Agni Purana — Yoga & Brahma-vidya, Shloka 30

Chapter 378: Brahma-jñāna

Knowledge of Brahman

Devanagari script

प्रत्यस्तमितभेदं यत् सत्तामात्रमगोचरं वचसामात्मसंवेद्यं तज्ज्ञानं ब्रह्म संज्ञितम्

Transliteration

pratyastamitabhedaṃ yat sattāmātramagocaraṃ vacasāmātmasaṃvedyaṃ tajjñānaṃ brahma saṃjñitam

Translation

जिसमें भेद लीन हो गए हों, जो केवल सत् है, वाणी की पहुँच से परे है और आत्मानुभूति से ही जाना जाता है—वही ज्ञान ‘ब्रह्म’ कहलाता है।

Word by Word

• प्रति-अस्तमित-भेदम्: in which distinctions have subsided
• प्रति-अस्तमित-भेदम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रति (उपसर्ग) + अस्तम्-इ (धातु/अव्ययभाव) → अस्तमित (कृदन्त, क्त) + भेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘यत्’ इति विशेषण; भेदः प्रत्यस्तमितः यस्मिन् (differences having subsided)

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Correlative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम; here correlating with ‘तत्’

• सत्ता-मात्रम्: mere existence alone
• सत्ता-मात्रम्: Samanaadhikarana (समानाधिकरण/Predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्ता (प्रातिपदिक) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; ‘केवलसत्ता’ इत्यर्थे

• अ-गोचरम्: not accessible (to senses/words)
• अ-गोचरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गोचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; नञ्-समास/नकारार्थ (negation): not within range

• वचसाम्: of words/speech
• वचसाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• आत्म-संवेद्यम्: knowable only by oneself (self-evident)
• आत्म-संवेद्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + संवेद्य (कृदन्त, यत्/ण्यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; ‘स्वयमेव वेद्य’ (self-cognizable)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘यत्’ इत्यस्य प्रत्युदाहरण (correlative)

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge
• ज्ञानम्: Samanaadhikarana (समानाधिकरण/Predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘तत्’ इत्यस्य समानाधिकरण

• ब्रह्म: Brahman
• ब्रह्म: Samanaadhikarana (समानाधिकरण/Predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समानाधिकरण

• संज्ञितम्: is called/termed
• संज्ञितम्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-ज्ञा (धातु) → संज्ञित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कर्मणि: ‘is designated/called’

Speaker

Lord Agni (traditional narrator of the Agni Purana) addressing sage Vasiṣṭha

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: सत्तामात्रमगोचरं = सत्तामात्रम् + अगोचरम्; वचसामात्मसंवेद्यं = वचसाम् + आत्मसंवेद्यम्; तज्ज्ञानं = तत् + ज्ञानम्.

Characters & Entities

• Brahman
• Ātman
• Jñāna (knowledge)

FAQs

What technical or ritual knowledge (Vidya) is imparted in this verse?

It imparts Brahma-jñāna (Vedāntic knowledge): Brahman is defined as distinctionless pure Being, beyond verbal description, realized through direct inner awareness rather than external ritual technique.

How does this verse contribute to the 'Encyclopedic' nature of the Agni Purana?

Alongside ritual, polity, medicine, and arts, the Agni Purana also preserves systematic metaphysical definitions; this verse functions as a concise Vedānta-style lakṣaṇa (technical definition) of Brahman and its mode of realization.

What is the spiritual or karmic significance of this specific instruction?

By directing the seeker to self-realized, speech-transcending knowledge, it points to liberation (mokṣa) through inner realization—reducing identification with difference and cultivating nondual insight that purifies karma at its root.