Agni Purana

सुरेन्द्रकन्या इत्याद्या गुणाश्च प्रतिभादयः । तृणवत्तान्त्यजेद् यस्तु तस्य विष्णुः प्रसीदति ।। ३७६.

Qualities such as the favor of the daughters of the lord of the gods, and other forms of brilliance—whoever renounces these as straw, Viṣṇu is pleased with him.

अणिमादिगुणैश्वर्य्यः शिष्ये ज्ञानं प्रकाश्य च । भुक्त्वा भोगान् यथेच्छातस्तनून्त्यक्त्वालयात्ततः ।। ३७६.

Having revealed knowledge to his disciple, endowed with the powers beginning with aṇimā, and having enjoyed pleasures as he wished, he then abandons the body and departs.

तिष्ठेत् स्वात्मनि विज्ञान आनन्दे ब्रह्मणीश्वरे । मलिनो हि यथादर्श आत्मज्ञानाय न क्षमः ।। ३७६.

He abides in his own self, in knowledge, in bliss, in the supreme Lord Brahman; just as a tarnished mirror is unfit for self-knowledge, so too is one impure.

सर्वाश्रयान्निजे देहे देही विन्दति वेदनां । योगयुक्तस्तु सर्व्वेषां योगान्नाप्नोति वेदनां ।। ३७६.

The embodied soul experiences sensation in his own body due to all forms of attachment; but one united with yoga does not experience sensation from any of them.

आकाशमेकं हि यथा घटादिषु पृथग् भवेत् । तथात्मैको ह्यनेकेषु जलाधारेष्विवांशुमान् ।। ३७६.

Just as space, though one, appears distinct in different jars and the like, so too the one self is present in many, like the sun reflected in various vessels of water.

ब्रह्मखानिलतेजांसि जलभूक्षितिधातवः । इमे लोका एष चात्मा तस्माच्च सचराचरं ।। ३७६.

Brahman, space, wind, fire, water, earth, and the elements—these worlds, this self, and all that moves and does not move arise from that.

मृद्दण्ड चक्रसंयोगात् कुम्भकारो यथा घटं । करोति तृणमृत्काष्ठैर्गृहं वा गृहकारकः ।। ३७६.

Just as a potter makes a pot by joining together clay, stick, and wheel, or a house-builder constructs a house with straw, clay, and wood,

करणान्येवमादाय तासु तास्विह योनिषु । सृजत्यात्मानमात्मैव सम्भूय करणानि च ।। ३७६.

So too, taking up the instruments again and again in various wombs, the self creates itself and the instruments as well.

कर्मणादोषमोहाभ्यामिच्छयैव स बध्यते । ज्ञानाद्विमुच्यते जीवो धर्माद् योगी न रोगभाक् ।। ३७६.

By action, fault, and delusion, through desire alone, one is bound; by knowledge the soul is freed, and by virtue the yogi is not subject to disease.

वर्त्याधारस्नेहयोगाद् यथा दीपस्य संस्थितिः । विक्रियापि च दृष्टैवमकाले प्राणसंक्षयः ।। ३७६.

Just as the lamp remains steady due to the wick, support, and oil, so too is its transformation seen; but when the time comes, the life-force is extinguished.

अनन्ता रश्मयस्तस्य दीपवद् यः स्थितो हृदि । सितासिताः कद्रुनीलाः कपिलाः पीतलोहिताः ।। ३७६.

His rays are infinite, like a lamp established in the heart; they are white, black, tawny, blue, brown, yellow, and red.

ऊद्‌र्ध्वमेकः स्थितस्तेषां यो भित्त्वा सूर्य्यमण्डलं । ब्रह्मलोकमतिक्रम्य तेन याति पराङ्गतिं ।। ३७६.

Among them, one ray stands upward, piercing through the solar orb; by that, he passes beyond the world of Brahma and attains the supreme state.

यदस्यान्यद्रश्मिशतमूद्‌र्ध्वमेव व्यवस्थितम् । तेन देवनिकायानि धामानि प्रतिपद्यते ।। ३७६.

Of his hundreds of other rays, those that are established upward—by these, he attains the abodes of the hosts of gods.

ये नैकरूपाश्चाधस्ताद्रश्मयोऽस्य मृदुप्रभाः । इह कर्मोपभोगाय तैश्च सञ्चरते हि सः ।। ३७६.

Those rays of his, which are manifold and gentle in their brilliance below, here move about for the enjoyment of actions.

बुद्धीन्द्रियाणि सर्वाणि मनः कर्मेन्द्रियाणि च । अहङ्कारश्च बुद्धिश्च पृथिव्यादीनि चैव हि ।। ३७६.

