Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 26
Yati-dharma
The Dharma of the Renunciate Ascetic
विज्ञानमानन्दं ब्रह्म तत्त्वमस्यअहमस्मि तत् परम् ब्रह्म ज्योतिरात्मा वासुदेवो विमुक्त ॐ
vijñānamānandaṃ brahma tattvamasyaahamasmi tat param brahma jyotirātmā vāsudevo vimukta oṃ
Brahman is consciousness and bliss. “That thou art”; “I am That.” That is the supreme Brahman—the Self whose nature is light; that is Vāsudeva. (One who realizes this is) liberated. Oṃ.
Lord Agni (teaching to Sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purāṇa’s mokṣa-oriented discourse)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Philosophy","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Use mahāvākya contemplation (‘tat tvam asi’, ‘aham asmi tat’) with praṇava to internalize Brahman as vijñāna-ānanda and to reframe Vāsudeva as the inner Self (ātma-jyotis).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Mantra","entry_title":"Mahāvākya-upadeśa with Praṇava: Vijñāna–Ānanda Brahman, Vāsudeva as Ātma-jyotis","lookup_keywords":["tat tvam asi","aham asmi tat","vijñāna ānanda","vāsudeva","oṃ"],"quick_summary":"Brahman is consciousness and bliss; the mahāvākyas assert identity of self and Brahman. Realizing the luminous Self as Vāsudeva culminates in liberation, sealed with Oṃ."}
Concept: Non-dual identity taught through mahāvākyas; Brahman’s nature is consciousness-bliss; Vāsudeva is equated with the inner luminous Self; jñāna yields mokṣa.
Application: Practice śravaṇa–manana–nididhyāsana: recite Oṃ, contemplate ‘tat tvam asi’ on inhalation and ‘aham asmi tat’ on exhalation, resting attention in self-luminosity (ātma-jyotis).
Khanda Section: Moksha-vidya (Advaita Vedanta / Mahavakya-upadesha)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A luminous, formless radiance within a meditating figure; the words ‘tat tvam asi’ and ‘aham asmi tat’ appear as subtle script in the aura; Vāsudeva indicated as inner light; Oṃ as concluding seal.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, meditating sage with chest/heart region glowing, stylized script ‘tat tvam asi’ in the halo, deep reds/ochres, minimal external deity form, emphasis on inner jyotis.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, central meditant with large gold-leaf aura, Oṃ at top in embossed gold, delicate inscriptions of mahāvākyas, rich ornamented border, devotional-philosophical fusion.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clean instructional depiction: meditant, inner light gradient, calligraphic labels for mahāvākyas, soft pastel palette, fine detailing.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, contemplative figure by a lamp whose flame mirrors inner light, cartouches with ‘tat tvam asi’ and ‘aham asmi tat’, refined calligraphy and architectural setting."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: vijñānamānandaṃ = vijñānam + ānandam; tattvamasyaahamasmi parsed as tat + tvam + asi + aham + asmi (orthographic joining in source); jyotirātmā = jyotiḥ + ātmā.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 161 (mokṣa-vidyā and mahāvākya upadeśa cluster)
FAQs
It imparts mokṣa-vidyā (liberation-knowledge): the Advaitic identity of the individual self with Brahman through mahāvākya contemplation—‘tattvam asi’ and ‘aham asmi tat’—culminating in liberation.
Alongside ritual, polity, medicine, and arts, the Agni Purāṇa also preserves Vedānta-style soteriology; this verse exemplifies its inclusion of Upaniṣadic mahāvākyas and philosophical theology (Vāsudeva as Brahman).
Realizing the Self as the luminous supreme Brahman (Vāsudeva) cuts ignorance at its root, thereby ending bondage and karma’s binding force—described here as the state of being ‘vimukta’ (fully liberated).