Agni Purana — Yoga & Brahma-vidya, Shloka 19
Adhyāya 375 — समाधिः
Samādhi
वर्त्याधारस्नेहयोगाद् यथा दीपस्य संस्थितिः विक्रियापि च दृष्ट्वैवमकाले प्राणसंक्षयः
vartyādhārasnehayogād yathā dīpasya saṃsthitiḥ vikriyāpi ca dṛṣṭvaivamakāle prāṇasaṃkṣayaḥ
Wie eine Lampe durch das rechte Zusammenwirken von Docht, Träger und Öl beständig steht, so führt auch—wenn eine entsprechende Störung (der den Körper tragenden Faktoren) erkannt wird—das Schwinden des Prāṇa, des Lebenshauchs, zum vorzeitigen Tod.
Lord Agni (in discourse to Sage Vasiṣṭha, as per the common Agni Purana narration frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Ayurveda","secondary_vidya":"Philosophy","practical_application":"Use the lamp analogy to understand prognostic dependence on sustaining factors; recognize derangement of supports (dhatu/ojas/prana) as ariṣṭa indicating imminent prana-kshaya and risk of untimely death.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Ariṣṭa-lakṣaṇa: prāṇa-saṃkṣaya from deranged sustaining factors (lamp analogy)","lookup_keywords":["arishta-lakshana","prana-samkshaya","akale-mrityu","deepa-drstanta","nidana-prognosis"],"quick_summary":"As a lamp’s steady burning depends on wick, support, and oil, life’s continuance depends on properly conjoined sustaining factors. When their derangement is observed, prāṇa wastes and untimely death is predicted."}
Dosha: Tridosha
Alamkara Type: Drishtanta (illustrative analogy)
Concept: Life is contingent on coordinated supports; observable derangement signals impending dissolution.
Application: Cultivate vigilant observation and timely intervention; accept prognostic limits and prepare ethically/spiritually when ariṣṭa signs appear.
Khanda Section: Ayurveda (Nidana / Prognostics and Signs of Death — Ariṣṭa-lakṣaṇa)
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A physician-sage demonstrates a steady oil lamp with wick and stand; beside it, a patient shows visible derangement—flickering breath and fading aura—illustrating prāṇa depletion and prognostic insight.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, Ayurvedic vaidya with palm-leaf manuscript, large stylized lamp with clear flame, patient reclining, subtle fading prana depicted as thinning golden lines, bold contours, traditional palette.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, ornate brass lamp with gold embossing, vaidya and attendant, patient on cot, symbolic oil vessel labeled ojas, rich reds and greens, devotional-instructional mood.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, diagrammatic: lamp parts labeled varti-adhara-sneha; parallel human supports labeled prana-dhatu-ojas; fine lines, soft colors, educational layout.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, indoor clinic scene with lamp on a stand, physician examining pulse, attendants, delicate textiles, subdued light emphasizing the flame as metaphor, fine detailing."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: वर्त्याधारस्नेहयोगाद् = वर्ति-आधार-स्नेह-योगात्; विक्रियापि = विक्रिया अपि; दृष्ट्वैवम् = दृष्ट्वा एवम्.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Ayurveda Ariṣṭa/Nidāna sections on signs of death; Agni Purana: discussions of prāṇa, ojas, and dhātu stability; Agni Purana: lamp/inner-light metaphors in yoga passages
FAQs
Ayurvedic prognostics (ariṣṭa-lakṣaṇa): it teaches that life continues only when sustaining factors remain properly integrated; visible derangement of these supports indicates prāṇa-kṣaya and impending untimely death.
It illustrates the Purana’s medical-technical scope by using a precise functional analogy (lamp mechanics) to explain diagnostic/prognostic reasoning found in Ayurveda, showing the text’s coverage beyond myth into applied health knowledge.
By recognizing signs of prāṇa-depletion early, one can undertake timely remedial acts—medical care, vows, charity, and expiatory rites—so that life is protected where possible and, if death is near, one prepares the mind and conduct for a better transition.