All the sense faculties, the mind, the organs of action, ego, intellect, and the elements beginning with earth, indeed.

अव्यक्त आत्मा ज्ञेत्रज्ञः क्षेत्रस्यास्य निगद्यते । ईश्वरः सर्वभूतस्य सन्नसन् सदसच्च सः ।। ३७६.

The unmanifest Self, the knower of knowledge, is declared as the field's knower; he is the lord of all beings, existing as both being and non-being.

बुद्धेरुत्पत्तिरव्यक्ता ततोऽहङ्कारसम्भवः । तस्मात् खादीनि जायन्ते एकोत्तरगुणानि तु ।। ३७६.

The origin of intellect is from the unmanifest; then arises ego; from that, the elements beginning with space are born, each with one more quality.

शब्दः स्पर्शश्च रुपञ्च रसों गन्धश्च तद्‌गुणाः । यो यस्मिन्नाश्रितश्चैषां स तस्मिन्नेव लीयते ।। ३७६.

Sound, touch, form, taste, and smell are their qualities; whichever element is the support of these, into that they dissolve.

सत्त्वं रजस्तमश्चैव गुणास्तस्यैव कीत्तिताः । रजस्तमोब्यामाविष्टश्चक्रवद्‌भ्राम्यते हि सः ।। ३७६.

Sattva, rajas, and tamas are declared as its qualities; when seized by rajas and tamas, it revolves like a wheel.

अनादिरादिमान् यश्च स एव पुरुषः परः । लिङ्गेन्द्रियैरुपग्राह्यः स विकार उदाहृतः ।। ३७६.

He who is beginningless and possesses a beginning, that supreme person, is apprehended by subtle senses; he is called the modification.

यतो वेदाः पुराणानि विद्योपनिषदस्तथा । श्लोकाः सूत्राणि भाष्याणि यच्चान्यद्वाङ्‌मयं भवेत् ।। ३७६.

From whom the Vedas, the Purāṇas, knowledge, Upaniṣads, verses, aphorisms, commentaries, and whatever else is speech arise.

पितृयानोपवीथ्याश्च यदगस्त्यस्य चान्तरं । तेनाग्निहोत्रिणो यान्ति प्र्जाकामा दिवं प्रति ।। ३७६.

The path of the ancestors, the upavīthi, and the interval of Agastya—by these, those desiring progeny, who perform the agnihotra, go to heaven.

ये च दानपराः सम्यगष्टाभिश्च गुणैर्युताः । अष्टाशीतिसहस्राणि मुनयो गृहमेधिनः ।। ३७६.

Those who are devoted to giving, endowed with eight virtues, eighty thousand sages are householders.

पुनरावर्त्तने वीजभूता धर्म्मप्रवर्त्तकाः । सप्तर्षिनागवीथ्याश्च देवलोकं समाश्रिताः ।। ३७६.

They are the seeds for rebirth, promoters of righteousness; those on the path of the seven sages and the nāgas have attained the world of the gods.

तावन्त एव मुनयः सर्वारम्भविवर्ज्जिताः । तपसा ब्रह्मचर्येण सङ्गत्यागेन मेधया ।। ३७६.

Just so many sages, free from all undertakings, by austerity, celibacy, renunciation of attachment, and intelligence.

यत्र यत्रावतिष्ठनेते यावदाहूतसंप्लवं । वेदानुवचनं यज्ञा ब्रह्मचर्य्यं तपो दमः ।। ३७६.

Wherever they reside, until the dissolution of offerings, recitation of the Vedas, sacrifices, celibacy, austerity, and self-restraint.

श्रद्धोपवासः सत्यत्वमात्मनो ज्ञानहेतवः । स त्वाश्रमैर्न्निदिध्यास्यः समस्तैरेवमेव तु ।। ३७६.

Faith, fasting, truthfulness, and self-knowledge are causes of wisdom; thus, one should contemplate with all the stages of life.

द्रष्टव्य्स्त्वथ मन्तव्यः श्रोतव्यश्च द्विजातिभिः । य एवमेनं विन्दन्ति ये चारण्यकमाश्रिताः ।। ३७६.

He should be seen, then reflected upon, and heard by the twice-born; those who find him, and those who dwell in the forest.

उपासते द्विजाः सत्यं श्रद्धया परया युताः । क्रमात्ते सम्भवन्त्यर्च्चिंरहः शुक्लं तथोत्तरं ।। ३७६.

The twice-born worship truth, endowed with supreme faith; in order, they attain the radiant, the day, the bright fortnight, and the northern course.