Agni Purana — Yoga & Brahma-vidya, Shloka 27
Adhyāya 375 — समाधिः
Samādhi
शब्दः स्पर्शश् च रूपञ्च रसो गन्धश् च तद्गुणाः यो यस्मिन्नाश्रितश् चैषां स तस्मिन्नेव लीयते
śabdaḥ sparśaś ca rūpañca raso gandhaś ca tadguṇāḥ yo yasminnāśritaś caiṣāṃ sa tasminneva līyate
शब्दः स्पर्शश्च रूपं च रसो गन्धश्च तद्गुणाः। यो यस्मिन्नाश्रितोऽेषां स तस्मिन्नेव लीयते।
Lord Agni (teaching sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s encyclopedic discourse)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Philosophy","secondary_vidya":"Cosmology","practical_application":"Understanding guṇa–āśraya relations (quality-substrate dependence) and dissolution (laya) for meditative reversal and metaphysical clarity about elements.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Elemental Qualities and Dissolution into Their Substrates","lookup_keywords":["śabda","sparśa","rūpa","rasa","gandha"],"quick_summary":"Lists the five sensory qualities as elemental attributes and states the dissolution rule: a dependent quality resolves back into its supporting substrate."}
Concept: Whatever is dependent (guṇa) returns to its basis (āśraya) in dissolution; this supports a disciplined ‘return to source’ understanding of mind and matter.
Application: Meditation cue: trace sensory experience back—smell to earth, taste to water, form to fire, touch to air, sound to space—then rest attention in subtler awareness.
Khanda Section: Sankhya–Yoga / Tattva-viveka (Elements and their dissolution)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A five-step sensory-quality map showing sound, touch, form, taste, smell linked to their elements, with arrows indicating dissolution back into the substrate.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: five elemental circles with their guṇas inscribed, arrows curling inward to show laya, decorative lotus borders, bold traditional palette","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: gold-embossed concentric design—outer ring of five guṇas, inner ring of five elements, arrows in gold indicating dissolution, ornate floral motifs","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: crisp instructional chart with icons (ear/sound, skin/touch, eye/form, tongue/taste, nose/smell) pointing to elements and inward arrows for dissolution, soft colors, fine detailing","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: scientific-philosophical folio illustration with labeled guṇas and elements, elegant calligraphy, delicate borders, subdued gold accents"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: रूपञ्च = रूपम् च; तद्गुणाः = तत्-गुणाः; यस्मिन्नाश्रितः = यस्मिन् आश्रितः; चैषाम् = च एषाम्; तस्मिन्नेव = तस्मिन् एव.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 375.26 (increasing qualities across elements); Agni Purana 375.24 (organs and elements as constituents)
FAQs
It teaches tattva-vidyā (Sāṅkhya-style metaphysics): the five sense-qualities (tanmātras) depend on specific substrates and, at dissolution (laya), merge back into those substrates.
Alongside rituals and dharma, the Agni Purana also preserves systematic cosmology and Sāṅkhya categories—explaining how sensory properties relate to elements and how they retract during cosmic dissolution.
By understanding that sensory qualities are dependent and dissolvable, a practitioner cultivates dispassion toward sense-objects and supports inward withdrawal (pratyāhāra), aiding liberation-oriented practice.