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
జ్ఞేయమైన ఆ తత్త్వాన్ని నేను వివరిస్తాను—దానిని తెలిసినవాడు అమృతత్వాన్ని పొందుతాడు. ఆ అనాది, పరమ బ్రహ్మనే ‘సత్త్వం’ అని పిలుస్తారు।
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.