Agni Purana — Yoga & Brahma-vidya, Shloka 36
अध्याय ३८० — गीतासारः
The Essence of the Gītā
सत्त्वात्सञ्जायते ज्ञानं रजसो लोभ एव च प्रमादमोहौ तमसो भवतो ज्ञानमेव च
sattvātsañjāyate jñānaṃ rajaso lobha eva ca pramādamohau tamaso bhavato jñānameva ca
சத்த்வத்திலிருந்து ஞானம் பிறக்கிறது; ரஜஸிலிருந்து நிச்சயமாக ஆசை (லோபம்) எழுகிறது; தமஸிலிருந்து அலட்சியம், மயக்கம்—மேலும் அறியாமையும்—உண்டாகின்றன।
Lord Agni (narrating Agni Purana teachings to Sage Vashistha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Philosophy","secondary_vidya":"Sankhya–Yoga","practical_application":"Diagnostic self-assessment of mental states via guṇa-theory; cultivate sattva to support knowledge and reduce rajas/tamas-driven afflictions.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Guṇa-wise causal mapping: knowledge, greed, delusion","lookup_keywords":["sattva-jñāna","rajas-lobha","tamas-moha","pramāda","triguṇa"],"quick_summary":"Sattva supports knowledge; rajas tends toward greed; tamas produces heedlessness and delusion, culminating in ignorance—useful for ethical-psychological diagnosis and yogic correction."}
Dosha: Tridosha
Concept: Triguna psychology: mental qualities condition cognition and behavior; knowledge is sāttvika, greed is rājasika, delusion/heedlessness is tāmasika.
Application: Track daily impulses: when greed or confusion arises, identify the guṇa, then apply counter-practices (sattva-building disciplines, prāṇāyāma, mindful restraint).
Khanda Section: Sankhya–Yoga / Triguna (Philosophical Doctrine of the Three Gunas)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A tri-colored allegory: sattva as clear light producing a book (knowledge), rajas as red-gold producing grasping hands (greed), tamas as dark smoke producing a stumbling figure (heedlessness/delusion).","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, three panels with sattva (white-gold aura, sage with manuscript), rajas (red dynamic merchant/warrior clutching coins), tamas (dark blue-black figure in fog), bold outlines, traditional floral borders","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore triptych with gold leaf: sattva as radiant lamp and scripture, rajas as gilded ornaments and restless posture, tamas as shadowed figure with lowered eyes; embossed gold highlights for sattva’s clarity","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, didactic diagram-like composition labeling sattva/rajas/tamas, soft pastel shading, clear iconographic symbols (book, coins, cloud), calm instructional aesthetic","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, refined allegorical scene in a garden: scholar reading (sattva), courtier bargaining (rajas), drowsy attendant in shade (tamas), intricate textiles and architectural framing"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: सत्त्वात्सञ्जायते = सत्त्वात् + सञ्जायते; ज्ञानमेव = ज्ञानम् + एव; प्रमादमोहौ = प्रमाद + मोहौ (द्वन्द्व); (पाठे ‘तमसो भवतो’ = तमसः + भवतः)
Related Themes: Agni Purana 380 (Sāṅkhya–Yoga triguna section)
FAQs
It imparts triguna-vidya: a diagnostic mapping of mental tendencies—sattva yields knowledge, rajas yields greed, and tamas yields negligence and delusion—used for self-assessment and yogic/ethical discipline.
By preserving Sankhya-style psychological taxonomy (gunas → observable mental states), it complements the Purana’s ritual, dharma, and practical sections with a theory of mind that explains why people act virtuously or fall into error.
It frames karma at the level of inner causation: cultivating sattva supports right discernment and dharmic action, while rajas and tamas foster craving and delusion that lead to harmful choices and their karmic results.