Agni Purana — Yoga & Brahma-vidya, Shloka 6
Chapter 373 — ध्यानम्
Dhyāna / Meditation
एवं मुहूर्तमर्धं वा ध्यायेद् यः श्रद्धया हरिं सोपि यां गतिमाप्नोति न तां सर्वैर् महामखैः
evaṃ muhūrtamardhaṃ vā dhyāyed yaḥ śraddhayā hariṃ sopi yāṃ gatimāpnoti na tāṃ sarvair mahāmakhaiḥ
Demikian, siapa pun yang dengan श्रद्धा (iman) bermeditasi pada Hari walau hanya setengah muhūrta, ia mencapai tujuan tertinggi yang tidak dapat diraih bahkan oleh semua yajña agung.
Lord Agni (in discourse to sage Vasiṣṭha, as per the common Agni Purana dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Stotra","secondary_vidya":"Bhakti-yoga","practical_application":"Encourages brief but sincere Hari-dhyāna as a high-yield practice surpassing large-scale sacrificial ritual in promised spiritual attainment.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Half-muhūrta Hari-dhyāna surpassing mahāyajñas","lookup_keywords":["muhurta","shraddha","hari-dhyana","mahāmakha","phala"],"quick_summary":"Even a short, faith-filled meditation on Hari grants a supreme destination said to be unattainable through numerous grand Vedic sacrifices, emphasizing bhakti’s efficacy."}
Concept: Bhakti-dhyāna as superior soteriological means compared to karma-kāṇḍa grandeur; śraddhā is the catalyst.
Application: Set aside even 24 minutes (half muhūrta) daily for focused Hari-smaraṇa (name/form/mantra), prioritizing sincerity and steadiness over external ritual scale.
Khanda Section: Bhakti-yoga / Hari-dhyana (Vishnu Worship and Meditation)
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A devotee meditates on Viṣṇu with intense faith for a short measured time, while in the background grand sacrificial altars appear diminished, indicating dhyāna’s superiority.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: devotee in añjali-dhyāna, Viṣṇu radiant with four arms; side panel shows stylized yajña-kuṇḍa and priests rendered smaller, symbolic hierarchy, bold flat colors, devotional aura.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: central Viṣṇu with gold leaf halo; below, devotee seated with rosary, a small hourglass/ghāṭī motif indicating half-muhūrta; peripheral yajña scene ornate yet visually secondary, rich jewel tones.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: clean instructional scene with a time-measure motif (water-clock/ghāṭikā), devotee focusing on Viṣṇu icon, soft gradients, emphasis on practice duration and śraddhā.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: courtly sacrificial pavilion in background with many attendants; foreground solitary devotee in quiet corner meditating on a small Viṣṇu image, fine architectural detail, subtle symbolism of inner over outer."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Khamaj","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: मुहूर्तमर्धं = मुहूर्तम् + अर्धम्; ध्यायेद् = ध्यायेत् (before voiced consonant); सोपि = सः + अपि; गतिमाप्नोति = गतिम् + आप्नोति; सर्वैर् = सर्वैः (visarga before voiced).
Related Themes: Agni Purana bhakti-phala passages praising nāma/dhyāna over elaborate rites; Agni Purana discussions of yajña and its limits vis-à-vis jñāna/bhakti
FAQs
It teaches a practical bhakti-vidhi: sustained meditation (dhyāna) on Hari with śraddhā for even a short, defined duration (half a muhūrta) is presented as spiritually more efficacious than performing multiple major sacrifices.
Alongside ritual manuals and sacrificial procedures, the Agni Purana also preserves bhakti and yoga-based soteriology—showing that inner disciplines like dhyāna are treated as an alternative (and sometimes superior) path to the results sought through elaborate yajñas.
The verse asserts that sincere meditation on Vishnu grants the highest attainable gati (final spiritual state), surpassing the karmic merit ordinarily associated with even the greatest sacrificial rites.