Agni Purana

सर्व्वपापविनिर्मुक्तः प्राप्तकामो दिवं व्रजेत् । लेखयित्वा पुराणं यो दद्याद्विप्रेभ्य उत्तमं ।। ३८३.

—being freed from all sins and having obtained his desires, goes to heaven; and whoever writes out the Purāṇa and gives it to the best brāhmaṇas.

स ब्रह्मलोकमाप्नोति कुलानां शतमुद्धरेत् । एकं श्लोकं पठेद्यस्तु पापपङ्काद्विमुच्यते ।। ३८३.

He attains the world of Brahma and uplifts a hundred generations of his lineage; whoever recites even one verse is freed from the mire of sin.

तस्माद्व्यास सदा श्राव्यं शिष्यभ्यः सर्वदर्शनं । शुकाद्यैर्मुनिभिः सार्द्धं श्रोतुकामैः पुराणकं ।। ३८३.

Therefore, O Vyasa, this Purana, which reveals all views, should always be heard by disciples, together with sages like Shuka and others who desire to listen.

आग्नेयं पठितं ध्यातं शुभं स्याद् भुक्तिमुक्तिदं । अग्नये तु नमस्तस्मै येन गीतं पुराणकं ।। ३८३.

The Agneya Purana, when recited and meditated upon, becomes auspicious and bestows both enjoyment and liberation; salutations to Agni, by whom this Purana was sung.

व्यास उवाच वसिष्ठेन पुरा गीतं सूतैतत्ते मयोदितं । पराविद्याऽपराविद्यास्वरूपं परमं पदम् ।। ३८३.

Vyasa said: Formerly sung by Vasistha, this has been related to you by me, O Suta; it reveals the true nature of higher and lower knowledge, and the supreme state.

आग्नयं दुर्लभं रूपं प्राप्यते भाग्यसंयुतैः । ध्यायन्तो ब्रह्म चाग्नेयं पुराणं हरिमागताः ।। ३८३.

The rare form of the Agneya Purana is attained by those endowed with fortune; meditating on Brahman and the Agneya Purana, the sages reached Hari.

विद्यार्थिनस्तथा विद्यां राज्यं राज्यार्थिनो गताः । अपुत्राः पुत्रिणः सन्ति नाश्रया आश्रयं गताः ।। ३८३.

Those seeking knowledge attained knowledge, those desiring kingdoms attained kingdoms; the childless became parents, and the shelterless found refuge.

सौभाग्यार्थी च सौभाग्यं मोक्षं मोक्षार्थिनो गताः । लिखन्तो लेखयन्तश्च निष्पापाश्च श्रियं गताः ।। ३८३.

Those seeking good fortune obtained good fortune, those desiring liberation attained liberation; those who wrote or caused it to be written, being free from sin, attained prosperity.

शुकपैलमुखैः सूत आग्नेयन्तु पुराणकं । रूपं चिन्तय यातासि भुक्तिं मुक्तिं न संशयः ३८३.

O Suta, the Agneya Purana was contemplated and attained by Shuka, Paila, and others; by meditating on its form, one surely attains enjoyment and liberation—there is no doubt.

सूत उवाच व्यासप्रसादादाग्नेयं पुराणं श्रुतमादरात् ।। ३८३.

Suta said: By Vyasa's grace, the Agneya Purana has been respectfully heard.

आग्नेयं ब्रह्मरूपं हि मुनयः शौनकादयः । भवन्तो नैमिषारण्ये यजन्तो हरिमीश्वरं ।। ३८३.

The sages, beginning with Shaunaka, regarding the Agneya Purana as the form of Brahman, performed sacrifices to Hari, the Lord, in Naimisharanya.

तिष्ठन्तः श्रद्धया युक्तास्तस्माद्वः समुदीरितम् । अग्निना प्रोक्तमाग्नेयं पुराणं वेदसम्मितं ।। ३८३.

Standing there with faith, this was declared to you; the Agneya Purana, spoken by Agni, is equal to the Veda.

ब्रह्मविद्याद्वयोपेतं भुक्तिदं मुक्तिदं महत् । नास्मात्परतरः सारो नास्मात्परतरः सुहृत् ।। ३८३.

Endowed with the non-dual knowledge of Brahman, it bestows enjoyment and liberation, and is great; there is no essence or friend greater than this.

नास्मात्परतरो ग्रन्थो नास्मात्परतरा गतिः । नास्मात्परतरं शास्त्रं नास्मात्परतरा श्रुतिः ।। ३८३.

There is no scripture greater than this, no path superior to this; there is no teaching or revelation higher than this.

नास्मात्परतरं ज्ञानं नास्मात्परतरा स्मृतिः । नास्मात्परो ह्यागमोऽस्ति नास्माद्विद्या पराऽस्ति हि ।। ३८३.

