Agni Purana — Yoga & Brahma-vidya, Shloka 3
Chapter 371 — Yama-Niyama and Praṇava-Upāsanā (Oṅkāra) as Brahma-vidyā
यमाः पञ्च स्मृता नियमाद्भुक्तिमुक्तिदाः शौचं सन्तोषतपसी स्वाध्यायेश्वरपूजने
yamāḥ pañca smṛtā niyamādbhuktimuktidāḥ śaucaṃ santoṣatapasī svādhyāyeśvarapūjane
ヤマは五つと伝えられる。さらにニヤマからは、世の享受（ブクティ）と解脱（ムクティ）を授ける行が生ずる。すなわち、清浄（シャウチャ）、知足（サントーシャ）、苦行（タパス）、自己学習・聖典誦習（スヴァーディヤーヤ）、そして主（イーシュヴァラ）への礼拝（プージャナ）である。
Lord Agni (in instruction to Sage Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Philosophy","practical_application":"Implement yamas and niyamas as a daily ethical-and-devotional regimen to support both worldly well-being (bhukti) and liberation (mukti).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Niyamas: Śauca, Santoṣa, Tapas, Svādhyāya, Īśvara-pūjana","lookup_keywords":["niyama","śauca","santoṣa","tapas","svādhyāya"],"quick_summary":"The verse enumerates the niyamas—purity, contentment, austerity, self-study, and worship of the Lord—presented as disciplines that yield both enjoyment and liberation when paired with yamas."}
Concept: Niyamas as inner observances that mature the practitioner toward bhukti-mukti, complementing yamas.
Application: Create a five-part routine: bodily/mental cleanliness (śauca), gratitude practice (santoṣa), voluntary simplicity/fasting (tapas), daily scripture recitation (svādhyāya), and regular pūjā (īśvara-pūjana).
Khanda Section: Yoga-śāstra (Yama–Niyama / Sādhanā-vidhi)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A practitioner performing daily observances: bathing/cleaning (śauca), offering thanks (santoṣa), austerity like simple diet (tapas), reading scripture (svādhyāya), and worship at a small shrine (īśvara-pūjana).","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, five vignette panels around a central yogin: river-bath for śauca, serene smile for santoṣa, ascetic with minimal food for tapas, palm-leaf reading for svādhyāya, lamp-and-flowers pūjā for īśvara-pūjana; traditional palette and stylized forms.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, central deity shrine with gold arch; around it five small scenes of niyamas, heavy gold work on lamps and ornaments, rich reds/greens, devotional domestic-temple atmosphere.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional storyboard: labeled niyamas in Sanskrit with corresponding small illustrations, clean composition, fine brushwork, suitable for ‘manual-like’ depiction of practice.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, refined household-āśrama setting: scholar reading, ascetic practice, and pūjā scene with detailed objects (books, lamps, water pot), delicate borders with niyama names."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: niyamādbhuktimuktidāḥ → niyamāt bhukti-mukti-dāḥ; svādhyāyeśvarapūjane → svādhyāya-īśvara-pūjane.
Related Themes: Agni Purana continuation of Yoga-vidyā (niyama elaborations in subsequent verses)
FAQs
It codifies the five niyamas—śauca, santoṣa, tapas, svādhyāya, and īśvara-pūjā—as practical yogic observances used for inner purification and disciplined worship.
Alongside ritual, polity, medicine, and arts, the Agni Purāṇa also preserves yoga-śāstra fundamentals; this verse functions as a concise handbook-style listing of core observances (niyamas) within its broad knowledge compendium.
By practicing these niyamas, one cultivates purity and steadiness of mind, generating merit and fitness for higher realization—thereby supporting both dharmic well-being (bhukti) and liberation (mukti).