Agni Purana — Yoga & Brahma-vidya, Shloka 52
Adhyāya 379 — अद्वैतब्रह्मविज्ञानम्
Advaita-brahma-vijñāna
निदाघऋतुसंवादमद्वैतबुद्धये शृण्विति ख , ञ च ततः क्षुत्सम्भवाभावादिति ख , ञ च कुतः कुत्र क्व गन्तासीत्येतदप्यर्थवत् कथमिति ख , ञ च भोक्तेति क मृण्मयं हि गृहं यद्वन्मृदालिप्तं स्थिरीभवेत् पार्थिवो ऽयं तथा देहः पार्थिवैः परमाणुभिः
nidāghaṛtusaṃvādamadvaitabuddhaye śṛṇviti kha , ña ca tataḥ kṣutsambhavābhāvāditi kha , ña ca kutaḥ kutra kva gantāsītyetadapyarthavat kathamiti kha , ña ca bhokteti ka mṛṇmayaṃ hi gṛhaṃ yadvanmṛdāliptaṃ sthirībhavet pārthivo 'yaṃ tathā dehaḥ pārthivaiḥ paramāṇubhiḥ
«Écoute le dialogue de Nidāgha et de Ṛtu pour l’éveil de l’intelligence non-duelle (advaita).» (Certaines recensions ajoutent :) «Ensuite, parce que la naissance de la faim ne se produit pas.» (Et :) «D’où, vers où, et en quel lieu irait-on ?—cela aussi a un sens ; comment pourrait-il en être autrement ?» (Et :) «(Qui est) le jouisseur ?» De même qu’une maison faite d’argile, enduite d’argile, devient solide, de même ce corps est terrestre, constitué d’atomes de l’élément terre.
Lord Agni (narrating Purāṇic instruction to Vasiṣṭha; Advaita teaching framed via Nidāgha–R̥tu dialogue)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Philosophy","secondary_vidya":"Cosmology","practical_application":"Use the clay-house analogy to weaken body-identification: contemplate the body as a composite of elements/atoms, not the Self; supports vairagya and inquiry into the ‘enjoyer’.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Nidagha–Rtu Dialogue: Hunger, Going/Coming, Enjoyer; Body as Earth-Atom Aggregate","lookup_keywords":["Nidagha Rtu samvada","kshut (hunger)","bhokta-vichara","mrn-maya griha drishtanta","paramanu deha"],"quick_summary":"The dialogue is prescribed as a means to awaken non-dual understanding. The body is explained as an earthy composite (like a clay house), prompting inquiry into who truly enjoys and whether ‘going’ is real for the Self."}
Alamkara Type: Drishtanta (illustrative analogy)
Concept: Deha is bhuta-sanghata (earth-atom aggregate); ‘going/coming’ and ‘enjoyer’ are to be examined—Self is distinct from bodily processes like hunger.
Application: Bhokta-vichara: when hunger/pleasure arises ask ‘to whom?’; practice deha-bhuta-viveka (elemental discrimination) to stabilize non-dual insight.
Khanda Section: Advaita / Moksha-shastra (Nidagha–Ritu Samvada)
Primary Rasa: Shanta
Secondary Rasa: Vichara (reflective tone)
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A teacher instructs a disciple, pointing to a clay house and then to the human body, illustrating that both are earth-composites; the disciple reflects on ‘who is the enjoyer?’","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, sage-teacher and disciple near a small clay hut, teacher gesturing from hut to disciple’s body, stylized earth tones, didactic composition, calm shanta ambience","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, clay hut rendered with decorative detail, teacher with gold halo, disciple attentive, symbolic earth-atoms as tiny golden dots around the body, rich reds and greens","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clear instructional tableau: labeled-like clarity without text, teacher’s hand indicating clay plastering, subtle depiction of granular ‘atoms’ in the body outline, refined lines","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtyard with mud-plastered house, two ascetics in conversation, delicate stippling to suggest ‘paramanu’, muted palette, emphasis on intellectual exchange"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: निदाघऋतुसंवादम् = निदाघ + ऋतु + संवादम्; संवादमद्वैतबुद्धये = संवादम् + अद्वैतबुद्धये; शृण्विति = शृणु + इति; क्षुत्सम्भवाभावात् = क्षुत् + सम्भव + अभावात्; गन्तासीत्येतदपि = गन्ता + आसीत् + एतत् + अपि; मृदालिप्तम् = मृदा + लिप्तम्; सोऽयम् = सः/अयम् sandhi shown as 'pārthivo 'yaṃ'.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 379 (Advaita / Moksha-shastra section on Nidagha–Rtu)
FAQs
It imparts Advaita-vidyā through self-inquiry: questioning the ‘goer’ and the ‘enjoyer’ (bhoktā), and analyzing the body as a mere elemental (earth-atom) construction rather than the Self.
Alongside ritual and practical sciences, the Agni Purana also preserves mokṣa-śāstra: here it integrates philosophical analysis (paramāṇu/elemental constitution) with Vedāntic inquiry (who goes? who enjoys?), showing its wide disciplinary range.
By weakening identification with the body (as merely earthy atoms) and challenging the sense of an individual enjoyer, it supports dispassion and inner freedom—key conditions for liberation-oriented practice.