Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 3
Yati-dharma
The Dharma of the Renunciate Ascetic
आत्मन्यग्नीन् समारोप्य प्रव्रजेद्ब्राह्मणो गृहात् दृष्ट्वावश्यमिति ङ तपश्चोग्रं वने चरेदिति ङ भजेद्दिशमजिम्हग इति ङ सङ्गान् परित्यजेदिति ङ विरजेद्वापि तदह्नि इति ङ एक एव चरेन्नित्यं ग्रासमन्नाथमाश्रयेत्
ātmanyagnīn samāropya pravrajedbrāhmaṇo gṛhāt dṛṣṭvāvaśyamiti ṅa tapaścograṃ vane carediti ṅa bhajeddiśamajimhaga iti ṅa saṅgān parityajediti ṅa virajedvāpi tadahni iti ṅa eka eva carennityaṃ grāsamannāthamāśrayet
بعد أن يُقيم النيران المقدّسة في ذاته (كنارٍ باطنة)، ينبغي للبراهمن أن يغادر البيت إلى حال اللابيتية (الترهّب). وإذ يدرك حتمية الأمر (الموت وعدم الدوام)، فليمارس تقشّفًا شديدًا وليقم في الغابة. وليتخذ اتجاهًا مستقيمًا بلا اعوجاج؛ وليترك كل صحبة وتعلّق؛ وليتحرّر من الشهوة والدنس—من ذلك اليوم بعينه. وليسر دائمًا وحده، وليقتات بلقمة واحدة، معتمدًا فقط على طعام يُنال بلا ادّعاء ملكية.
Lord Agni (instructional narration, typical Agni Purana dialogue to Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Philosophy","practical_application":"Core sannyāsa conduct: internalize the sacred fires (agni-nyāsa/antar-agni), leave home, cultivate impermanence-awareness, practice intense tapas, move straightforwardly, abandon saṅga, wander alone, and live on minimal alms/food without possessiveness.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Yati Conduct: Antar-agni, Saṅga-tyāga, Ekacarya, and Alpa-āhāra","lookup_keywords":["ātmani agni-samāropa","saṅga-parityāga","ekacarya","ajihmagati","grāsa-āhāra"],"quick_summary":"Defines the renunciant’s discipline: relocate ritual fire inward, depart into homelessness, live with unwavering straightforwardness, sever attachments, wander alone, and subsist on minimal, non-possessive food."}
Concept: Antar-agni (internalized sacrifice) and ekānta-caryā (solitary wandering) as means to dissolve egoic identity; impermanence (avaśyam—inevitability) as the engine of vairāgya.
Application: Shift from external ritualism to inner discipline (self-restraint, meditation, ethical purity); practice non-possessiveness and moderated intake; maintain straightforwardness in speech and conduct.
Khanda Section: Sannyasa & Moksha-dharma (Vairagya, Vanaprastha/Sannyasa conduct)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vairagya
Type: Forest
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A brāhmaṇa renunciant performs inner-fire contemplation (hands near heart, subtle flame motif), leaves a house behind, enters forest, walks a straight path alone with staff and water-pot, receiving a small mouthful of alms and eating without possessiveness.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: triptych—(1) house doorway with renunciant stepping out, (2) forest scene with yogic posture and a small inner-flame at the heart, (3) lone wanderer on straight path receiving a small alms portion; restrained, serene palette.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: central yati with gold halo and faint heart-flame motif; background shows home left behind and forest ahead; a small bowl with a single mouthful of food emphasized; ornate gold work yet austere composition.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: instructional clarity—icons for antar-agni (heart flame), saṅga-tyāga (severed knot), ekacarya (single footprint trail), grāsa-āhāra (small morsel); fine detailing and calm tones.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: narrative sequence in one frame—house on left, forest on right; solitary ascetic walking straight; a villager offers a small morsel; realistic foliage and architecture, subdued spiritual mood."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Shankara","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ātmani+agnīn → ātmanyagnīn; pravrajet+brāhmaṇaḥ → pravrajedbrāhmaṇo; dṛṣṭvā+avaśyam → dṛṣṭvāvaśyam; tapaḥ+ca+ugram → tapaścogam; ugraṃ+vane → ugraṃ vane; bhajet+diśam → bhajeddiśam; tat+ahni → tadahni; caret+nityam → carennityaṃ; anna+artham → annātham (ā-sandhi).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 161.2 (departure timing and iṣṭi); Agni Purana 160.5 (ajihmagati/aparāvṛtti motif); Agni Purana 160.4 (tapas regimen background)
FAQs
It teaches the sannyāsa-vidhi principle of ‘internalizing the fires’ (agnīnāṃ ātmany-āropaṇa)—i.e., relinquishing external household fire-rites and adopting the inner discipline of austerity, dispassion, and alms-based subsistence.
Alongside ritual and cosmological topics, the Agni Purana also codifies practical life-stages and ethics; this verse is a concise manual instruction for renunciation—covering conduct (ācāra), livelihood (bhikṣā/annāśraya), and mental discipline (vairāgya).
By abandoning attachments and adopting solitary, austere living from ‘that very day,’ the renunciate is said to purify rāga (passion) and saṅga (clinging), accelerating liberation-oriented karma (mokṣa-sādhana) through dispassion and self-restraint.