मधुरोपि तथा मांस उष्ण एव प्रकीर्त्तितः ।। २८१.

Pathya is also hot, though astringent; honey and meat are likewise regarded as hot.

लवणो मधुरश्चैव विपाकमधुरौ स्मृतौ । अम्लोष्णश्च तथा प्रोक्तः शेषाः कटुविपाकिनः ।। २८१.

Salt and sweet are remembered as having sweet post-digestive effect; sour is said to be hot, and the rest have pungent post-digestive effect.

वीर्य्यपाके विपर्य्यस्ते प्रभावात्तत्र निश्चयः । मधुरोऽपि कटुः पाके यच्चः क्षौद्रं प्रकीर्त्तितं ।। २८१.

When potency and post-digestive effect are opposed, the influence determines the outcome; honey, though sweet, is considered pungent in post-digestive effect.

क्काथयेत् षोडशगुणं पिवेद्‌द्रव्याच्चतुर्गुणम् । कल्पनैषा कषायस्य यत्र नोक्तो विधिर्भवेत् ।। २८१.

One should boil sixteen times the amount of water and drink four times the amount of the substance; this is the method for decoction where no specific rule is given.

कषायन्तु भवेत्तोयं स्नेहपाके चतुर्गुणं । द्रव्यतुल्यं समुद्‌धृत्य द्रव्यं स्नेहं क्षिपेद्‌बुधः ।। २८१.

For decoction, water should be four times the amount of the substance in oil preparation; after extracting the decoction equal to the substance, the wise should add oil.

तावत्प्रमाणं द्रव्यस्य स्नेहपादं ततः क्षिपेत् । तोयवर्ज्जन्तु यद्‌द्रव्यं स्नेहद्रब्यं तथा भवेत् ।। २८१.

The measure of the substance should be equal to the portion of oil added; if the substance excludes water, then the oil substance should be likewise.

संवर्त्तितौषधः पाकः स्नेहानां परिकीर्त्तितः । तत्तुल्यता तु लेह्यस्य तथा भवति सुश्रुत ।। २८१.१२ स्वच्छमल्पौषधं क्काथं कषायञ्चोक्तवद्भवेत् । अक्षं चूर्णस्य निर्दिष्टं कषायस्य चतुष्पलं ।। २८१.

The preparation of cooked medicine with oil is described; the same proportion applies to electuaries, O Sushruta.

मध्यमैषा स्मृता मात्रा नास्ति मात्राविकल्पना । वयः कालं बलं वह्निं देशं द्रव्यं रुजं तथा ।। २८१.

This is remembered as the medium dose; there is no variation in dosage. Consider age, time, strength, digestive fire, region, substance, and disease.

समवेक्ष्य महाभाग मात्रायाः कल्पना भवेत् । सौम्यास्तत्र रसाः प्रायो विज्ञेया धातुवर्द्धनाः ।। २८१.

Having considered these, O illustrious one, the calculation of dosage should be made. Among tastes, the gentle ones are generally known to nourish the bodily elements.

मधुरास्तु विशेषेण विज्ञेया धातुवर्द्धनाः । दोषाणाञ्चैव धातूना द्रव्यं समगुणन्तु यत् ।। २८१.

Especially, sweet tastes are known to nourish the bodily elements; and the substance whose qualities are equal for both doshas and dhatus.

तदेव वृद्धये ज्ञेयं विपरीतं क्षमावहम् । उपस्तम्भत्रयं प्रोक्तं देहेऽस्मिन्मनुजोत्तम ।। २८१.

That alone should be understood as promoting growth; the opposite causes depletion. The three supports of the body are declared, O best of men.

आहारो मैथुनं निद्रा तेषु यत्नः सदा भवेत् । असेवनात् सेवनाच्च अत्यन्तं नाशमाप्नुयात् ।। २८१.

Food, sexual union, and sleep—one should always strive regarding these. By excessive abstention or indulgence, complete destruction results.

क्षयस्य बृंहणं कार्यं स्थूलदेहस्य कर्षणम् । रक्षणं मध्यकायस्य देहभेदास्त्रयो मताः ।। २८१.

For wasting, nourishment should be provided; for a heavy body, reduction is needed; for a medium body, maintenance is prescribed—these are considered the three distinctions of bodily types.

उपक्रमद्वयं प्रोक्तं तर्पणं वाप्यतर्पणं । हिताशीच मिताशी च जीर्णाशी च तथा भवेत् ।। २८१.

Two approaches are described: satiation and non-satiation; likewise, one should eat wholesome food, in moderation, and only after the previous meal is digested.

ओषधीनां पञ्चविधा तथा भवति कल्पना । रसः कल्कः श्रृतः शीतः फाण्टश्च मनुजोत्तम ।। २८१.

There are five ways of preparing medicinal herbs: juice, paste, decoction, cold infusion, and infusion—O best of men.

रसश्च पीडको ज्ञेयः कल्क आलोड़िताद्‌ भवेत् । क्कथितश्च श्रृतो ज्ञेयः शीतः पर्युषितो निशां ।। २८१.

Juice is known as that which is pressed out; paste is made by grinding; decoction is what is boiled; cold infusion is that which is left overnight.

सद्योभिश्रृतपूतं यत् तत् फाण्टमभिधीयते । करणानां शतञ्चैव षष्टिश्चैवाधिका स्मृता ।। २८१.

That which is freshly boiled and strained is called an infusion; and there are said to be one hundred and sixty methods of preparation.

यो वेत्ति स ह्यजेयः स्यात्सम्बन्धे वाहुशौण्डिकः । आहारशुद्धिरगन्यर्थमग्निमूलं बलं नृणां ।। २८१.

He who knows these is indeed unconquerable, and skilled in their application; purity of food is for the sake of fire, and fire is the root of strength in people.