Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 22
Adhyaya 165 — नानाधर्माः
Various Dharmas
श्वपाकेष्वपि भुञ्जानो ध्यानेन हि विशुद्ध्यति आत्मा ध्याता मनो ध्यानं ध्येयो विष्णुः फलं हरिः
śvapākeṣvapi bhuñjāno dhyānena hi viśuddhyati ātmā dhyātā mano dhyānaṃ dhyeyo viṣṇuḥ phalaṃ hariḥ
纵使在食于“煮狗者”（śvapāka，贱民）之中，亦能由禅观而得清净。自我为能观者；心为观行；毗湿奴为所观境；而诃利为所得之果。
Lord Agni (teaching to Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purāṇa’s instructional dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Philosophy","secondary_vidya":"Tantra","practical_application":"Meditation-centered purification irrespective of social contact; provides a concise yogic model of dhyāna: ātman as agent, mind as instrument/process, Viṣṇu as object, Hari as fruit—usable as a meditation map.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Dhyāna as Śuddhi: Dhātṛ–Dhyāna–Dhyeya–Phala Schema (Viṣṇu-centered)","lookup_keywords":["dhyana","Vishnu","shuddhi","antahkarana","phala"],"quick_summary":"Declares meditation as a purifier even amid socially stigmatized contexts, and defines the components of meditation—self, mind, object (Viṣṇu), and fruit (Hari-realization/bhakti-phala)."}
Concept: Inner purity is grounded in dhyāna rather than external social markers; meditation is analyzed into subject (ātman), instrument (manas), object (Viṣṇu), and result (Hari).
Application: Use the schema as a practice checklist: establish the witness-self, steady the mind, fix the form/name/qualities of Viṣṇu as dhyeya, and dedicate the outcome as Hari-prāpti (bhakti and clarity).
Khanda Section: Yoga & Dhyana (Vishnu-bhakti / Antahkarana-śuddhi)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A meditator sits calmly in a humble setting, unaffected by surrounding social impurity; above or before them appears Viṣṇu as the dhyeya, and a radiant Hari-form symbolizes the fruit of meditation.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: meditating devotee in padmāsana; surrounding figures kept subdued; Viṣṇu with four arms and bright halo as dhyeya; a second, more radiant Hari aura indicating phala; deep greens/ochres, serene śānta-bhakti tone.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: central Viṣṇu icon with gold-leaf halo; below, devotee in meditation; ornate frame, rich colors, emphasis on luminous ‘phala’ radiance around Hari.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: clean instructional composition labeling ātman (meditator), manas (mind-stream), dhyeya (Viṣṇu), phala (Hari); soft palette, precise iconography of Viṣṇu’s attributes.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: contemplative scene in a modest quarter with diverse onlookers; the meditator remains serene; a visionary Viṣṇu appears in a cloud-like aureole; fine detail, restrained spirituality, calligraphic captions."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Kedar","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: śvapākeṣvapi = śvapākeṣu + api.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 165.18 on mantra/prāṇāyāma as purifier; Agni Purana 165.21 on dhyāna as supreme pāpa-śodhana
FAQs
It teaches a dhyāna-vidhi principle: inner purification is achieved through meditation, defining the components of meditation—ātmā (meditator), manas (instrument/field), Viṣṇu (object), and Hari (attained result).
Alongside ritual, polity, medicine, and arts, the Agni Purāṇa also systematizes yoga and bhakti concepts; this verse functions like a compact technical definition of meditation’s structure and soteriological outcome.
It asserts that dhyāna on Viṣṇu purifies even when external conditions are socially/ritually impure, emphasizing inner transformation over circumstance and pointing to Hari as the ultimate salvific fruit.