Agni Purana — Agneya-vidya, Shloka 19
Explanation of the Vāsudeva and Related Mantras (वासुदेवादिमन्त्रनिरूपणम्)
कनिष्टादिकराग्रेषु प्रकृतिं देहकेर्चयेत् पराय पुरुषात्मा स्यात् प्रकृत्यात्मा द्विरूपकः
kaniṣṭādikarāgreṣu prakṛtiṃ dehakercayet parāya puruṣātmā syāt prakṛtyātmā dvirūpakaḥ
应在身中观想普拉克里蒂（Prakṛti），从小指等指尖起而次第安住。于超越之境，自性为普鲁沙（Puruṣa）；就与普拉克里蒂之关系而言，自性呈现二重形态。
Lord Agni (teaching to Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purāṇa’s instructional dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Philosophy","secondary_vidya":"Yoga","practical_application":"Subtle-body contemplation (aṅga-krama dhyāna) to discriminate Puruṣa from Prakṛti and stabilize witness-consciousness during meditation.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Puruṣa–Prakṛti Dvaitarūpa (Twofold Self in relation to Prakṛti)","lookup_keywords":["prakriti","purusha","dvairupya","deha-dhyana","sankhya-yoga"],"quick_summary":"Meditate through the body beginning at the fingertips, recognizing Prakṛti as the field; in the higher standpoint the Self is Puruṣa, yet in empirical relation it appears twofold as knower and nature-related self."}
Concept: Puruṣa as transcendent Self; Prakṛti as embodied field; apparent twofoldness of self in relation to nature.
Application: Use body-scanning contemplation to shift identity from body-mind (Prakṛti) to witnessing consciousness (Puruṣa).
Khanda Section: Yoga–Sankhya / Adhyatma (Subtle-body contemplation and metaphysics)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A yogin seated in meditation, awareness moving from the little finger and fingertips through the body, visualizing Prakṛti as the bodily field while a luminous Puruṣa-witness stands distinct and serene.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, seated yogin with stylized anatomy lines from fingertips inward, Prakriti as green-gold aura around body, Puruṣa as radiant white-gold witness behind, flat decorative background, traditional pigments, sacred calm.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central meditating sage with embossed gold halo, fingertips highlighted with gold dots leading inward, Prakriti as ornate floral-gold body aura, Puruṣa as separate luminous figure, rich reds and greens, temple-like frame.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional diagram feel: yogin with subtle channels indicated, sequence from little finger to body marked, soft shading, delicate linework, minimal background, emphasis on contemplative discrimination.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, refined seated ascetic in a pavilion, delicate finger-tip focus gesture, translucent overlay showing two layers (body as Prakriti, inner witness as Puruṣa), fine detailing, muted palette, contemplative courtly setting."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Ahir Bhairav","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: कनिष्टादिकराग्रेषु = कनिष्ठ-आदि-कर-अग्रेषु; देहकेर्चयेत् interpreted as देहके + ईर्चयेत् (verb form uncertain/rare); पुरुषात्मा = पुरुष-आत्मा; प्रकृत्यात्मा = प्रकृति-आत्मा; द्विरूपकः = द्वि-रूपकः.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 25 (Yoga–Sāṅkhya/Adhyātma sequence); Agni Purana 25.20-25.23 (nyāsa-based internalization as applied practice)
FAQs
It gives a yogic contemplative method: mentally honoring/visualizing Prakṛti within the body (mapped from the fingertips onward) and distinguishing the pure Puruṣa-self from the Prakṛti-conditioned self.
Alongside ritual and dharma topics, the Agni Purāṇa preserves Sāṅkhya–Yoga metaphysics—teaching practical contemplation plus doctrinal categories (Puruṣa/Prakṛti), showing its wide, encyclopedic scope.
By discriminating the two aspects of self (pure consciousness vs. nature-bound identity), the practitioner reduces misidentification with the body, supporting inner purification and liberation-oriented insight.