Agni Purana — Yoga & Brahma-vidya, Shloka 36
अध्याय ३८० — गीतासारः
The Essence of the Gītā
सत्त्वात्सञ्जायते ज्ञानं रजसो लोभ एव च प्रमादमोहौ तमसो भवतो ज्ञानमेव च
sattvātsañjāyate jñānaṃ rajaso lobha eva ca pramādamohau tamaso bhavato jñānameva ca
من السَّتْفَا (sattva) ينشأ العلم؛ ومن الرَّجَس (rajas) تنشأ الشهوة والطمع حقًّا؛ ومن التَّمَس (tamas) تنشأ الغفلة والضلال—ومن التمس أيضًا تنشأ الجهالة.
Lord Agni (narrating Agni Purana teachings to Sage Vashistha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Philosophy","secondary_vidya":"Sankhya–Yoga","practical_application":"Diagnostic self-assessment of mental states via guṇa-theory; cultivate sattva to support knowledge and reduce rajas/tamas-driven afflictions.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Guṇa-wise causal mapping: knowledge, greed, delusion","lookup_keywords":["sattva-jñāna","rajas-lobha","tamas-moha","pramāda","triguṇa"],"quick_summary":"Sattva supports knowledge; rajas tends toward greed; tamas produces heedlessness and delusion, culminating in ignorance—useful for ethical-psychological diagnosis and yogic correction."}
Dosha: Tridosha
Concept: Triguna psychology: mental qualities condition cognition and behavior; knowledge is sāttvika, greed is rājasika, delusion/heedlessness is tāmasika.
Application: Track daily impulses: when greed or confusion arises, identify the guṇa, then apply counter-practices (sattva-building disciplines, prāṇāyāma, mindful restraint).
Khanda Section: Sankhya–Yoga / Triguna (Philosophical Doctrine of the Three Gunas)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A tri-colored allegory: sattva as clear light producing a book (knowledge), rajas as red-gold producing grasping hands (greed), tamas as dark smoke producing a stumbling figure (heedlessness/delusion).","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, three panels with sattva (white-gold aura, sage with manuscript), rajas (red dynamic merchant/warrior clutching coins), tamas (dark blue-black figure in fog), bold outlines, traditional floral borders","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore triptych with gold leaf: sattva as radiant lamp and scripture, rajas as gilded ornaments and restless posture, tamas as shadowed figure with lowered eyes; embossed gold highlights for sattva’s clarity","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, didactic diagram-like composition labeling sattva/rajas/tamas, soft pastel shading, clear iconographic symbols (book, coins, cloud), calm instructional aesthetic","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, refined allegorical scene in a garden: scholar reading (sattva), courtier bargaining (rajas), drowsy attendant in shade (tamas), intricate textiles and architectural framing"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: सत्त्वात्सञ्जायते = सत्त्वात् + सञ्जायते; ज्ञानमेव = ज्ञानम् + एव; प्रमादमोहौ = प्रमाद + मोहौ (द्वन्द्व); (पाठे ‘तमसो भवतो’ = तमसः + भवतः)
Related Themes: Agni Purana 380 (Sāṅkhya–Yoga triguna section)
FAQs
It imparts triguna-vidya: a diagnostic mapping of mental tendencies—sattva yields knowledge, rajas yields greed, and tamas yields negligence and delusion—used for self-assessment and yogic/ethical discipline.
By preserving Sankhya-style psychological taxonomy (gunas → observable mental states), it complements the Purana’s ritual, dharma, and practical sections with a theory of mind that explains why people act virtuously or fall into error.
It frames karma at the level of inner causation: cultivating sattva supports right discernment and dharmic action, while rajas and tamas foster craving and delusion that lead to harmful choices and their karmic results.