Agni Purana

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.

ससिन्धुत्रिफलाञ्चाद्यात्सुराज्ञि अभिवर्णदां । जाङ्गलञ्च रसं सिन्धुयुक्तं दधि पयः कणां ।। २८१.

One should consume triphala with rock salt, or meat broth with salt, curd, milk, and grains, all properly prepared.

रसाधिकं समं कुर्य्यान्नरो वाताधिकोऽपि वा । निदाघे मर्द्दनं प्रोक्तं शिशिरे च समं बहु ।। २८१.

A person with excess of bodily fluids should make them equal, even if there is excess wind; in summer, massage is recommended, and in winter, more and stronger massage.

वसन्ते मध्यमं ज्ञेयन्निदाघे मर्दनोल्वणं । त्वचन्तु प्रथमं मर्द्द्यमङ्गञ्च तदनन्तरं ।। २८१.

In spring, moderate massage is advised; in summer, strong massage; first the skin should be massaged, then the limbs in order.

स्नायुरुधिरदेहेषु अस्थि भातीव मांसलं । स्कन्धौ बाहू तथैवेह तथा जङ्घे सजानुनी ।। २८१.

In the body, the sinews, blood, and flesh are prominent; likewise, the shoulders, arms, thighs, and knees.

अरिवन्‌मर्द्दयेत् प्राज्ञो जत्रु वक्षश्च पूर्ववत् । अङ्गसन्धिषु सर्व्वेषु निष्पीड्य बहुलं तथा ।। २८१.

A wise person should massage the neck and chest as before, and thoroughly press all the joints of the limbs.

प्रसारयेदङ्गसन्धीन्न च क्षेपेण चाक्रमात् । नाजीर्णे तु श्रमं कुर्य्यान्न भुक्त्वा पीतवान्नरः ।। २८१.

The joints of the limbs should be extended, but not with force or suddenly; one should not exert oneself when food is undigested, nor after eating or drinking.

दिनस्य तु चतुर्भाग ऊद्‌र्ध्वन्तु प्रहरार्द्धके । व्यायामं नैव कर्त्तव्यं स्नायाच्छीताम्बुना सकृत् ।। २८१.

In the fourth part of the day, or after one and a half watches, exercise should not be done; one should bathe once with cold water.

वार्य्युष्णञ्च श्रमं जह्याद्‌धृदा श्वासन्न धारयेत् । व्यायामश्च कफं हन्याद्वातं हन्याच्च मर्द्दनम् ।। २९१.

One should avoid exertion with hot water, and not hold the breath forcefully; exercise reduces phlegm, and massage reduces wind.

स्नानं पित्ताधिकं हन्यात्तस्यान्ते चातपाः प्रियाः । आतपक्लेशकर्मादौ क्षेमव्यायामिनो नराः ।। २९१.

Bathing reduces excess bile, and afterwards, sun exposure is beneficial; those who exercise in the sun at the beginning of their routine are safe.

धन्वन्तरिरुवाच सिही शटी निशायुग्मं वत्सकं क्वाथसेवनं । शिशोः सर्व्वातिसारेषु स्तन्यदोषेषु शस्यते ।। २८३.

Dhanvantari said: Sihī, śaṭī, both kinds of niśā, vatsaka—decoction of these is recommended for infants in all cases of severe diarrhea and disorders of breast milk.