Agni Purana — Yoga & Brahma-vidya, Shloka 16
Chapter 376 — ब्रह्मज्ञानम्
Knowledge of Brahman
न सन्नासन्न सदसदेतत्सावयवं न तत् निर्गतावयवं नेति नाभिन्नं भिन्नमेव च
na sannāsanna sadasadetatsāvayavaṃ na tat nirgatāvayavaṃ neti nābhinnaṃ bhinnameva ca
Cette Réalité n’est ni existante ni non existante ; elle n’est pas non plus dicible comme étant à la fois être et non-être. Elle n’a pas de parties, et n’est pas un tout produit à partir de parties. On en parle comme de « pas ceci » (neti) ; elle n’est pas indivise, et pourtant elle n’est différenciée qu’en tant qu’apparences.
Lord Agni (teaching Vashistha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Philosophy","secondary_vidya":"Vyakarana","practical_application":"Use apophatic reasoning (neti) to avoid reifying Brahman as a thing; supports meditation that drops conceptual extremes (sat/asat, part/whole).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Anirvacanīyatā of Reality (Neither Sat nor Asat; Neti)","lookup_keywords":["sat-asat","anirvacanīya","neti-neti","niravayava","vivarta"],"quick_summary":"Ultimate Reality cannot be fixed as existent, non-existent, both, partite, or a whole made of parts; it is indicated by negation ('not this') while appearances show differentiation."}
Alamkara Type: Vyatireka (via negation/contrast)
Concept: Brahman is anirvacanīya: beyond categories of being/non-being and part/whole; 'neti' removes false predicates while acknowledging apparent differentiation.
Application: In contemplation, negate successive conceptual labels (existence, nonexistence, unity, plurality) and rest as awareness prior to predicates.
Khanda Section: Darshana (Vedanta / Tattva-nirupana)
Primary Rasa: Shanta
Secondary Rasa: Adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A vast, formless luminous field with labels being crossed out—'sat', 'asat', 'parts', 'whole'—leaving only silent radiance; faint differentiated forms appear like mirage at the edges.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, central blank-gold aura with dark outline, surrounding Sanskrit words 'sat', 'asat', 'sad-asat', 'avayava' painted then struck through, peripheral mirage-like figures dissolving into the aura, austere sacred palette","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, heavy gold leaf background representing the indescribable, embossed crossed-out cartouches for conceptual categories, minimal iconography, emphasis on radiant emptiness with ornate border","mysore_prompt":"Mysore, pedagogic visual: a sequence of panels each negating a concept with 'neti', culminating in an unpainted central space framed by delicate ornament, soft colors and clarity","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, philosophical allegory: scholars pointing to a luminous blank parchment while words are gently erased; fine architectural setting, subdued palette, emphasis on the empty luminous center"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Darbari Kanada","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: सन्नासन्न = सत् + न + असत् (sandhi/phonetic coalescence in recitation); सादसदेतत् = सत् + असत् + एतत्; एतत्सावयवम् = एतत् + स-अवयवम्; नेति = न + इति; नाभिन्नं = न + अभिन्नम्; भिन्नमेव = भिन्नम् + एव.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 376 (tattva-nirūpaṇa; neti method)
FAQs
It imparts jnana-vidya (Vedantic discernment): the method of negating all limiting predicates—existence/non-existence, part/whole—through “neti” to indicate Brahman beyond conceptual categories.
Alongside ritual, polity, and arts, the Agni Purana also preserves darshana: this verse exemplifies its inclusion of rigorous metaphysical analysis (sat/asat, avayava/avayavin), showing the text’s breadth as a compendium of knowledge.
Contemplating Reality as “neti” weakens attachment to names and forms, supports dispassion (vairagya), and aids liberation-oriented insight (moksha-jñana) rather than merit from external action alone.