Agni Purana — Yoga & Brahma-vidya, Shloka 10
Chapter 378: Brahma-jñāna
Knowledge of Brahman
सम्भर्तेति तथा भर्ता भकारो ऽर्थद्वयान्वितः नेता गमयिता स्रष्टा गकारो ऽयं महमुने
sambharteti tathā bhartā bhakāro 'rthadvayānvitaḥ netā gamayitā sraṣṭā gakāro 'yaṃ mahamune
La syllabe « bha » est dotée d’un double sens : « celui qui soutient et maintient » (sambhartā) et « le porteur/soutien » (bhartā). La syllabe « ga » est : le guide, celui qui fait avancer les êtres, et le créateur—ô grand sage (mahā-muni).
Lord Agni (instructing a sage, traditionally Vasiṣṭha, in the Agni Purana’s dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vyakarana","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Use nirukti-style letter/phoneme semantics to interpret divine names (here, ‘bha’ and ‘ga’) for mantra-japa, stotra composition, and theological clarity.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Bha–Ga Nirukti: Semantic unpacking of ‘Bhaga’","lookup_keywords":["nirukti","bha","ga","bhagavān","akṣara-artha"],"quick_summary":"The verse assigns functional meanings to syllables: ‘bha’ as sustainer/supporter and ‘ga’ as leader/impeller/creator. This provides a mnemonic theology for understanding the epithet Bhagavān."}
Alamkara Type: Nirukti (etymological exposition)
Concept: Divine name-analysis: syllables encode functions of the Lord—sustaining, leading, creating—supporting contemplative remembrance through language.
Application: During japa of ‘Bhagavān’/‘Bhaga’, contemplate the mapped functions (sustainer, leader, creator) to deepen dhyāna and stabilize devotion.
Khanda Section: Nama-nirukti (Mantra/Name Etymology and Phala-shruti Style Exposition)
Primary Rasa: Shanta
Secondary Rasa: Adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A great sage explains syllables on a writing board: ‘bha’ and ‘ga’ with arrows to meanings—sustainer, supporter, leader, creator—while a subtle divine presence is implied.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, rishi with stylus and palm-leaf, large Devanagari ‘भ’ and ‘ग’ floating as sacred glyphs, icon-like symbolic arrows to meanings, earthy palette and bold outlines","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, ornate script ‘भ’ and ‘ग’ in gold relief, sage teaching a disciple, decorative borders, gold highlights emphasizing syllable-sacrality","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, didactic chart-like composition with syllables and glosses, fine lines, gentle colors, scholarly ambience with manuscripts and inkpot","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, calligrapher-sage in a study, elegant letters ‘bha’ and ‘ga’ on a folio, marginal notes, refined detailing and subdued tones"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: sambharteti = sambhartā iti; bhakāro 'rthadvayānvitaḥ = bhakāraḥ artha-dvaya-anvitaḥ; gakāro 'yaṃ = gakāraḥ ayam; mahamune = maha-mune.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 378.11
FAQs
It teaches varṇa-nirukti: deriving doctrinal meanings from syllables—here, ‘bha’ as sustaining/protecting and ‘ga’ as leading/impelling/creating—used in interpreting divine names and mantra-components.
By preserving a compact, technical tradition of Sanskrit nirukti and mantra-semantics alongside other sciences, the text functions as a reference for phonetic theology and name-interpretation in addition to ritual, polity, and śāstra topics.
Contemplating the deity through these syllabic meanings supports focused japa and bhakti: one meditates on the divine as protector (bha) and as guide/creator (ga), strengthening devotion and purificatory recollection (smaraṇa).