Agni Purana — Yoga & Brahma-vidya, Shloka 19
Āsana–Prāṇāyāma–Pratyāhāra
Posture, Breath-control, and Withdrawal of the Senses
जलविन्दुं कुशाग्रेण मासे मासे पिवेत्तु यः संवत्सरशतं साग्रं प्राणयामश् च तत्समः
jalavinduṃ kuśāgreṇa māse māse pivettu yaḥ saṃvatsaraśataṃ sāgraṃ prāṇayāmaś ca tatsamaḥ
Ai uống chỉ một giọt nước (lấy) trên đầu lá cỏ kuśa, tháng này qua tháng khác—công đức của việc ấy ngang bằng công đức prāṇāyāma được thực hành trọn một trăm năm và hơn nữa.
Lord Agni (traditionally instructing sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Vrata","secondary_vidya":"Yoga","practical_application":"Austerity-based observance: minimal water intake ritual (symbolic restraint) performed monthly as a merit-equivalent to long pranayama—used to motivate discipline and tapas.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Kuśāgra-jalabindu Vrata and Prāṇāyāma Merit-Equivalence","lookup_keywords":["kuśāgra","jalabindu","vrata","tapas","prāṇāyāma-phala"],"quick_summary":"A monthly austerity of sipping a single drop of water from the tip of kuśa grass is praised as yielding merit comparable to extensive pranayama, emphasizing the power of disciplined restraint."}
Alamkara Type: Atishayokti
Concept: Tapas and niyama can be valorized through symbolic acts of restraint; merit is linked to intention and discipline rather than quantity alone.
Application: If adopting austerities, prioritize safe, sustainable restraint (moderation, mindful fasting) and pair it with pranayama/meditation; avoid harmful dehydration.
Khanda Section: Yoga & Tapas (Prāṇāyāma / Vrata-vidhi)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"An ascetic performing a monthly observance: holding a single kuśa blade with a tiny water drop at its tip, sipping with reverence beside a small altar; a subtle aura suggests accumulated merit.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, ascetic near a simple yajna-kunda, kuśa grass clearly stylized, a single water drop emphasized, muted earth tones, ritual vessels and palm-leaf manuscript nearby","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, devotee/ascetic with gold halo, kuśa blade and water drop highlighted with gold, ornate altar items, rich decorative border and gold embossing","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clear instructional depiction of the act: close-up of kuśa tip with water drop, calendar motif indicating monthly repetition, soft colors and precise lines","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, intimate ritual scene in a quiet courtyard, fine rendering of grass blade and droplet, delicate vessels, subdued palette with intricate detailing"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Puriya","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: जलविन्दुं → जल + विन्दुम्; कुशाग्रेण → कुश + अग्रेण; तत्समः → तत् + समः; प्राणयामश् → प्राणायामः (visarga before ca).
Related Themes: Agni Purana vrata-vidhi and tapas-related phala-śruti passages (elsewhere in vrata sections)
FAQs
It teaches a small, repeatable monthly observance: sipping a single drop of water taken on the tip of kuśa grass, presented as a potent purificatory/merit-generating act comparable to long-term prāṇāyāma.
Alongside major topics, the Agni Purana catalogs compact vrata-like practices and their stated phala (results), preserving ritual micro-disciplines and yogic equivalences as part of its wide-ranging compendium.
The verse assigns extraordinarily high merit to a disciplined, recurring act of purity and restraint, framing it as karmically equivalent to extensive prāṇāyāma austerity.