Agni Purana — Yoga & Brahma-vidya, Shloka 12
Āgneya-Purāṇa-māhātmya
The Greatness and Self-Testimony of the Agni Purāṇa
द्विविधो भूतमार्गीयं दैव आसुर एव च विष्णुभक्तिपरो दैवो विपरीतस् तथासुरः
dvividho bhūtamārgīyaṃ daiva āsura eva ca viṣṇubhaktiparo daivo viparītas tathāsuraḥ
سنسار کے راستے پر چلنے والے جاندار دو قسم کے ہیں: دیوی اور آسوری۔ جو وشنو بھکتی میں لگے ہوں وہ دیوی ہیں، اور جو اس کے برخلاف ہوں وہ آسوری ہیں۔
Lord Agni (in dialogue framework of the Agni Purana, teaching the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Bhakti (within Philosophy)","practical_application":"Ethical self-audit and community discernment: classifying tendencies as daiva/asura based on orientation to Viṣṇu-bhakti; guiding conduct, association, and vows.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Daiva–Āsura Bheda by Viṣṇu-bhakti","lookup_keywords":["daiva","āsura","viṣṇu-bhakti","bheda","svabhāva"],"quick_summary":"Beings are typologized as divine or demonic: devotion to Viṣṇu marks the daiva disposition; opposition to it indicates the āsura disposition."}
Alamkara Type: Dvandva/antithesis (daiva vs āsura)
Concept: Spiritual orientation (bhakti to Viṣṇu) is a decisive marker of daiva character; its negation signals āsura character.
Application: Use bhakti-practices (nāma-japa, pūjā, sat-saṅga) as character formation; avoid habits and company that cultivate hostility to dharma and devotion.
Khanda Section: Moksha-Dharma / Bhakti and Ethical Typology (Daiva–Asura classification)
Primary Rasa: Shanta
Secondary Rasa: Veera
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Two groups of beings: daiva figures with calm faces offering flowers to Viṣṇu; āsura figures turned away, agitated, rejecting worship; Viṣṇu stands central as the axis of orientation.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: central Viṣṇu with śaṅkha-cakra; left side daiva devotees in añjali with lotuses; right side āsura figures with darker tones and restless gestures; symmetrical temple-wall composition.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: Viṣṇu richly ornamented with gold leaf; daiva devotees in bright attire; āsura figures in muted tones; strong icon focus and decorative arch.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: refined faces and soft colors; diagrammatic split composition labeled daiva/āsura; emphasis on devotional act (pūjā) as the differentiator.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: allegorical court scene with two factions around a central divine figure; intricate textiles; subtle psychological contrast between serene devotees and defiant opponents."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Kedar","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तथासुरः = तथा + आसुरः; विपरीतस् = विपरीतः (विसर्ग-लोप)
Related Themes: Agni Purana 382.13-14 (phala-śruti context)
FAQs
It gives a practical doctrinal criterion for spiritual classification: devotion to Viṣṇu (viṣṇu-bhakti) is the defining marker of the daiva disposition, while its contrary indicates the āsura disposition.
Alongside ritual, polity, medicine, and poetics, the Agni Purana also systematizes ethical and spiritual typologies; this verse is part of its concise taxonomy of human dispositions (daiva vs. āsura) used for dharma and soteriology.
It frames bhakti to Viṣṇu as a karmically elevating orientation associated with the daiva path, implying that cultivating devotion aligns one’s nature toward liberation-oriented dharma, whereas opposing it reinforces an āsura trajectory.