Agni Purana

प्रत्यस्तमितभेदं यत् सत्तामात्रमगोचरं । वचसामात्मसंवेद्यं तज्ज्ञानं ब्रह्म संज्ञितम् ।। ३७९.

That which is devoid of all distinctions, perceived only as pure existence, and known inwardly by speech and the Self, is called knowledge of Brahman.

तच्च विष्णोः परं रुपमरुपस्याजमक्षरं । अशक्यं प्रथमं ध्यातुमतो मूर्त्तादि चितन्येत् ।। ३७९.

That is the supreme form of Vishnu, formless, unborn, imperishable; it cannot be meditated upon at first, so one should contemplate the forms and other aspects.

सद्भावभावमापन्नस्ततोऽसौ परमात्मना । भवत्यभेदी भेदश्च तस्याज्ञानकृतो भवेत् ।। ३७९.

When one attains the state of true being, then he becomes one with the Supreme Self; difference arises only through ignorance.

अग्निरुवाच अद्वैतब्रह्मविज्ञानं वक्ष्ये यद्भवतोऽगदत् । शालग्रामे तपश्चक्रे वासुदेवार्चनादिकृत् ।। ३८०.

Agni said: I will explain the knowledge of nondual Brahman, which you have asked about; in Shalagrama, he performed austerities and worshipped Vasudeva.

मृगसङ्गान्मृगो बूत्वा ह्यन्तकाले स्मरन् मृगं । जातिस्मरो मृगस्त्यक्त्वा देहं योगात्स्वतोऽभवत् ।। ३८०.

Having associated with deer, he became a deer, and at the end, remembering the deer, he was born as a deer with memory of his past, and by yoga, he left the body of his own accord.

अद्वैतब्रह्मभूतश्च जडवल्लोकमाचरत् । क्षत्ताऽसौ वीरराजस्य विष्टियोगममन्यत ।। ३८०.

He, having become established in nondual Brahman, wandered the world like an inert being; he was the servant of the heroic king and considered his servitude as yoga.

उवाह शिविकामस्य क्षत्तुर्वचनचोदितः । गृहीतो विष्टिना ज्ञानी उवाहात्मक्षयाय तं ।। ३८०.

He carried the king's palanquin, prompted by the servant's command; the wise one, seized by the servant, carried it for the destruction of his own self.

ययौ जड़गतिः पश्चाद् ये त्वन्ये त्वरितं ययुः । शीघ्रान् शीघ्रगतीन् दृष्ट्वा अशीघ्रं तं नृपोऽव्रवीत् ।। ३८०.

He moved slowly, while others went quickly; seeing the swift ones move fast, the king addressed the slow one.

राजोवाच किं श्रान्तोऽस्यल्पमध्वानं त्वयोढ़ा शिविका मम । किमायाससहो न त्वं पीवानसि निरीक्ष्यसे ।। ३८०.

The king said: Are you tired from such a short journey, and yet you are carrying my palanquin? Why do you not bear the effort? You appear strong.

ब्राह्मण उवाच नाहं पीवान्न वैषोढ़ा शिविका भवतो मया । न श्रान्तोऽस्मि न वायासो वोढव्योऽसि महीपते ।। ३८०.

The Brahmana said: I am not strong, nor am I carrying your palanquin; I am not tired, nor am I burdened. You are to be carried, O king.

भूमौ पादयुगन्तस्थौ जङ्‌घे पादद्वये स्थिते । उरू जङ्घाद्वयावस्थौ तदाधारं तथोदरम् ।। ३८०.

The pair of feet rests on the ground, the shanks stand on the two feet; the thighs are supported by the two shanks, and the abdomen is supported likewise.

वक्षःस्थलं तथा वाहू स्कन्धौ चोदरसंस्थितौ । स्कन्धस्थितेयं शिविका मम भावोऽत्र किं कृतः ।। ३८०.

The chest, likewise the arms, and the shoulders, and that which is situated in the abdomen—this palanquin is placed upon the shoulders; what is my role here?

शिविकायां स्थितञ्चेदं देहं त्वदुपलक्षितं । तत्र त्वमहमप्यत्र प्रोच्यते चेदमन्यथा ।। ३८०.

If this body, which you observe, is situated in the palanquin, then you and I are both spoken of here; otherwise, it is otherwise.

अहं त्वञ्च तथान्यं च भूतैरुह्याम पार्थिव । गुणप्रवाहपतितो गुणवर्गो हि यात्ययं ।। ३८०.

I, you, and another as well, O king, are carried by the elements; for the collection of qualities, falling into the current of qualities, passes away.

