Agni Purana — Yoga & Brahma-vidya, Shloka 38
Adhyāya 375 — समाधिः
Samādhi
उपासते द्विजाः सत्यं श्रद्धया परया युताः क्रमात्ते सम्भवन्त्यर्चिरहः शुक्लं तथोत्तरं
upāsate dvijāḥ satyaṃ śraddhayā parayā yutāḥ kramātte sambhavantyarcirahaḥ śuklaṃ tathottaraṃ
परम श्रद्धा से युक्त द्विज सत्य की उपासना करते हैं; उनके लिए क्रमशः उज्ज्वल मार्ग के सोपान—अर्चि (ज्वाला), दिन, शुक्ल पक्ष और फिर उत्तरायण—प्रकट होते हैं।
Lord Agni (instructing Sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s didactic narration)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Philosophy","secondary_vidya":"Cosmology","practical_application":"Meditative orientation to satya-upasana and understanding the Devayana (archiradi-marga) as a soteriological map used in contemplation at death and in daily Brahmavidya practice.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Archirādi-mārga (Bright Path) preliminaries: archis–ahas–śukla–uttarāyaṇa","lookup_keywords":["archiradi marga","devayana","uttarayana","shukla paksha","satya upasana"],"quick_summary":"The verse lists the initial stations of the ‘bright path’ attained by truth-worship with supreme faith: flame, day, bright fortnight, and the northern course—used as a doctrinal itinerary for liberation-oriented ascent."}
Concept: Satya-upāsanā with parā-śraddhā leads to Devayāna/archirādi progression (a liberation-oriented post-mortem ascent).
Application: Use as a contemplative schema: cultivate truthfulness and steady faith; remember the bright-path sequence in antakāla-smṛti (end-of-life recollection) and in daily meditation on Brahman.
Khanda Section: Moksha-dharma (Uttarayana/Devayana path; Brahmavidya-oriented teaching)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A serene twice-born meditator worships ‘Truth’ as a radiant pathway unfolds above: a tongue of flame leading into bright day, a white lunar fortnight, and the sun’s northern course as a golden arc.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, flat yet rich colors, serene brahmin yogin seated in padmasana, haloed flame-gate (archis) above, personified Day and Śukla-pakṣa as luminous attendants, Uttarāyaṇa shown as a golden solar chariot moving north, sacred minimal background, traditional ornamentation","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting with gold leaf, central meditating dvija with ornate arch, embossed golden flame motif rising to a bright sun and crescent-moon symbols for śukla-pakṣa, uttarāyaṇa as a gilded solar arc, jewel-like colors, devotional luminosity","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, clean linework, instructional diagram feel: four labeled stations (Archis, Ahas, Śukla, Uttarāyaṇa) arranged as ascending steps above a seated worshipper of Satya, soft washes, delicate detailing","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, fine detailing: scholar-yogin in a garden pavilion, above him a stylized celestial ladder—flame, daylight sky, bright fortnight moon, and a sun-chariot turning north; subtle calligraphic labels, pastel palette"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: सम्भवन्त्यर्चिरहः → sambhavanti arciḥ ahaḥ; तथोत्तरं → tathā uttaram; क्रमात्ते → kramāt te.
Related Themes: Agni Purana Moksha-dharma sections on Devayāna–Pitṛyāna and Brahmaloka-gati (same khanda, adjacent verses)
FAQs
It teaches upāsanā of Satya (Truth/The Real) with parā-śraddhā, and outlines the arcir-ādi (path of light) sequence—arcis (flame), ahaḥ (day), śukla (bright fortnight), and uttara (northern course)—as the ordered stages of the aspirant’s onward journey.
Alongside ritual, polity, and other sciences, the Agni Purana also preserves mokṣa-doctrine: here it succinctly encodes a classical cosmological-soteriological map (the “bright path”) used across Upaniṣadic and later Vedāntic traditions.
By steadfast contemplation and worship of Truth with the highest faith, the practitioner is said to progress through auspicious “light” stations, indicating purification and a favorable post-mortem/spiritual ascent aligned with liberation-oriented destiny.