Agni Purana — Yoga & Brahma-vidya, Shloka 60
Adhyāya 379 — अद्वैतब्रह्मविज्ञानम्
Advaita-brahma-vijñāna
ऋतुर्निदाघ आरूढो दृष्टान्तं पश्य वाहनं उपर्यहं यथा राजा त्वमधः कुञ्जरो यथा
ṛturnidāgha ārūḍho dṛṣṭāntaṃ paśya vāhanaṃ uparyahaṃ yathā rājā tvamadhaḥ kuñjaro yathā
ଋତୁ କହିଲେ— ହେ ନିଦାଘ! ଆରୂଢ ହୋଇ ଏହି ଦୃଷ୍ଟାନ୍ତ ଦେଖ; ଏହି ବାହନକୁ ନିରୀକ୍ଷଣ କର। ଯେପରି ରାଜା ଉପରେ, ସେପରି ତୁମେ ତଳେ— ତାଙ୍କୁ ବହନ କରୁଥିବା କୁଞ୍ଜର ପରି।
Lord Agni (instructing sage Vasiṣṭha in didactic/nīti material typical of the Agni Purāṇa’s encyclopedic chapters)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Philosophy","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Using a concrete political simile (king-elephant) to teach dependence, hierarchy, and the relativity of ‘above/below’ status—applicable to leadership ethics and self-knowledge.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Dṛṣṭānta of Power and Support: King Above, Bearer Below","lookup_keywords":["dṛṣṭānta","upari-adhaḥ","rāja-āśraya","gaja-vāhana","nīti"],"quick_summary":"The ‘above/below’ arrangement shows that the exalted position rests upon a supporting base; it critiques pride and clarifies how authority is structurally dependent."}
Alamkara Type: Dṛṣṭānta (didactic exemplum)
Weapon Type: Elephant mount (Gaja)
Concept: Relational ontology of status: ‘above’ is meaningful only with a ‘below’ that bears it; ego is corrected by seeing the supporting ground.
Application: Leaders should honor and protect their supports (people, institutions, resources); practitioners should reduce pride by contemplating dependence.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma / Niti (Didactic similes on power, status, and dependence)
Primary Rasa: śānta
Secondary Rasa: vīra
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A didactic moment: the sage points to the king seated above on the elephant, emphasizing the example that the ‘above’ depends on the ‘below’ bearer.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, sage instructing with raised finger, king seated on elephant in howdah, composition emphasizing vertical ‘above/below’ relation, subdued teaching mood","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, vertical composition with elephant below and king above, gold leaf on royal canopy, sage at side indicating the moral lesson","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, diagrammatic clarity: labels or implied hierarchy, careful rendering of elephant anatomy and howdah, calm instructional ambience","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, refined didactic scene with sage and king, elephant as visual metaphor, delicate shading and architectural framing to stress hierarchy"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ऋतुर्निदाघ = ऋतुः + निदाघ; उपर्यहं = उपरि + अहम्; त्वमधः = त्वम् + अधः.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 379 (Nidāgha–Ṛtu didactic sequence on status/identity)
FAQs
It imparts nīti-vidyā (practical political-ethical instruction) through a concrete analogy: hierarchy and dependence in rulership—one sits “above” only because another bears the burden “below.”
Alongside ritual, theology, and arts, the Agni Purāṇa also preserves pragmatic instruction on governance and ethics; this verse exemplifies its statecraft-oriented maxims embedded within broader Rajadharma/nīti coverage.
It cautions against pride and misuse of power: recognizing one’s dependence on others supports humility and righteous conduct (dharma), which is traditionally linked to auspicious karma and social harmony.