Agni Purana — Yoga & Brahma-vidya, Shloka 19
Āsana–Prāṇāyāma–Pratyāhāra
Posture, Breath-control, and Withdrawal of the Senses
जलविन्दुं कुशाग्रेण मासे मासे पिवेत्तु यः संवत्सरशतं साग्रं प्राणयामश् च तत्समः
jalavinduṃ kuśāgreṇa māse māse pivettu yaḥ saṃvatsaraśataṃ sāgraṃ prāṇayāmaś ca tatsamaḥ
जलविन्दुं कुशाग्रेण मासे मासे पिबेत्तु यः । संवत्सरशतं साग्रं प्राणायामश्च तत्समः ॥
Lord Agni (traditionally instructing sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vrata","secondary_vidya":"Yoga","practical_application":"Austerity-based observance: minimal water intake ritual (symbolic restraint) performed monthly as a merit-equivalent to long pranayama—used to motivate discipline and tapas.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Kuśāgra-jalabindu Vrata and Prāṇāyāma Merit-Equivalence","lookup_keywords":["kuśāgra","jalabindu","vrata","tapas","prāṇāyāma-phala"],"quick_summary":"A monthly austerity of sipping a single drop of water from the tip of kuśa grass is praised as yielding merit comparable to extensive pranayama, emphasizing the power of disciplined restraint."}
Alamkara Type: Atishayokti
Concept: Tapas and niyama can be valorized through symbolic acts of restraint; merit is linked to intention and discipline rather than quantity alone.
Application: If adopting austerities, prioritize safe, sustainable restraint (moderation, mindful fasting) and pair it with pranayama/meditation; avoid harmful dehydration.
Khanda Section: Yoga & Tapas (Prāṇāyāma / Vrata-vidhi)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"An ascetic performing a monthly observance: holding a single kuśa blade with a tiny water drop at its tip, sipping with reverence beside a small altar; a subtle aura suggests accumulated merit.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, ascetic near a simple yajna-kunda, kuśa grass clearly stylized, a single water drop emphasized, muted earth tones, ritual vessels and palm-leaf manuscript nearby","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, devotee/ascetic with gold halo, kuśa blade and water drop highlighted with gold, ornate altar items, rich decorative border and gold embossing","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clear instructional depiction of the act: close-up of kuśa tip with water drop, calendar motif indicating monthly repetition, soft colors and precise lines","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, intimate ritual scene in a quiet courtyard, fine rendering of grass blade and droplet, delicate vessels, subdued palette with intricate detailing"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Puriya","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: जलविन्दुं → जल + विन्दुम्; कुशाग्रेण → कुश + अग्रेण; तत्समः → तत् + समः; प्राणयामश् → प्राणायामः (visarga before ca).
Related Themes: Agni Purana vrata-vidhi and tapas-related phala-śruti passages (elsewhere in vrata sections)
FAQs
It teaches a small, repeatable monthly observance: sipping a single drop of water taken on the tip of kuśa grass, presented as a potent purificatory/merit-generating act comparable to long-term prāṇāyāma.
Alongside major topics, the Agni Purana catalogs compact vrata-like practices and their stated phala (results), preserving ritual micro-disciplines and yogic equivalences as part of its wide-ranging compendium.
The verse assigns extraordinarily high merit to a disciplined, recurring act of purity and restraint, framing it as karmically equivalent to extensive prāṇāyāma austerity.