Agni Purana — Yoga & Brahma-vidya, Shloka 19
Chapter 378: Brahma-jñāna
Knowledge of Brahman
देहश्चान्यो यदा पुंसस्तदा बन्धाय तत्परं निर्वाणमय एवायमात्मा ज्ञानमयो ऽमलः
dehaścānyo yadā puṃsastadā bandhāya tatparaṃ nirvāṇamaya evāyamātmā jñānamayo 'malaḥ
જ્યારે પુરુષ દેહને આત્માથી જુદો માનીને તેમાં જ આસક્ત થાય છે, ત્યારે એ આસક્તિ બંધનનું કારણ બને છે; પરંતુ આ આત્મા ખરેખર નિર્વાણસ્વરૂપ, જ્ઞાનમય અને નિર્મળ છે।
Lord Agni (teaching the sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s instructional dialogue)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Philosophy","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Use viveka (discrimination) to avoid body-fixation; meditate on the Self as pure knowledge to reduce fear, craving, and identity-based suffering.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Bandha from Dehābheda-fixation; Ātman as Nirvāṇa-jñāna","lookup_keywords":["bandha","deha-abhimāna","nirvāṇa-maya ātman","jñāna-maya","amala"],"quick_summary":"Fixation on the body—even as ‘other’ yet obsessively referenced—binds; the Self is stainless consciousness, of the nature of nirvāṇa, realized through knowledge."}
Concept: Ātman is amala-jñāna (stainless consciousness), nirvāṇa-svarūpa; bondage arises from deha-abhimāna/fixation.
Application: Daily inquiry: ‘Who is aware of the body?’; reduce self-referential narratives around the body; stabilize attention in witnessing awareness (sākṣitva).
Khanda Section: Moksha-dharma / Atma-jnana (Liberation theology and Self-knowledge)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A meditator sits with the body shown as a translucent outer sheath, while a luminous inner Self (light) remains stainless; chains labeled ‘bandha’ dissolve with ‘jñāna’.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, yogi in padmāsana, subtle aura radiating from heart, outer body rendered as a sheath, symbolic chains breaking, stylized lotus and mandala motifs, tranquil palette","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, central yogi with bright gold halo representing jñāna-maya ātman, outer bodily layer indicated with ornate border, gold embossing for ‘nirvāṇa’ radiance, deep maroon background","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, didactic split-scene: left—person clinging to body with dark tones (bandha); right—same person in meditation with luminous inner light (amala), fine detailing and soft gradients","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, scholar-saint teaching disciples; a diagram-like motif shows body vs. Self as concentric circles, delicate calligraphy panels for ‘jñāna’ and ‘nirvāṇa’"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: देहश्चान्यो = देहः च अन्यः; पुंसस्तदा = पुंसः तदा; एवायम् = एव अयम्; आत्मा ज्ञानमयोऽमलः = आत्मा ज्ञानमयः अमलः (ऽ = अ).
Related Themes: Agni Purana: adjacent Moksha-dharma verses on prakṛti-saṅga and vairāgya (378.20–22)
FAQs
Ātma-jñāna (Self-knowledge) via deha–ātma-viveka: the discipline of discerning the pure Self as consciousness (jñānamaya) rather than identifying with bodily notions that generate bondage.
Beyond rituals and worldly sciences, the Agni Purana also preserves mokṣa-śāstra: concise Vedāntic-style definitions of bondage and liberation, showing its scope from practical rites to highest metaphysics.
It redirects identity from body-based fixation (a root of karmic bondage) to the stainless, knowledge-natured Self, which is presented as intrinsically liberative (nirvāṇamaya).