Agni Purana

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.

श्रृङ्गीं सकृष्णातिविषां चूर्णितां मधुना लिहेत् । एका चातिविशा काशच्छर्द्दिज्वरहरी शिशोः ।। २८३.

Powdered śṛṅgī with black ativiṣā, taken with honey, is beneficial; a single ativiṣā from Kāśī removes vomiting and fever in a child.

बालैः सेव्या वचा साज्या सदुग्धा वाथ तैलयुक् । यष्टिकां शङ्खपुष्पीं वा बालः क्षीरान्वितां पिवेत् ।। २८३.

Children should use vacā with ghee, or with milk, or with oil; or a child may drink yaṣṭikā or śaṅkhapuṣpī mixed with milk.

वाग्रूपसम्पद्‌युक्तायुर्म्मेधाश्रीर्वर्द्धते शिशोः । वचाह्यग्निशिखावासाशुण्ठीकृष्णानिशागदं ।। २८३.

When a child is endowed with eloquence, form, and accomplishment, his lifespan, intellect, and prosperity increase; for speech, the abode of fire's flame, dry ginger, black pepper, and long pepper are beneficial.

सयष्टिसैन्धवं बालः प्रातर्मेघाकरं विवेत् । देवदारुमहाशिग्रुफलत्रयपयोमुचां ।। २८३.

In the morning, a child should taste honey mixed with rock salt, the fruit of devadāru, the large radish, the three fruits, and the milky exudates.

क्काथः सकृष्णा मृद्वीका कल्कः सर्वान् कृमीन्‌हरेत् । त्रिफलाभृङ्गविश्वानां रसेषु मधुसर्पिषोः ।। २८३.

A paste of catechu, black raisins, and myrobalan removes all worms; the juice of triphalā, bhr̥ṅgarāja, and viśvā, with honey and clarified butter, is also effective.

मेषीक्षीरे च गोमूत्रे सिक्तं रोगे हितं शिशोः । नासारक्तहरो नस्याद्‌दुर्व्वारस इहोत्तमः ।। २८३.

Milk of sheep and cow's urine, when sprinkled, is beneficial for a child's disease; nasal application of durvā juice is excellent for stopping nosebleeds.

लशुनार्द्रकशिग्रूणां रसः कर्णस्य पूरणम् । तैलमार्द्रकजात्यं वा शूलहा चौष्ठरोगनुत् ।। २८३.

The juice of garlic, fresh ginger, and radish, when instilled into the ear, or oil prepared with ginger and jātī, relieves pain and cures diseases of the lips.

जातीपत्रं फलं व्योषं कवलं मूत्रकं निशा । दुग्धक्काथेऽभयाकल्के सिद्धं तैलं द्वलिजार्त्तिनुत् ।। २८३.

Jātī leaf, its fruit, viyoṣa, a bolus, urine, and turmeric, with oil cooked with decoction of myrobalan and abhayā paste, cure dental and gum diseases.

धान्याम्बु नारिकेलं गोमूत्रं क्रमूकविश्वयुक् । क्काथितं कबलं कार्य्यमधिजिह्वाधिशान्तये ।। २८३.

A bolus prepared with rice water, coconut, cow's urine, kramuka, and viśvā, boiled together, should be used to relieve diseases of the tongue and mouth.

साधितं लाङ्गलीकल्के तैलं निर्गुण्डिकारसैः । गण्डमालागलगण्डौ नाशयेन्नस्यकर्मणा ।। २८३.

Oil processed with lāṅgalī paste and the juice of nirguṇḍī, when used as nasal therapy, destroys scrofula and glandular swellings.