Agni Purana — Yoga & Brahma-vidya, Shloka 15
Chapter 376 — ब्रह्मज्ञानम्
Knowledge of Brahman
स्थूलसूक्ष्मशरीराख्यद्वयस्यैकं हि कारणं आत्मा ज्ञानञ्च साभासं तदध्याहृतमुच्यते
sthūlasūkṣmaśarīrākhyadvayasyaikaṃ hi kāraṇaṃ ātmā jñānañca sābhāsaṃ tadadhyāhṛtamucyate
Đối với cặp được gọi là thân thô (sthūla) và thân vi tế (sūkṣma), nguyên nhân duy nhất thật sự là Tự ngã (Ātman); còn nhận thức cùng với sự hiện bóng/ánh phản (ābhāsa) được nói là bị chồng đặt (adhyāsa), tức bị gán lầm lên Ngài.
Lord Agni (teaching to Sage Vasiṣṭha, in the standard Agni Purana dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Philosophy","secondary_vidya":"Vyakarana","practical_application":"Discriminate Self from body-mind by understanding causal attribution and superimposition (adhyāsa), supporting self-inquiry and de-identification practices.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Ātman as Cause of Sthūla–Sūkṣma; Jñāna-sābhāsa as Adhyāropa","lookup_keywords":["sthūla-śarīra","sūkṣma-śarīra","kāraṇa","jñāna-sābhāsa","adhyāsa"],"quick_summary":"Gross and subtle bodies share one underlying cause—the Self; cognition with its reflected appearance is mistakenly superimposed upon it."}
Concept: Adhyāsa: body (gross/subtle) and reflected cognition are attributed to Ātman though Ātman is the single underlying cause and not the changing adjuncts.
Application: Apply neti-neti to body and mind: observe thoughts/knowledge-appearances as reflections in consciousness, not as properties of the Self.
Khanda Section: Moksha-shastra (Vedanta / Atma-jnana)
Primary Rasa: Shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A central luminous Self with two concentric sheaths labeled gross and subtle body; a mirrored 'cognition-reflection' overlay shown as a translucent film mistakenly placed on the Self.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, central jyoti (Self) in a lotus, two surrounding rings as sthūla and sūkṣma, a faint reflective veil (sābhāsa-jñāna) painted as shimmering layer, didactic temple-mural symmetry","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, gold-embossed central flame/ātman, ornate concentric aureoles for gross and subtle bodies, reflective silver-like glaze effect for 'sābhāsa', inscriptions in stylized Devanagari borders","mysore_prompt":"Mysore, clean diagrammatic composition with fine outlines: central circle 'Ātman', outer circles 'Sthūla', 'Sūkṣma', a translucent overlay labeled 'Jñāna-sābhāsa (Adhyāhṛta)', muted colors","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature allegory: a lamp (Self) behind two curtains (bodies) and a mirror sheet (reflection), courtly interior with precise detailing, subtle calligraphic labels"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shankara","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: स्थूलसूक्ष्मशरीराख्यद्वयस्य = स्थूल+सूक्ष्म+शरीर+आख्य+द्वयस्य; ज्ञानञ्च = ज्ञानम् + च; साभासं = स + आभासम्; तदध्याहृतमुच्यते = तत् + अध्याहृतम् + उच्यते.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 376 (ātma-jñāna / adhyāropa-apavāda trajectory)
FAQs
It imparts Vedāntic Atma-vidyā: the gross and subtle bodies are traced to the Self as the underlying cause, while ‘knowledge-with-appearance’ is treated as an adhyāropa (superimposed attribution) rather than the Self’s true nature.
Beyond rituals and dharma, the Agni Purana also preserves compact Vedānta-style technical doctrines (śarīra-dvaya, ābhāsa, adhyāropa), showing its scope as a multi-disciplinary compendium that includes liberation philosophy.
By distinguishing the Self from body and superimposed cognition, the verse supports disidentification (vairāgya) and right knowledge (jñāna), which are presented in mokṣa contexts as purifying ignorance and reducing bondage-producing attachment.