Agni Purana — Yoga & Brahma-vidya, Shloka 26
Adhyāya 379 — अद्वैतब्रह्मविज्ञानम्
Advaita-brahma-vijñāna
वृक्षाद्दारु ततश्चेयं शिविका त्वदधिष्ठिता का वृक्षसंज्ञा जातस्य दारुसंज्ञाथ वा नृप
vṛkṣāddāru tataśceyaṃ śivikā tvadadhiṣṭhitā kā vṛkṣasaṃjñā jātasya dārusaṃjñātha vā nṛpa
वृक्षापासून काष्ठ होते; आणि त्याच काष्ठापासून ही, तुझ्या अधिष्ठानाने युक्त अशी शिविका बनली आहे. मग उत्पन्न झालेल्या वस्तूस ‘वृक्ष’ ही संज्ञा कशी राहील? हे नृपा, ‘काष्ठ’ असेच म्हणणे योग्य नाही काय?
Lord Agni (didactic narration within a raja-prashna style passage)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Nyaya","secondary_vidya":"Vyakarana","practical_application":"Clarifying how names/designations (saṃjñā) shift when a substance undergoes transformation—useful in legal testimony, debate, and precise royal orders.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Saṃjñā-bheda: Tree vs. Timber vs. Palanquin","lookup_keywords":["saṃjñā","pariṇāma","dravya","dāru","śivikā"],"quick_summary":"A thing’s conventional name depends on the relevant level of analysis: ‘tree’ (living whole), ‘timber’ (processed material), ‘palanquin’ (constructed artifact). Correct designation requires identifying the operative form and function."}
Concept: Names are context-bound conventions; the same underlying material supports multiple valid designations depending on transformation and purpose.
Application: In governance and adjudication, define the referent (living entity/material/artifact) before assigning rights, duties, or blame.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma / Nyaya (Didactic discourse on definitions and logical designation)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: vicāra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A king seated in a palanquin while a sage-debater points to a felled tree and stacked timber, illustrating how the same substance is named differently after transformation.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, flat yet rich colors, a royal palanquin with attendants, a sage gesturing toward a tree stump and timber logs, didactic court setting, ornate borders, traditional jewelry and textiles.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-leaf highlights on the king’s ornaments and palanquin canopy, sage with palm-leaf manuscript, timber logs and tree shown symbolically, frontal composition, deep reds and greens.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, fine linework, instructional tableau: labeled tree, timber, palanquin parts, king listening attentively, soft pastel palette, delicate shading.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed court scene with palanquin bearers, realistic timber textures, a scholar pointing to the tree-to-timber sequence, architectural pavilion background, fine floral margins."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: वृक्षाद्दारु = वृक्षात् + दारु; ततश्चेयं = ततः + च + इयम्; त्वदधिष्ठिता = त्वत् + अधिष्ठिता; दारुसंज्ञाथ = दारु-संज्ञा + अथ
Related Themes: Agni Purana 379 (Nyāya/saṃjñā-vicāra cluster); Agni Purana sections on Vyākaraṇa and śabda-śakti (semantic power)
FAQs
It teaches saṃjñā-vicāra—how a thing’s designation (name) changes with transformation (tree → timber → palanquin), a practical tool for clear royal reasoning and judgment.
Beyond myth, it includes applied reasoning about language and categorization—topics adjacent to nyāya and governance—showing the Purana’s wide coverage of practical knowledge for rulers.
Right understanding and right speech reduce error and injustice; for a king, accurate designation supports dharmic decisions, indirectly protecting merit by preventing harm caused by confusion or misjudgment.