Agni Purana — Yoga & Brahma-vidya, Shloka 11
Chapter 381 — यमगीता
Yama-gītā
प्रवृत्तञ्च निवृत्तञ्च कार्यं कर्मपरो ऽब्रवीत् श्रेयसां श्रेय एतद्धि नैष्कर्म्यं ब्रह्म तद्धरिः
pravṛttañca nivṛttañca kāryaṃ karmaparo 'bravīt śreyasāṃ śreya etaddhi naiṣkarmyaṃ brahma taddhariḥ
One devoted to action (karma) declared that both engagement (pravṛtti) and withdrawal (nivṛtti) are to be duly undertaken. For this indeed is the best of all goods: actionlessness (naiṣkarmya), which is Brahman—He is Hari (Viṣṇu) Himself.
Lord Agni (narrator) to sage Vasiṣṭha (frame-dialogue attribution typical of Agni Purana)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Philosophy","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Integrate pravṛtti and nivṛtti as stages/contexts of duty, culminating in naiṣkarmya (actionlessness as inner freedom) identified with Brahman/Hari; apply as karma-yoga leading to jñāna.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Pravṛtti–Nivṛtti and Naiṣkarmya as the Highest Śreyas (Brahman = Hari)","lookup_keywords":["pravṛtti","nivṛtti","naiṣkarmya","brahman","hari"],"quick_summary":"Both engagement and withdrawal have their proper place, yet the highest good is naiṣkarmya—freedom from doership—recognized as Brahman itself, identified here with Hari."}
Alamkara Type: Samanvaya (reconciliation of pravṛtti and nivṛtti)
Concept: Karma and renunciation are harmonized: perform appropriate action without doership, mature into naiṣkarmya; ultimate reality (Brahman) is Hari.
Application: In daily duties (pravṛtti), practice niṣkāma-bhāva; in contemplative periods (nivṛtti), deepen witness-awareness—both aimed at dissolving kartṛtva to abide in naiṣkarmya.
Khanda Section: Moksha-dharma / Karma-yoga and Jnana (Naiṣkarmya)
Primary Rasa: Śānta
Secondary Rasa: Vīra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A practitioner alternates between worldly duty and quiet withdrawal; above, Hari as serene Brahman radiates stillness, symbolizing naiṣkarmya as the highest śreyas.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, two-register composition: lower left householder performing duty, lower right ascetic in meditation, upper center Viṣṇu as tranquil cosmic presence, bold outlines, deep greens/reds, calm symmetry","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central Hari with gold leaf aura, below him small scenes of pravṛtti (service, offering) and nivṛtti (meditation), ornate jewelry and borders, emphasis on divine stillness","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional triptych: pravṛtti → nivṛtti → naiṣkarmya, with Hari as final panel, fine linework, soft colors, clear didactic labels implied","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, narrative sequence in one frame: bustling court duty at one side, quiet hermitage at the other, central luminous Viṣṇu figure unifying both, intricate architectural and garden details"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Kedar","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: प्रवृत्तञ्च = प्रवृत्तम् च; निवृत्तञ्च = निवृत्तम् च; कर्मपरो 'ब्रवीत् = कर्म-परः अब्रवीत् (अकार-लोप/avagraha); एतद्धि = एतत् हि; तद्धरिः = तत् हरिः.
Related Themes: Agni Purana Karma-yoga and Mokṣa-dharma discussions on pravṛtti/nivṛtti; Agni Purana Vaiṣṇava identifications of Brahman with Viṣṇu/Hari in stotra and tattva sections
FAQs
It teaches the pravṛtti–nivṛtti framework: one should understand both disciplined action (including dharmic/ritual duties) and withdrawal/renunciation, with the aim of reaching naiṣkarmya—non-binding actionlessness.
Alongside ritual, polity, medicine, and arts, the Agni Purana also preserves moksha-oriented philosophy; this verse summarizes a core synthesis of karma (practice) and jñāna/renunciation (goal), showing its broad coverage of Hindu doctrinal systems.
It frames liberation as naiṣkarmya—freedom from binding karma—identifying that highest state with Brahman and with Hari (Viṣṇu), thus linking karmic purification to ultimate realization of the Absolute.