Agni Purana — Yoga & Brahma-vidya, Shloka 28
अध्याय ३८० — गीतासारः
The Essence of the Gītā
ज्ञेयं यत्तत् प्रवक्ष्यामि यं ज्ञात्वामृतमश्नुते अनादि परमं ब्रह्म सत्त्वं नाम तदुच्यते
jñeyaṃ yattat pravakṣyāmi yaṃ jñātvāmṛtamaśnute anādi paramaṃ brahma sattvaṃ nāma taducyate
அறியத்தக்க அந்தத் தத்துவத்தை நான் விளக்குகிறேன்—அதை அறிந்தால் அமரத்துவம் அடையப்படுகிறது. ஆதியற்ற, பரம பிரம்மமே ‘சத்த்வம்’ என அழைக்கப்படுகிறது.
Lord Agni (in instruction to Sage Vasiṣṭha, the typical Agni Purana dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Philosophy","secondary_vidya":"Vedanta","practical_application":"Orienting inquiry toward Brahman as the knowable reality that grants ‘immortality’ (freedom from bondage); using ‘Sattva’ here as a doctrinal designation for the supreme principle in this passage.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Jneya Brahman: Anadi Paramam (called Sattva)","lookup_keywords":["jneya","brahman","anadi","parama","amrita"],"quick_summary":"The text identifies the supreme, beginningless Brahman as the ultimate object of knowledge; realizing it yields ‘immortality’—liberation beyond death and rebirth. Here it is designated as ‘Sattva’ in a doctrinal sense."}
Concept: Brahman is anadi (beginningless) and parama (supreme); knowledge of it culminates in amritatva (liberation).
Application: Use neti-neti style discernment and sustained contemplation on the unconditioned ground of experience; treat ‘immortality’ as freedom from identification, not bodily perpetuity.
Khanda Section: Jnana-yoga / Brahma-vidya (Vedanta-oriented doctrinal teaching)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A luminous, formless radiance labeled as the supreme Brahman, with a seeker approaching through contemplation; the motif of ‘amrita’ shown as a nectar-like light rather than a physical substance.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, abstract yet traditional: central radiant mandala representing Brahman, sage in meditation posture, subtle lotus and flame motifs, restrained palette with glowing highlights.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, large golden aureole/mandala as Brahman, embossed gold dominating the composition, small meditating sage below, rich background colors, sacred geometry accents.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clean instructional symbolism: concentric circles for anadi/parama, arrow of inquiry from the seeker, soft gradients, minimal narrative clutter.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, philosophical allegory: a sage in a quiet pavilion gazes toward a vast luminous sky-disc; delicate clouds and fine detailing, subdued yet radiant focal point."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: jñātvā + amṛtam → jñātvāmṛtam; amṛtam + aśnute → amṛtamaśnute; tad + ucyate → taducyate; yattat is yat + tat (juxtaposed correlative).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 380.29; Agni Purana 380.27
FAQs
It imparts Brahma-vidyā (knowledge of the Supreme Brahman) as the ‘knowable’ (jñeya) whose realization grants amṛta—deathlessness—rather than a ritual procedure.
Alongside its ritual, polity, medicine, and arts, the Agni Purana also preserves Vedanta-style metaphysics; this verse explicitly frames a doctrinal definition of the ultimate knowable (Brahman), showing its coverage of liberation-oriented philosophy.
It asserts that realization of the beginningless, supreme Brahman leads to immortality (amṛta), indicating liberation from saṃsāra and the exhaustion of bondage-producing karma through true knowledge.