Agni Purana — Yoga & Brahma-vidya, Shloka 5
Chapter 374 — ध्यान (Dhyāna) — Colophon & Transition to Dhāraṇā
धारणाभ्यासयुक्तात्मा यदि प्राणैर् विमुच्यते कुलैकविंशमुत्तार्य स्वर्याति परमं पदं
dhāraṇābhyāsayuktātmā yadi prāṇair vimucyate kulaikaviṃśamuttārya svaryāti paramaṃ padaṃ
धारणा-अभ्यास से संयमित आत्मा यदि प्राणों के द्वारा देह से मुक्त होता है, तो वह अपने कुल की इक्कीस पीढ़ियों का उद्धार करके स्वर्ग जाता और परम पद को प्राप्त होता है।
Lord Agni (in instruction to sage Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purana dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Philosophy","secondary_vidya":"Yoga","practical_application":"Use dhāraṇā and prāṇa-discipline as a soteriological practice aimed at a calm, conscious death (antakāla-smṛti) and liberation-oriented merit for one’s lineage.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Dhāraṇā-abhyāsa and mokṣa-phala (21-kula-uttāraṇa)","lookup_keywords":["dhāraṇā","prāṇa-utkrānti","kula-uttāraṇa","parama-pada","svarga"],"quick_summary":"Steady dhāraṇā culminating in prāṇa-based departure is presented as granting uplift of twenty-one generations and attainment of the supreme state; it frames yogic death as both personal liberation and ancestral benefit."}
Concept: Dhāraṇā-sādhana at the time of prāṇa-utkrānti leads to parama-pada; yogic attainment is portrayed as extending merit to one’s lineage.
Application: Cultivate daily concentration and prāṇa-regulation with a view to maintaining lucidity at life’s end; integrate remembrance of the goal (parama-pada) into practice.
Khanda Section: Yoga-vidya (Dharana, Pranayama, Moksha-phala)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A yogin seated in firm posture, absorbed in dhāraṇā; subtle prāṇa rising as a luminous current, with ancestral figures behind being uplifted toward a radiant ‘parama-pada’.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, ochre-red background, a serene yogin in padmāsana with stylized prāṇa-flames rising, faint ancestral silhouettes in registers, luminous halo indicating parama-pada, traditional ornamentation and flat iconic composition.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting with gold leaf, central yogin with embossed aureole, prāṇa as gilded upward stream, small framed medallions of ancestors being lifted, rich textiles and temple-like arch framing the ‘supreme state’.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, delicate linework, instructional clarity: yogin posture, breath-channel indicated subtly, labeled ‘dhāraṇā’ focus point, soft gradients for the ascent to parama-pada.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, fine detailing: yogin in a quiet pavilion, translucent luminous plume rising, background showing layered heavens, small portraits of ancestors ascending, restrained palette with bright highlights for the ‘supreme state’."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: प्राणैर् → प्राणैः (रेफ्-सन्धि); कुलैकविंशमुत्तार्य → कुलैकविंशम् + उत्तार्य; स्वर्याति → स्वः + याति (विसर्ग-सन्धि)
Related Themes: Agni Purana Yoga-vidya sections on prāṇāyāma, dhāraṇā, dhyāna, and mokṣa-phala (same khanda context); Agni Purana passages on śrāddha/ancestral merit (where applicable)
FAQs
It teaches a yogic principle: sustained dhāraṇā-abhyāsa (concentration practice) culminates in a controlled release at death associated with prāṇa, yielding exalted post-mortem attainment.
Alongside ritual and dharma topics, the Agni Purana also preserves yoga-vidyā—linking meditative technique (dhāraṇā) with soteriology (heaven/supreme state) and lineage merit (kula-uttāraṇa).
It attributes powerful merit to yogic discipline: the practitioner’s attainment benefits not only the individual (svarga/parama pada) but also purifies and uplifts the family line by “saving” twenty-one generations.