Agni Purāṇa

377- Knowledge of Brahman

Agni said:

1. Ishall describe the knowledge about Brahman for the sake of getting released from the ignorance of mundane existence. A person gets released (by constantly thinking), “I, this soul, is verily the Supreme Brahman."

2. The body is not the soul because that is perceived like a pot etc. It is known certainly while sleeping and at the time of death that the soul is different from the body.

3. If the body is the soul itshould behave like one which does not undergo any change etc. The organs such as the eye and the like are only instruments (of knowledge) and hence are not the soul.

4. The mind and the intellect also are not the soul. They are only instruments like a lamp (for supplying light). The lifebreath is also not the soul as (no ?) consciousness manifests during deep sleep.

5-6a. The consciousness is not experienced during waking and dreaming (states) because it is mixed up. Since the life breath devoid of consciousness is known during deep sleep, the soul is not the same as the organs which belong to the soul (as instruments) (and so are not identical with it).

66-7. The ego is also not the soul because of its nonconstancy like the body. This soul which is distinct from the above-mentioned categories remains in the heart of all (beings). (The self) is the scer and enjoyer of all things like a glowing lamp in the night.

8-10a. A sageshould contemplate thus at the time of commencing deep meditation: Sky (came) from Brahman, air from sky, fire from air, water from fire, carth from water and the subtle body from that (earth). The quintuplated forms of the five elements came from the free forms of the five elements. After having meditated upon the gross body, oneshould think of getting absorbed in Brahman.

10b-13. The elements have been quintuplated and the Viråţ (the first creation of Brahman) is known to be their effect. This gross body is the product of the ignorance of the soul. Wise men know knowledge through the senses as the waking state. The world has attachment for it. These three are not creation. The effect of the elements which are not quintuplated is said to be the linga. The union of the seventeen (categories) is known as the 'golden egg.' The body is stated to be the subtle mark of the soul.

11. Dream is the recollection of experience occurring in the waking state. The soul also would resemble it. (The soul that has not been fettered) with the universe (is known as) taijasa.

15. There is one single cause of the two known as the gross and subtle body. The soul, that is knowledge and possessing lustre, is said to be inferred from that.

16-17. It is not sat (existence), not asat (non-existence), not sadasat (existence as well as non-existence). It is neither composed of components, nor devoid of components. It is neither separated, nor not separated. It is both separated and not separated. It is inexplicable and is the creater of bondage and mundane existence. That single Brahman (is obtained) by means of knowledge and is never obtained by means of actions.

18. (The means of the knowledge of the soul) by all means is to control the senses which are the cause of the bondage of the soul. The place of the intellect is deep sleep. It affects the two.

19. This wise soul is known to be the pranava composed of the three syllables. The syllables a, u and m combined (is the pranava).

20. It is the witness of all things as 'I'. It is of the form of consciousness alone in the waking, dreaming and other states. Ignorance and bondage in mundane existence etc. are not its work.

21. It is eternal, pure, free from bondage, truth, bliss and without a second. I am Brahman. I am Brahman. I am the supreme splendour and the ever free om.

22. I am Brahman, the supreme knowledge - this contemplation destroys the bondage. Brahman is eternal, bliss, truth, knowledge and endless.

23. This soul is the Supreme Brahman. “You are that Brahman." This individual soul is instructed by the preceptor, (to identify himself with Brahman) as "I am Brahman."

24. That Brahman is the Sun. I am that partless being. Om. The knower of Brahman gets freedom from the worthless mundane existence. He would become Brahman.

Summary of chapter 379 of the Agni Purāṇa is as follows:

Agni describes the five paths by which beings ascend after death according to their spiritual attainment: through yajña to the deva-loka, through tapas to the virāṭ-pada, through karma-sannyāsa to the Brahma-pada, through vairāgya to merging in prakṛti, and through jñāna to mokṣa (kaivalya). The two forms of brahmavidyā are distinguished — śabda-brahma (knowledge of the Veda as a structure of sound, which is itself an emanation of Viṣṇu) and para-brahma (knowledge of the formless absolute attained through viveka-janya-jñāna, discriminative wisdom). The chapter contains the story of Kāṇḍikya-Janaka receiving instruction from Keśidhvaja on the identity of brahman and ātman, and the teaching of Ṛtu to Nidāgha — including two encounters where Ṛtu uses the parable of the king on the elephant to convey the truth of non-difference between ātman and Brahman.