Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 35
Explanation of the Vāsudeva and Related Mantras (वासुदेवादिमन्त्रनिरूपणम्)
पादयोरेकदशात्मा मनः श्रोत्रं त्वगेव च चक्षुर्जिह्वा तथा घ्राणं वाक्पाण्यङ्घ्रिश् च पायुकः
pādayorekadaśātmā manaḥ śrotraṃ tvageva ca cakṣurjihvā tathā ghrāṇaṃ vākpāṇyaṅghriś ca pāyukaḥ
في القدمين كلتيهما (بوصفهما أساس الفعل) يُقال إن الذات أحد عشرية: الذهن (مانس)، السمع، الجلد، البصر، اللسان، والشمّ؛ وكذلك الكلام، واليد، والقدم، وعضو الإخراج.
Lord Agni (teaching the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Philosophy","secondary_vidya":"Vyakarana","practical_application":"Discriminative mapping of the elevenfold psycho-sensory complex (mind, five jñānendriyas, five karmendriyas) for sāṅkhya-yoga analysis and meditation on indriya-nirodha.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Ekādaśa-indriya (11-fold faculties) Enumeration","lookup_keywords":["ekādaśa","indriya","manas","jñānendriya","karmendriya"],"quick_summary":"Counts the operative faculties as eleven: mind plus ten senses—five of knowledge and five of action—used for sāṅkhya classification and yogic restraint."}
Concept: Indriya-vibhāga: distinguishing mind and senses as instruments, not the Self, enabling viveka and pratyāhāra.
Application: In meditation, observe each faculty (hearing, touch, sight, taste, smell; speech, grasping, locomotion, excretion) as separate functions to reduce identification and cultivate control.
Khanda Section: Sankhya-Yoga / Sharira-tattva (indriya-vibhaga: constituents of the embodied self)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A schematic depiction of the embodied being with labels for mind, five senses of knowledge, and five organs of action, emphasizing the elevenfold set.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural aesthetic, human figure in frontal pose with stylized labels near ear/skin/eye/tongue/nose and action organs, manas shown as a small lotus at the chest or head, bold outlines and traditional palette.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style with gold accents, didactic tableau: central figure with ten radiating icons (ear, eye, etc.) and a central manas emblem, ornate frame, temple-like backdrop.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clean instructional diagram feel, numbered list of 11 faculties around a seated yogin, subtle shading, manuscript-like clarity.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature with marginal annotations, scholar-yogi pointing to a chart of eleven faculties, refined architectural setting, delicate calligraphy panels."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: पादयोरेकदशात्मा = पादयोः एकादश-आत्मा; त्वगेव = त्वक् एव; चक्षुर्जिह्वा = चक्षुः जिह्वा; वाक्पाण्यङ्घ्रिः = वाक् पाणि अङ्घ्रिः.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 25 (Sāṅkhya-Yoga śarīra-tattva context)
FAQs
It teaches the technical enumeration of the eleven faculties—mind plus the sense and action organs—used in Sāṅkhya–Yoga analysis of the body and cognition.
By preserving a systematic, near-textbook taxonomy of jñānendriyas and karmendriyas, the Agni Purana functions as a compendium that includes philosophy and embodied psychology alongside ritual and other sciences.
Knowing the senses and mind as distinct faculties supports self-restraint (indriya-nigraha) and discriminative insight, aiding purification and progress toward liberation-oriented practice.