Agni Purana — Yoga & Brahma-vidya, Shloka 7
अध्याय ३८० — गीतासारः
The Essence of the Gītā
नैव तस्य कृते नार्थो नाकृते नेह कश् चनः तत्त्ववित्तु महावहो गुणकर्मविभागयोः
naiva tasya kṛte nārtho nākṛte neha kaś canaḥ tattvavittu mahāvaho guṇakarmavibhāgayoḥ
Para o conhecedor da realidade, ó de braços poderosos, aqui não há propósito alcançado pelo que é feito, nem perda alguma pelo que deixa de ser feito—pois ele compreende a verdadeira distinção entre as qualidades (guṇa) e as ações (karma).
Lord Agni (instructing a royal/heroic interlocutor; typical vocative: mahābāho)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Philosophy","secondary_vidya":"Alamkara","practical_application":"Reduce doership-pride and guilt by understanding guṇa-karma mechanics; perform necessary roles without imagining ultimate gain/loss for the realized Self.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Guṇa–karma-vibhāga and the jñānī’s freedom from ‘done/undone’ calculus","lookup_keywords":["tattvavit","guna-karma-vibhaga","naiva tasya krte","akrite","nishkama"],"quick_summary":"For the knower of truth, neither action nor inaction yields ultimate personal profit or loss, because he discerns that actions arise from guṇas interacting with guṇas, not from the Self."}
Alamkara Type: Anuprasa (subtle alliteration) and Virodha (done/undone)
Concept: Tattva-jñāna: the Self is akartā; guṇas and karma belong to prakṛti. Hence the realized one is not bound by ‘I achieved/I failed’.
Application: When evaluating outcomes, shift language from ‘I did’ to ‘actions occurred through roles/conditions’; keep ethical duty, drop egoic accounting.
Khanda Section: Sahitya-shastra (Kavya/Alankara and allied philosophical-ethical instruction)
Primary Rasa: Shanta
Secondary Rasa: Veera
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A warrior-listener (Arjuna archetype) stands respectfully as a sage-teacher points to a wheel of three guṇas driving various actions; the Self is shown as a still center beyond the wheel.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, teacher and disciple in profile, large stylized chakra-wheel labeled sattva-rajas-tamas in Sanskrit-like glyphs, central lotus as Self, earthy pigments and bold outlines","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, ornate guṇa-wheel with gold embossing, teacher gesturing, disciple with folded hands, rich reds and greens, gold highlighting the unmoving center (ātman)","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clean instructional diagram aesthetic: guṇa-wheel, arrows to action-scenes (work, rest, conflict), calm teacher figure, fine gold lines and pastel background","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtly setting with philosophical discourse, detailed circular diagram on a scroll, subtle symbolism of still center, intricate textiles and architectural framing"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: नैव → न + एव; नार्थो → न + अर्थः; नाकृते → न + अकृते; नेह → न + इह; कश् चनः → कः + चन (कश्चन); तत्त्ववित्तु → तत्त्ववित् + तु
Related Themes: Agni Purana ch. 380 verses on guṇas, non-attachment, and knowledge as liberating raft/fire
FAQs
It imparts tattva-jñāna applied to conduct: discerning guṇas (sattva–rajas–tamas) from karma (actions), so one is not bound by anxiety over doing or not doing.
Alongside ritual, polity, and arts, the Agni Purana also preserves concise philosophical-ethical instruction; this verse summarizes a key doctrinal point about action, non-action, and the guṇas.
It points to freedom from karmic bondage through right understanding: when one knows the truth and the guṇa–karma distinction, actions no longer generate the same binding sense of gain or loss.