Agni Purana

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.

अयनन्देवलोकञ्च सवितारं सविद्युतं । ततस्तान् पुरुषोऽभ्येत्य मानसो ब्रह्मलोकिकान् ।। ३७६.

They go to the world of the gods, to the sun, to the lightning; then the person approaches them, those who are mental dwellers in the world of Brahma.

करोति पुनारावृत्तिस्तेषामिह न विद्यते । यज्ञेन तपसा दानैर्ये हि स्वर्गजितो जनाः ।। ३७६.

He causes no return for them; those people who have conquered heaven by sacrifice, austerity, and gifts do not return here.

धूमं निशां कृष्णपक्षं दक्षिणायनमेव च । पितृलोकं चन्द्रमसं नभो वायुं जलं महीं ।। ३७६.

Smoke, night, the dark fortnight, the southern course of the sun, the world of the ancestors, the moon, the sky, the wind, water, and earth—

क्रमात्ते सम्भवन्तीह पुनरेव व्रजन्ति च । एतद्यो न विजानाति मार्गद्वितयमात्मनः ।। ३७६.

In sequence, these arise here and again return; whoever does not know these two paths of the self—

दन्दशूकः पतङ्गो वा बवेत्कीटोऽथवा कृमिः । हृदये दीपवद्‌ब्रह्म ध्यानाज्जीवो मृतो भवेत् ।। ३७६.

He may become a snake, a moth, an insect, or a worm; but by meditating on Brahman as a lamp in the heart, the soul attains liberation at death.

न्यायागतधनस्तत्त्वज्ञाननिष्ठोऽतिथिप्रियः । श्राद्धकृत्सत्यवादी च गृहस्थोऽपि विमुच्यते ।। ३७६.

One who acquires wealth justly, is devoted to knowledge of truth, loves guests, performs śrāddha, speaks truthfully—even as a householder, he is liberated.

अग्निरुवाच ब्रह्मज्ञानं प्रवक्ष्यामि संसाराज्ञानमुक्तये । अयमात्मा परं ब्रह्म अहमस्मीति मुच्यते ।। ३७७.

Agni said: I will declare the knowledge of Brahman, which is the knowledge that frees from worldly bondage: 'This self is the supreme Brahman; I am that'—thus one is liberated.

देह आत्मा न भवति दृश्यत्वाच्च घटादिवत् । प्रसुप्ते मरणे देहादात्माऽन्यो ज्ञायते ध्रुवं ।। ३७७.

The body is not the self, for it is seen, like a pot and such things; in sleep and at death, it is certain that the self is known to be other than the body.

देहः स चेद्‌व्यवहरेदविकार्य्यादिसन्निभः । चक्षुरादीनीन्द्रियाणि नात्मा वै करणं त्वतः ।। ३७७.

If the body were the self, it would act like something unchanging; the senses such as the eyes are not the self, for they are merely instruments.

मनो धीरपि आत्मा न दीपवत् करणं त्वतः । प्राणोऽप्यात्मा न भवति सुषुप्ते चित्प्रभावतः ।। ३७७.

The mind and intellect are also not the self, for they are instruments like a lamp; nor is the vital breath the self, for in deep sleep, consciousness alone prevails.