Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 19
Explanation of the Vāsudeva and Related Mantras (वासुदेवादिमन्त्रनिरूपणम्)
कनिष्टादिकराग्रेषु प्रकृतिं देहकेर्चयेत् पराय पुरुषात्मा स्यात् प्रकृत्यात्मा द्विरूपकः
kaniṣṭādikarāgreṣu prakṛtiṃ dehakercayet parāya puruṣātmā syāt prakṛtyātmā dvirūpakaḥ
ຄວນພິຈາລະນາ ປຣະກຣິຕິ (Prakṛti) ໃນກາຍ ເລີ່ມຈາກປາຍນິ້ວ ເຊັ່ນນິ້ວກ້ອຍ. ໃນສະພາວະສູງສຸດ ອາຕະມາເປັນ ປຸຣຸສະ (Puruṣa)；ແຕ່ເມື່ອສຳພັນກັບ ປຣະກຣິຕິ ອາຕະມາມີຮູບສອງປະການ.
Lord Agni (teaching to Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purāṇa’s instructional dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Philosophy","secondary_vidya":"Yoga","practical_application":"Subtle-body contemplation (aṅga-krama dhyāna) to discriminate Puruṣa from Prakṛti and stabilize witness-consciousness during meditation.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Puruṣa–Prakṛti Dvaitarūpa (Twofold Self in relation to Prakṛti)","lookup_keywords":["prakriti","purusha","dvairupya","deha-dhyana","sankhya-yoga"],"quick_summary":"Meditate through the body beginning at the fingertips, recognizing Prakṛti as the field; in the higher standpoint the Self is Puruṣa, yet in empirical relation it appears twofold as knower and nature-related self."}
Concept: Puruṣa as transcendent Self; Prakṛti as embodied field; apparent twofoldness of self in relation to nature.
Application: Use body-scanning contemplation to shift identity from body-mind (Prakṛti) to witnessing consciousness (Puruṣa).
Khanda Section: Yoga–Sankhya / Adhyatma (Subtle-body contemplation and metaphysics)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A yogin seated in meditation, awareness moving from the little finger and fingertips through the body, visualizing Prakṛti as the bodily field while a luminous Puruṣa-witness stands distinct and serene.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, seated yogin with stylized anatomy lines from fingertips inward, Prakriti as green-gold aura around body, Puruṣa as radiant white-gold witness behind, flat decorative background, traditional pigments, sacred calm.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central meditating sage with embossed gold halo, fingertips highlighted with gold dots leading inward, Prakriti as ornate floral-gold body aura, Puruṣa as separate luminous figure, rich reds and greens, temple-like frame.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional diagram feel: yogin with subtle channels indicated, sequence from little finger to body marked, soft shading, delicate linework, minimal background, emphasis on contemplative discrimination.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, refined seated ascetic in a pavilion, delicate finger-tip focus gesture, translucent overlay showing two layers (body as Prakriti, inner witness as Puruṣa), fine detailing, muted palette, contemplative courtly setting."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Ahir Bhairav","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: कनिष्टादिकराग्रेषु = कनिष्ठ-आदि-कर-अग्रेषु; देहकेर्चयेत् interpreted as देहके + ईर्चयेत् (verb form uncertain/rare); पुरुषात्मा = पुरुष-आत्मा; प्रकृत्यात्मा = प्रकृति-आत्मा; द्विरूपकः = द्वि-रूपकः.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 25 (Yoga–Sāṅkhya/Adhyātma sequence); Agni Purana 25.20-25.23 (nyāsa-based internalization as applied practice)
FAQs
It gives a yogic contemplative method: mentally honoring/visualizing Prakṛti within the body (mapped from the fingertips onward) and distinguishing the pure Puruṣa-self from the Prakṛti-conditioned self.
Alongside ritual and dharma topics, the Agni Purāṇa preserves Sāṅkhya–Yoga metaphysics—teaching practical contemplation plus doctrinal categories (Puruṣa/Prakṛti), showing its wide, encyclopedic scope.
By discriminating the two aspects of self (pure consciousness vs. nature-bound identity), the practitioner reduces misidentification with the body, supporting inner purification and liberation-oriented insight.