Agni Purana — Yoga & Brahma-vidya, Shloka 27
Chapter 373 — ध्यानम्
Dhyāna / Meditation
तद्भूतं निश् चलीभूतं लभेत् सूक्ष्मे ऽपि संस्थितं नाभिकन्दे स्थितं नालं दशाङ्गुलसमायतं
tadbhūtaṃ niś calībhūtaṃ labhet sūkṣme 'pi saṃsthitaṃ nābhikande sthitaṃ nālaṃ daśāṅgulasamāyataṃ
ఆ (అంతఃప్రవాహం) నిశ్చలమైపోతే, సూక్ష్మదేహంలో ఉన్నప్పటికీ దాని అనుభూతి కలుగుతుంది. అది నాభికందంలో ఉన్న నాళం; అది పది అంగుళాల మేర విస్తరించి ఉంటుంది।
Lord Agni (in instruction to Sage Vasiṣṭha, Agni Purāṇa’s standard dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Yoga","practical_application":"Subtle-body mapping for prāṇa/kuṇḍalinī practice: locating the nāḍī/channel at the nābhi-kanda and using stillness (niścalatā) as the criterion for inner apprehension.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Nābhi-kanda-nāḍī (daśāṅgula-pramāṇa) and niścalatā-lakṣaṇa","lookup_keywords":["nābhi-kanda","nāḍī nāla","sūkṣma-śarīra","daśāṅgula","niścalatā"],"quick_summary":"When the inner current becomes motionless, it is apprehended even in the subtle body; the text locates a tubular channel in the navel-bulb region, measured as ten finger-breadths."}
Concept: Inner perception arises when vṛtti/prāṇa movement is stilled; subtle anatomy is given as a practical map for yogic attention.
Application: In prāṇāyāma/dhāraṇā, place attention at the nābhi-kanda; use the felt settling of movement as the sign to proceed to subtler focus.
Khanda Section: Yoga / Tantra (Sukshma-sharira & Kundalini-prana discourse)
Primary Rasa: Śānta
Secondary Rasa: Adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Diagrammatic yogic scene: a seated practitioner with a subtle luminous channel highlighted at the navel-bulb, marked to a ten-fingerbreadth measure, indicating still prāṇa.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, stylized yogi with translucent torso, glowing nābhi-kanda and a vertical tubular channel, minimal diagram cues integrated into traditional mural aesthetics.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, devotional-yogic hybrid: meditating figure with gold-highlighted navel center and a short luminous tube, ornate border, sacred geometry accents.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, technical clarity: cross-sectional subtle-body illustration, navel-bulb emphasized, measured segment shown as ten aṅgulas, soft colors, precise lines.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, physician-artist sensibility: seated yogi with faint anatomical overlay, delicate measurement marks, calm interior setting, refined detailing."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तद्भूतं = तद्-भूतम्; निश्चलीभूतं = निश्चली-भूतम्; सूक्ष्मेऽपि = सूक्ष्मे अपि
Related Themes: Agni Purana 373.28
FAQs
It gives subtle-anatomy guidance: by making the vital principle/prāṇa steady (niścalī), the yogin can perceive the subtle channel (nāla) rooted in the nābhi-kanda, described with a specific measure (ten aṅgulas).
Alongside rituals and dharma, the Agni Purāṇa preserves technical yogic physiology—mapping inner structures (nābhi-kanda, nāla) and practical meditative results—showing its wide scope across tantra-yoga and subtle-body science.
Stilling inner motion and realizing the subtle channel is presented as a step toward inner purification and higher yogic attainment, turning attention from external action to direct experiential knowledge of the subtle self.