Agni Purana — Yoga & Brahma-vidya, Shloka 2
Chapter 371 — Yama-Niyama and Praṇava-Upāsanā (Oṅkāra) as Brahma-vidyā
चित्तवृत्तिर्निरोधश् च जीवब्रह्मात्मनोः परः अहिंसा सत्यमस्तेयं ब्रह्मचर्यापरिग्रहौ
cittavṛttirnirodhaś ca jīvabrahmātmanoḥ paraḥ ahiṃsā satyamasteyaṃ brahmacaryāparigrahau
La cessation (nirodha) des fluctuations du mental (citta-vṛtti) est le moyen suprême de réaliser la transcendance ou l’identité entre le soi individuel (jīva) et le Soi suprême (Brahman/Ātman). (Les vœux fondamentaux sont :) ahiṃsā (non-violence), véracité, non-vol, brahmacarya (chasteté/continence) et aparigraha (non-attachement aux possessions).
Lord Agni (instructing sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purāṇa’s didactic dialogue style)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Philosophy","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Practice citta-vṛtti-nirodha through meditation and ethical restraints (yamas) to stabilize mind and support realization of jīva–brahman relation.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Citta-vṛtti-nirodha and the Five Yamas","lookup_keywords":["citta-vṛtti-nirodha","jīva-brahman","ahiṃsā","satya","aparigraha"],"quick_summary":"The core yogic method is restraining mental modifications; the foundational ethical vows—ahiṃsā, satya, asteya, brahmacarya, aparigraha—support that restraint and higher realization."}
Concept: Nirodha of citta-vṛttis as the supreme upāya for realizing the jīva–brahman/ātman truth, grounded in yama ethics.
Application: Use yamas as behavioral ‘guardrails’ to reduce agitation and guilt; pair with daily seated practice (breath awareness/mantra) aimed at quieting thought-waves.
Khanda Section: Yoga & Moksha-shastra (Yama-Niyama and Citta-nirodha teachings)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A meditating yogin with a calm, steady gaze; above/around, symbolic ‘waves’ of thought settling into stillness; beside, a panel-like listing of five yamas as ethical pillars.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, central yogin in padmāsana with stylized mind-waves dissolving into a lotus, five yamas shown as icon-panels (hand gestures: protection, truth, restraint), earthy palette, serene śānta ambience.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, meditating sage with gold halo, five yamas inscribed on ornate gold plaques around him, rich jewel tones, emphasis on sacred discipline and luminous stillness.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, didactic layout: yogin seated, to the side a neat Sanskrit list of yamas on palm-leaf, subtle depiction of thought-waves being ‘tied’ or ‘stilled’, fine lines and soft colors.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, ascetic in a quiet garden niche, delicate cloud-like thought forms fading, attendants/sages observing, margins decorated with calligraphic cartouches naming ahiṃsā, satya, asteya, brahmacarya, aparigraha."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: cittavṛttirnirodhaś → cittavṛttiḥ nirodhaḥ; satyamasteyaṃ → satyam asteyam; brahmacaryāparigrahau → brahmacarya-aparigrahau.
Related Themes: Agni Purana Yama–Niyama exposition (371ff); Agni Purana Mokṣa-śāstra passages on ātma-jñāna
FAQs
It imparts Yoga-vidyā: the technical discipline of citta-vṛtti-nirodha (restraint of mental fluctuations) supported by the ethical yamas—ahiṃsā, satya, asteya, brahmacarya, and aparigraha—as practical prerequisites for higher realization.
Alongside rituals, polity, and other sciences, the Agni Purāṇa also codifies Yoga and ethics. This verse shows its encyclopedic scope by summarizing core yogic psychology (mind-modification restraint) and universal moral vows (yamas) within a Purāṇic framework.
Restraint of the mind and observance of the yamas purify conduct and intention, reduce karmic bondage caused by harm, falsehood, theft, sensual excess, and grasping, and thereby support liberation-oriented insight into the relation between jīva and Brahman.