Agni Purana — Yoga & Brahma-vidya, Shloka 36
Chapter 381 — यमगीता
Yama-gītā
आत्मानं मन्यते ब्रह्म जीवो ज्ञानेन नान्यथा जीवो ह्य् अज्ञानतत्कार्यमुक्तः स्यादजरामरः
ātmānaṃ manyate brahma jīvo jñānena nānyathā jīvo hy ajñānatatkāryamuktaḥ syādajarāmaraḥ
സത്യജ്ഞാനത്തിലൂടെ ജീവൻ താനേ ബ്രഹ്മമാണെന്ന് അറിയുന്നു; മറ്റെങ്ങനെ അല്ല. കാരണം അജ്ഞാനവും അതിൽ നിന്നുണ്ടായ ഫലങ്ങളും വിട്ടൊഴിഞ്ഞാൽ ജീവൻ ജരാമരണരഹിതനാകുന്നു.
Lord Agni (teaching to Sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s instructional dialogue)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Philosophy","secondary_vidya":"Advaita-Vedanta","practical_application":"Teaches jiva-brahma aikya through jnana and the removal of avidya and its effects; used for self-inquiry and liberation-oriented practice.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Jnana as Means: Avidya-nivritti and Jiva’s Ajara-Amara State","lookup_keywords":["jiva","brahman","jnana","avidya","ajara-amara"],"quick_summary":"By knowledge the jiva recognizes itself as Brahman; freed from ignorance and its products, it is said to be beyond decay and death."}
Concept: Avidya causes jiva-notion; jnana removes avidya and its karya, revealing the Self as Brahman—beyond birth, decay, and death.
Application: Practice shravana–manana–nididhyasana: hear the mahavakya teaching, reason to remove doubts, and meditate to dissolve habitual identification with ignorance-born effects.
Khanda Section: Jnana-yoga / Vedanta (Brahma-Atma-Jiva Viveka)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A seeker’s ‘jiva’ identity dissolving as a veil labeled ignorance lifts, revealing a radiant, formless Brahman-light; the figure stands serene, untouched by time (ajara-amara).","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, symbolic veil (avidya) being drawn away by a sage-teacher, inner radiance expanding, calm symmetrical composition, earthy palette with luminous center.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central radiant form with gold leaf aura representing Brahman, a thin dark veil being removed, devotee/seeker in reverent posture, ornate borders and rich colors.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, instructional allegory: teacher pointing to the heart-space, veil lifting, clear facial serenity, soft shading, emphasis on clarity and discrimination (viveka).","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, philosophical scene in a study: teacher and student, a translucent veil motif, subtle light emanating from the student’s chest, fine detailing of manuscripts and setting."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: नान्यथा = न अन्यथा; ह्य् = हि; अज्ञानतत्कार्यमुक्तः = अज्ञान-तत्-कार्य-मुक्तः; स्यादजरामरः = स्यात् अजरा-मरः.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 381.35 (akasha analogy); Agni Purana Yoga-vidya sections leading to samadhi as ‘aham brahma’ (381.34)
FAQs
It imparts jñāna-vidyā (Vedāntic Self-knowledge): liberation arises by realizing the jīva’s identity with Brahman and by removing avidyā along with its consequential bondage.
Alongside ritual, temple practice, polity, and other sciences, the Agni Purana also preserves a compact Vedānta-style mokṣa teaching—showing its scope as an encyclopedia that includes metaphysics and soteriology.
It states that freedom is not merely from suffering but from the root-cause (ignorance) and its karmic effects; the result is ajara-amara status—symbolizing mokṣa beyond birth, decay, and death.