कर्म्मवश्या गुणाश्चैते सत्वाद्याः पृथिवीपते । अविद्यासञ्चितं कर्म तच्चाशेषेषु जन्तुषु ।। ३८०.

These qualities, beginning with sattva, are bound by karma, O lord of the earth; that karma, accumulated through ignorance, exists in all beings.

आत्मा शुद्धोऽक्षरः शान्तो निर्गुणः प्रकृतेः परः । प्रवृद्ध्यपचयौ नाम्य एकस्याखिलजन्तुषु ।। ३८०.

The self is pure, imperishable, peaceful, without qualities, beyond nature; increase and decrease do not pertain to the one in all beings.

यदा नोपचयस्तस्य यदा नापचयो नृप। तदा पीवानसीति त्वं कया युक्त्या त्वयेरितं ।। ३८०.

When there is neither increase nor decrease for him, O king, then how can you say, by what reasoning, that he is nourished or diminished?

भूजङ्घापादकट्‌यूरुजठरादिषु संस्थिता । शिविकेयं तथा स्कन्धे तदा भावः समस्त्वया ।। ३८०.

Situated in the arms, thighs, feet, hips, loins, belly, and so on, this palanquin is likewise on the shoulder; then, the state is established by you.

तदन्यजन्तुभिर्भूप शिविसोत्थानकर्मणा । शैलद्रव्यगृहोत्थोपि पृथिवीसम्भवोपि वा ।। ३८०.

Other beings, O king, arise by the act of lifting the palanquin; whether originating from mountain substances, from houses, or from the earth.

यथा पुंसः पृथग्भावः प्राकृतैः करणैर्नृप । सोढ़व्यः स महाभारः कतरो नृपते मया ।। ३८०.

Just as the distinctness of a person is due to natural instruments, O king, so which is to be borne, which is the great burden, and by whom, O king?

यद्द्रव्या शिविका चेयं तद्‌द्रव्यो भूतसंग्रहः । भवतो मेऽखिलस्यास्य समत्वेनोपबृंहितः ।। ३८०.

Of whatever material this palanquin is, that material is a collection of elements; you and I and all this are equally supported by it.

तच्छ्रु त्वोवाच राजा तं गृहीत्वाङ्‌घ्री क्षमाप्य च । प्रसादं कुरु त्वक्त्वेमां शिविकां ब्रूहि श्रृण्वते । यो भवान् यन्निमित्तं वा यदागमनकारणम् ।। ३८०.

Hearing this, the king spoke, taking his feet and bowing: 'Show your favor, tell me about this palanquin for my understanding—who are you, for what reason, and what is the cause of your coming?'

श्रूयतां कोहमित्येतद्वक्तु नैव च शक्यते । उपभोगनिमित्तञ्च सर्वत्रागमनक्रिया ।। ३८०.

Listen: 'Who am I?'—this cannot truly be spoken; for everywhere, the act of coming is for the sake of experience.

सुखदुःखोपभोगौ तु तौ देशाद्युपपादकौ । धर्माघर्मोद्भवौ भोक्तुं जन्तुर्देशादिमृच्छति ।। ३८०.

Pleasure and pain are to be experienced, and they arise from place and other causes; produced by merit and demerit, the being seeks place and so on to enjoy them.

राजोवाच योऽस्ति सोहमिति ब्रह्मन् कथं वक्तुं न शक्यते । आत्मन्येष न दोषाय शब्कदोहमिति यो द्विज ।। ३८०.

The king said: 'If one exists, O Brahman, how can it not be spoken? If one says "I am this," there is no fault in the self, O twice-born.'

शब्दोहमित्रि दोषाय नात्मन्येष तथैव तत् । अनात्मन्यात्मविज्ञानं शब्दो वा भ्रान्तिलक्षणः ।। ३८०.

The word 'I am this' is indeed faulty, but not so in the self; knowledge of the self in the not-self, or the word itself, is a mark of delusion.

यदा समस्तदेहेषु पुमानेको व्यवस्थितः । तदा हि को भवान् कोहमित्येतद्विफलं वचः ।। ३८०.

When the one person is established in all bodies, then, indeed, 'Who are you? Who am I?'—such speech is fruitless.

त्वं राजा शिविका चेयं वयं वाहाः पुरःसराः । अयञ्च भवतो लोको न सदेनन्नृपोच्यते ।। ३८०.

You are the king, this is the palanquin, we are the bearers leading the way; but this world of yours, O king, is not truly thus.

वृक्षाद्दारु ततश्चेयं शिविका त्वदधिष्ठता । का वृक्षसंज्ञा जातास्य दारुसंज्ञाथ वा नृप ।। ३८०.

From the tree comes the wood, and from that, this palanquin under your authority; what is the designation of tree or wood for this, O king?