Agni Purana — Yoga & Brahma-vidya, Shloka 12
Adhyāya 379 — अद्वैतब्रह्मविज्ञानम्
Advaita-brahma-vijñāna
कर्मवश्या गुणाश् चैते सत्त्वाद्याः पृथिवीपते अविद्यासञ्चितं कर्म तच्चाशेषेषु जन्तुषु
karmavaśyā guṇāś caite sattvādyāḥ pṛthivīpate avidyāsañcitaṃ karma taccāśeṣeṣu jantuṣu
हे पृथिवीपते! सत्त्वादी हे गुण कर्माच्या अधीन कार्य करतात. आणि अविद्येमुळे साचलेले कर्म तेच सर्व जीवांत अपवादाविना विद्यमान आहे.
Lord Agni (instructing a king addressed as 'Pṛthivīpati')
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Philosophy","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Explains moral psychology: guṇas function under karma shaped by avidyā; supports accountability, ethical restraint, and sādhanā to weaken karmic conditioning.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Karma-governed operation of sattva-rajas-tamas; avidyā as karmic accumulator","lookup_keywords":["karma-vaśya guṇāḥ","avidyā","sattva rajas tamas","sañcita karma","jantu (all beings)"],"quick_summary":"Guṇas manifest according to karmic governance, and karma itself is amassed through ignorance; this applies universally to living beings, motivating knowledge and disciplined action."}
Concept: Guṇas are not autonomous; their play is conditioned by karma, and karma is accumulated through avidyā across all beings.
Application: Reduce avidyā via śravaṇa-manana-nididhyāsana; adopt sattvic disciplines (diet, conduct, study) to reshape karmic tendencies.
Khanda Section: Karma-Siddhanta & Triguṇa-Viveka (Philosophical / Dharma-Śāstra-oriented section)
Primary Rasa: Shanta
Secondary Rasa: Karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A didactic scene where three guṇas are shown as attendants moved by a wheel labeled ‘karma’, while a shadowy figure ‘avidyā’ piles up karmic bundles that spread to many beings.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, allegorical wheel of karma turning, three personified guṇas in traditional attire orbiting it, dark avidyā figure stacking palm-leaf bundles, many small beings around, bold outlines and symbolic colors","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, gold-highlighted karma-cakra at center, three guṇa figures with distinct colors, avidyā as veiled form, ornate frame, king and sage at side witnessing the teaching","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clean instructional allegory: labeled karma wheel, guṇa figures connected by lines, avidyā as cloud feeding the wheel, multiple beings receiving karmic threads, precise linework","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, refined allegory in a garden court: sage explaining a painted diagram of karma wheel and guṇas to a king, delicate shading, calligraphic labels"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: गुणाश् चैते = गुणाः + च + एते; अविद्यासञ्चितं = अविद्या + सञ्चितम्; तच्चाशेषेषु = तत् + च + अशेषेषु.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 379.11; Agni Purana 379.13
FAQs
It imparts karmic doctrine: the three guṇas (sattva, rajas, tamas) function under the determining force of karma, and karmic residue is accumulated through avidyā.
Alongside rituals and practical sciences, the Agni Purana also codifies core philosophical frameworks—karma, avidyā, and triguṇas—providing a doctrinal basis that supports ethics, governance, and liberation-oriented teachings.
It identifies ignorance as the root of karmic accumulation and universal bondage, implying that reducing avidyā (through right knowledge and disciplined conduct) is essential for weakening karma’s hold.