Agni Purana — Yoga & Brahma-vidya, Shloka 27
Chapter 373 — ध्यानम्
Dhyāna / Meditation
तद्भूतं निश् चलीभूतं लभेत् सूक्ष्मे ऽपि संस्थितं नाभिकन्दे स्थितं नालं दशाङ्गुलसमायतं
tadbhūtaṃ niś calībhūtaṃ labhet sūkṣme 'pi saṃsthitaṃ nābhikande sthitaṃ nālaṃ daśāṅgulasamāyataṃ
إذا صار ذلك (المبدأ الباطن، أي التيّار الحيوي) ساكنًا غير متحرّك، أُدرك وإن كان قائمًا في الجسد اللطيف. وهو القناة الأنبوبية (نالا) الكائنة في عقدة السُّرّة (نابهي-كندا)، ممتدّة بمقدار عشر عُروض من الأصابع.
Lord Agni (in instruction to Sage Vasiṣṭha, Agni Purāṇa’s standard dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Yoga","practical_application":"Subtle-body mapping for prāṇa/kuṇḍalinī practice: locating the nāḍī/channel at the nābhi-kanda and using stillness (niścalatā) as the criterion for inner apprehension.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Nābhi-kanda-nāḍī (daśāṅgula-pramāṇa) and niścalatā-lakṣaṇa","lookup_keywords":["nābhi-kanda","nāḍī nāla","sūkṣma-śarīra","daśāṅgula","niścalatā"],"quick_summary":"When the inner current becomes motionless, it is apprehended even in the subtle body; the text locates a tubular channel in the navel-bulb region, measured as ten finger-breadths."}
Concept: Inner perception arises when vṛtti/prāṇa movement is stilled; subtle anatomy is given as a practical map for yogic attention.
Application: In prāṇāyāma/dhāraṇā, place attention at the nābhi-kanda; use the felt settling of movement as the sign to proceed to subtler focus.
Khanda Section: Yoga / Tantra (Sukshma-sharira & Kundalini-prana discourse)
Primary Rasa: Śānta
Secondary Rasa: Adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Diagrammatic yogic scene: a seated practitioner with a subtle luminous channel highlighted at the navel-bulb, marked to a ten-fingerbreadth measure, indicating still prāṇa.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, stylized yogi with translucent torso, glowing nābhi-kanda and a vertical tubular channel, minimal diagram cues integrated into traditional mural aesthetics.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, devotional-yogic hybrid: meditating figure with gold-highlighted navel center and a short luminous tube, ornate border, sacred geometry accents.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, technical clarity: cross-sectional subtle-body illustration, navel-bulb emphasized, measured segment shown as ten aṅgulas, soft colors, precise lines.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, physician-artist sensibility: seated yogi with faint anatomical overlay, delicate measurement marks, calm interior setting, refined detailing."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तद्भूतं = तद्-भूतम्; निश्चलीभूतं = निश्चली-भूतम्; सूक्ष्मेऽपि = सूक्ष्मे अपि
Related Themes: Agni Purana 373.28
FAQs
It gives subtle-anatomy guidance: by making the vital principle/prāṇa steady (niścalī), the yogin can perceive the subtle channel (nāla) rooted in the nābhi-kanda, described with a specific measure (ten aṅgulas).
Alongside rituals and dharma, the Agni Purāṇa preserves technical yogic physiology—mapping inner structures (nābhi-kanda, nāla) and practical meditative results—showing its wide scope across tantra-yoga and subtle-body science.
Stilling inner motion and realizing the subtle channel is presented as a step toward inner purification and higher yogic attainment, turning attention from external action to direct experiential knowledge of the subtle self.