Agni Purana — Yoga & Brahma-vidya, Shloka 14
Chapter 373 — ध्यानम्
Dhyāna / Meditation
तेनेष्ट्वा मुक्तिमाप्नोति वाह्यशुद्धैश् च नाध्वरैः हिंसादोषविमुक्तित्वाद्विशुद्धिश्चित्तसाधनः
teneṣṭvā muktimāpnoti vāhyaśuddhaiś ca nādhvaraiḥ hiṃsādoṣavimuktitvādviśuddhiścittasādhanaḥ
उस यज्ञ को करके मनुष्य मोक्ष प्राप्त करता है; केवल बाह्य शुद्धि वाले, परन्तु वास्तव में यज्ञ न होने वाले कर्मों से नहीं। क्योंकि वह हिंसा-दोष से रहित है, इसलिए वही सच्ची शुद्धि देता है और चित्त के संयम व परिष्कार का साधन बनता है।
Lord Agni (narrating the Agni Purana’s dharma and ritual teaching)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Adopt ahiṃsā-centered worship and inner ethical purification as the core of religious practice rather than relying on merely external ritual correctness.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Ahimsa-yajna as Inner Purification Leading to Moksha","lookup_keywords":["ahiṃsā-yajña","himsā-doṣa","citta-śuddhi","adhvara","mokṣa"],"quick_summary":"Liberation is said to arise from a sacrifice free of violence, because it truly purifies the mind; outwardly ‘pure’ rites lacking this essence are not praised as real sacrifice."}
Concept: Ahiṃsā is the decisive purifier; true yajña is that which removes himsā-doṣa and refines citta, becoming a direct aid to mokṣa.
Application: Reduce harm in worship and daily life (food, offerings, livelihood); prioritize vows of non-injury and mental purification over display-ritualism.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Dharma (Ahimsa-yajna and inner purification)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A quiet sacrificial setting where the ‘yajña’ is shown as non-violent: no animal, no blood; instead a meditator offers flowers, water, and breath into an inner fire at the heart, symbolizing citta-śuddhi.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, warm earthy palette, a serene sādhaka before a small altar, inner heart-lotus glowing like agni, symbols of ahiṃsā (deer, cow) unharmed nearby, classical ornamentation, flat iconic composition.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting with gold leaf, central seated yogin with halo, stylized altar with kalasha and flowers, no violent implements, gold detailing on sacred vessels, emphasis on purity and liberation iconography.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, fine linework, instructional tableau: outer ritual items faded/secondary, inner heart-fire and calm face emphasized, labels implied by objects (japa-mālā, water pot), soft pastel background.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtly yet ascetic scene: a sage in a garden pavilion performing a symbolic non-violent yajña, attendants holding flowers and water, delicate foliage, detailed textiles, calm contemplative mood."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: teneṣṭvā = तेन + इष्ट्वा; muktimāpnoti = मुक्तिम् + आप्नोति; vāhyaśuddhaiś = वाह्यशुद्धैः; nādhvaraiḥ = न + अध्वरैः; hiṃsādoṣavimuktitvādviśuddhiś = हिंसादोषविमुक्तित्वात् + विशुद्धिः.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Yoga/Mokṣa-dharma sections (dhyāna-yajña, guṇa-traya contemplation); Agni Purana: Pūjā-vidhi discussions on purity and intention
FAQs
It teaches the principle of an ‘ahimsa-adhvara’—a sacrifice or religious observance that avoids violence—stating that such a rite, rather than merely externally purified ceremonies, is a valid means leading toward liberation and mental refinement.
It exemplifies the Agni Purana’s integration of ritual science (yajña/adhvara) with ethics (non-violence) and soteriology (moksha), showing how the text treats practical ritual norms alongside philosophical criteria for genuine purity.
By being free from the karmic दोष (doṣa) of हिंसा (hiṃsā), the practice produces true inner purification (viśuddhi), which functions as a sādhana for citta (mind), thereby supporting the attainment of moksha.