Agni Purana — Yoga & Brahma-vidya, Shloka 5
अध्याय ३८० — गीतासारः
The Essence of the Gītā
कामत्यागादात्मनिष्ठः स्थिरप्रज्ञस्तदोच्यते या निशा सर्वभूतानां तस्यां जागर्ति संयमी
kāmatyāgādātmaniṣṭhaḥ sthiraprajñastadocyate yā niśā sarvabhūtānāṃ tasyāṃ jāgarti saṃyamī
خواہشات کے ترک سے انسان اپنے نفسِ حقیقی (آتما) میں قائم ہوتا ہے؛ وہی ثابت حکمت والا کہلاتا ہے۔ جو حالت سب مخلوقات کے لیے ‘رات’ ہے، اسی میں ضبطِ نفس والا بیدار رہتا ہے۔
Lord Agni (instructing the sage Vasiṣṭha, in the typical Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Philosophy","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Cultivate vairagya and inner steadiness (sthitaprajna) through desire-renunciation and disciplined awareness; use as a daily contemplative checkpoint for reactions to sense-objects.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Sthitaprajna-lakshana: Desire-renunciation and the ‘night/wakefulness’ reversal","lookup_keywords":["sthitaprajna","kamatyaga","nisha-jagarti","samyami","atma-nishtha"],"quick_summary":"Steady wisdom is defined by renouncing desire and abiding in the Self. The sage is ‘awake’ in the inner reality that appears as ‘night’ (unseen) to ordinary beings."}
Alamkara Type: Virodha (paradox)
Concept: Atma-nishtha and sthitaprajna: the realized one is awake to the Self while the world remains ‘asleep’ to it.
Application: Practice sense-restraint and desire-audit; shift attention from objects to the witnessing Self, especially when cravings arise.
Khanda Section: Moksha-dharma / Jnana-yoga (Sthitaprajna-Lakshana, Gita-aligned teaching)
Primary Rasa: Shanta
Secondary Rasa: Adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A serene yogin seated in meditation, eyes half-closed, while a bustling town sleeps; the yogin’s inner lamp glows, symbolizing wakefulness in the ‘night’ of worldly beings.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, calm ascetic in padmasana under a stylized tree, deep earthy reds and greens, inner halo-lamp motif, surrounding figures asleep in simplified forms, sacred minimal background","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central meditating sage with embossed gold halo and ornate border, small vignettes of sleeping householders below, symbolic night sky rendered with rich blues, gold highlights for inner awakening","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, fine linework and soft shading, instructional composition: left panel ‘kama’ (desire) as distracting objects, right panel sage established in Self, subtle gold detailing, calm palette","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed night courtyard with sleeping attendants, solitary yogin awake with a small lamp, delicate architecture, fine textiles, restrained luminous glow around the sage"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Ahir Bhairav","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: कामत्यागादात्मनिष्ठः → काम-त्यागात् + आत्म-निष्ठः; स्थिरप्रज्ञस्तदोच्यते → स्थिर-प्रज्ञः + तत् + उच्यते
Related Themes: Agni Purana Moksha-dharma sections on jnana-yoga and vairagya (adjacent verses in ch. 380)
FAQs
It imparts jñāna-yoga discipline: renouncing kāma (desire) to become ātmaniṣṭha (Self-established), and practicing saṃyama (sense-restraint) so one stays spiritually “awake” where worldly minds remain “asleep.”
Alongside ritual, polity, medicine, and arts, the Agni Purāṇa also preserves classical mokṣa-śāstra themes (sthitaprajñā-lakṣaṇa, inner vigilance, desire-renunciation), showing its coverage of both practical and liberative knowledge systems.
Renouncing desire and maintaining inner wakefulness purifies motivation, reduces karmic binding driven by craving, and stabilizes awareness in the Self—presented as a direct mark of genuine spiritual maturity.