kṣārādagnirgarīyān kriyāsu vyākhyātaḥ, taddagdhānāṁ rōgāṇāmapunarbhāvādbhēṣajaśastrakṣārairasādhyānāṁ tatsādhyatvācca ||3||
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क्षारादग्निर्गरीयान् क्रियासु व्याख्यातः, तद्दग्धानां रोगाणामपुनर्भावाद्भेषजशस्त्रक्षारैरसाध्यानां तत्साध्यत्वाच्च ||३||
Meaning of the śloka
In therapeutic actions, fire is described as superior to kshara, because diseases treated by its burning do not recur and because it can treat diseases not amenable to medicines, sharp instruments or kshara.
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Show commentary
agnikarmamāhātmyamāha- kṣārādityādi|- kṣārādgurōḥ sakāśādagnirgarīyān gurutaraḥ| kutra punaḥ kṣārādagnirgarīyānityāha- kriyāsu karmasu, na tu guṇēṣu; guṇēṣu punastridōṣaghnacchēdyabhēdyalēkhyakaraṇādiṣu kṣāra ēva pradhānaḥ; ētēna svē svē kr̥tyē dvayōrapi prādhānyamityuktaṁ; yathā- dr̥ḍhaprahāritvēnārjunāt karṇaḥ, karṇāddūrapātitvēnārjunaḥ pradhānamiti| vyākhyāta iti kathita ityarthaḥ| pratijñātasya garīyastvasya sādhakaṁ hētumāha- taddagdhānāmiti|- agnidagdhānām; apunarbhāvāditi apunarbhāvastu sādhyānāṁ samyagdagdhānām, ētadviparyayē tvagnidagdhasyāpi punarudbhavaḥ; anyē tvanyathā samādadhati- arbudādayō'gninā samūlamunmūlitā mithyāhārādibhiḥ punardōṣaprakōpāttatsthāna ēvānyē jāyamānāstadvadupalabhyantē| hētvantaraṁ samuccinvannāha- bhēṣajētyādi| tatsādhyatvāt agnisādhyatvādityarthaḥ| anyē tu ‘svēdaśastrakṣāraiḥ’ iti paṭhanti, tatrāyamarthaḥ- bhagandarārśasādayaḥ pūrvaṁ svidyantē, paścāttēṣu śastramavacāryatē; athavā svēdagrahaṇaṁ bhēṣajōpalakṣaṇaṁ, bhēṣajāśaktau śastrāvacāraṇaṁ, śastrāśaktāvaśēṣavyādhiśamanāya kṣāraḥ, kṣārāśakyē'vagāḍhamūlē vyādhāvagniriti||3||
Meaning of the commentary
The superiority concerns therapeutic actions, not every property. Kshara remains foremost in properties such as acting against three doshas and performing cutting, opening and scraping. Both are superior in their own sphere, just as Karna excels Arjuna in striking firmly, while Arjuna excels Karna in shooting far. Nonrecurrence applies to curable conditions properly cauterised; otherwise even a cauterised condition can recur. Others explain that after lesions such as arbuda have been completely eradicated by fire, improper diet and related causes may provoke doshas anew, producing another lesion at the same site resembling the former one. Some read 'sveda, instruments and kshara' instead of 'medicines, instruments and kshara.' On that reading, bhagandara and arshas first receive sveda and then instrumentation. Alternatively, sveda represents medicinal treatment generally: instruments follow when medicines cannot accomplish the task, kshara addresses disease left after instruments, and fire addresses deeply rooted disease beyond kshara.
Key terms
- apunarbhAvAt
- Nonrecurrence, qualified in the commentary.