There is no knowledge greater than this, nor any tradition superior; there is no scripture nor learning higher than this.

नास्मात्परः स्यात्सिद्धान्तो नास्मात्परममङ्गलम् । नास्मात्परोऽस्ति वेदान्तः पुराणं परमन्त्विदं ।। ३८३.

There is no doctrine higher than this, nor any greater auspiciousness; there is no Vedanta superior to this—this Purana is truly supreme.

नास्मात्परतरं भूमौ विद्यते वस्तु दुर्लभम् । आग्नेये हि पुराणेऽस्मिन् सर्वविद्याः प्रदर्शिताः ।। ३८३.

There exists on earth no rare thing greater than this; in this Agneya Purana, all branches of knowledge are revealed.

सर्वे मत्स्यावताराद्या गीता रामायणन्त्विह । हरिवंशो भारतञ्च नव सर्गाः प्रदर्शिताः ।। ३८३.

All incarnations beginning with Matsya are described, as well as the Ramayana, the Harivamsha, the Mahabharata, and the nine creations are shown here.

आगमो वैष्णवो गीतः पूजादीक्षाप्रतिष्ठया । पवित्रारोहणादीनि प्रतिमालक्षणादिकं ।। ३८३.

The Vaishnava tradition is sung, along with worship, initiation, and installation; the rites of purification, ascent, and the characteristics of images are also described.

प्रासादलक्षणाद्यञ्च मन्त्रा वै भुक्तिभुक्तिदाः । शैवागमस्तदर्थश्च शाक्तेयः सौर एव च ।। ३८३.

The characteristics of temples and such, and mantras that grant both enjoyment and liberation; the Śaiva, Śākta, and Saurāgamas are for those purposes.

मण्डलानि च बास्तुश्च मन्त्राणि विविधानि च । प्रतिसर्गश्चानुगीतो ब्रह्माण्डपरिमण्डलं ।। ३८३.

Various maṇḍalas, architectural principles, and diverse mantras are described; also the secondary creation and the measure of the cosmic egg.

गीतो भुवनकोषश्च द्वीपवर्षादिनिम्नगाः । गयागङ्गाप्रयागादि-तीर्थमाहात्म्यमीरितं ।। ३८३.

The structure of the worlds is described, along with the islands, continents, rivers, and the declared greatness of holy places like Gayā, Gaṅgā, and Prayāga.

ज्योतिश्चक्रं ज्योतिषादि गीतो युद्धजयार्णवः । मन्वन्तरादयो गीताः धर्मा वर्णादिकस्य च ।। ३८३.

The wheel of light, astrology, the ocean of victory in battle, the cycles of Manus, and the duties of castes and others are all described.

अशौचं द्रव्यशुद्धिश्च प्रायश्चित्तं प्रदर्शितं । राजधर्म्मा दानधर्मा व्रतानि विविधानि च ।। ३८३.

Impurity, purification of substances, and expiation are shown; the duties of kings, the duties of giving, and various vows as well.

व्यवहाराः शान्तयश्च ऋग्वेदादिविधानकं । सूर्यवंशः सोमवंशो धनुर्वेदश्च वैद्यकं ।। ३८३.

Legal procedures, rites of pacification, the regulations of the Ṛgveda and others; the Solar and Lunar dynasties, the science of archery, and medicine.

गान्धर्व्ववेदोऽर्थशास्त्रं मीमांसा न्यायविस्तरः । पुराणसंख्यामाहात्म्यं छन्दो व्याकरणं स्मृतं ।। ३८३.

The Gāndharva Veda, the science of wealth, the extension of Mīmāṃsā and logic; the enumeration and greatness of the Purāṇas, metre, and grammar are remembered.

अहङ्कारो निघण्टुश्च शिक्षा कल्प इहोदितः । स्मृतः नैमित्तिकः प्राकृतिको लय आत्यन्तिकः ।। ३८३.

Ego, glossaries, phonetics, and ritual are taught here; the occasional, natural, and final dissolutions are remembered.

वेदान्तं ब्रह्मविज्ञानं योगी ह्यष्टाङ्ग ईरितः । स्तोत्रं पुराणमाहात्म्यं विद्या ह्यष्टादश स्मृताः ।। ३८३.

Vedānta, knowledge of Brahman, the eightfold yoga are declared; hymns, the greatness of the Purāṇas, and the eighteen branches of knowledge are remembered.

ऋग्वेदाद्याः परा ह्यत्र पराविद्याक्षरं परं । सप्रपञ्चं निष्प्रपञ्चं ब्रह्मणो रूपमीरितं ।। ३८३.

Here, the Ṛgveda and others are supreme, as is the supreme imperishable knowledge; the manifest and unmanifest forms of Brahman are described.