Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 126
Jīva–Ātman Inquiry; Kṣetrajña Doctrine; Karma-based Varṇa; Four Āśramas and Sannyāsa Discipline
कृत्वाग्निहोत्रं स्वशरीरसंस्थं शरीरमग्निं स्वमुखे जुहोति । विप्रस्तु भैक्षोपगतैर्हविर्भिश्चिताग्निना संव्रजते हि सोकान् ॥ १२६ ॥
kṛtvāgnihotraṃ svaśarīrasaṃsthaṃ śarīramagniṃ svamukhe juhoti | viprastu bhaikṣopagatairhavirbhiścitāgninā saṃvrajate hi sokān || 126 ||
Nachdem er das im eigenen Leib gegründete Agnihotra vollzogen hat, opfert er seinen eigenen Körper—gleich einem Feuer—in seinen eigenen Mund. Und jener Brāhmaṇa zieht, mit den Opfergaben (havis), die er durch Almosen erlangt hat, aus der Welt fort; denn das Feuer des Scheiterhaufens (citāgni) verzehrt wahrlich die Leiden.
Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada on moksha-dharma and the renunciate’s inner yajña)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
FAQs
It reframes Agnihotra as an inner sacrifice: the renunciate internalizes the sacred fire and offers the ego-bound sense of ‘body’ into spiritual discipline, pointing toward liberation through detachment.
While the verse is primarily moksha-dharma (renunciation), its spirit supports bhakti by demanding surrender—treating one’s very life and body as an offering, which aligns with devotional self-offering (ātma-nivedana).
It alludes to Śrauta/Smārta ritual logic—Agnihotra, havis (oblations), and bhaikṣa (alms) discipline—showing how external yajña principles are internalized for a sannyāsin’s life of regulated conduct.