Agni Purana — Chapter 161
AgP 161.1
:ए इत्य् आग्नेये महापुराणे वानप्रस्थाश्रमो नाम षष्ट्यधिकशततमो ऽध्यायः ॥ छप्तेर् {१६१} :श् अथैकषष्ट्यधिकशततमो ऽध्यायः यतिधर्मः पुष्कर उवाच यतिर्धर्मं प्रवक्ष्यामि ज्ञानमोक्षादिदर्शकं चतुर्धमायुषो भागं प्राप्य सङ्गात् परिवर्जयेत्(४)
:e ity āgneye mahāpurāṇe vānaprasthāśramo nāma ṣaṣṭyadhikaśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ || chapter {161} :ś athaikaṣaṣṭyadhikaśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ yatidharmaḥ puṣkara uvāca yatirdharmaṃ pravakṣyāmi jñānamokṣādidarśakaṃ caturdhamāyuṣo bhāgaṃ prāpya saṅgāt parivarjayet(4)
Thus, in the Āgneya Mahāpurāṇa, the chapter called "The Forest-Dweller's Stage," the one hundred sixtieth. Chapter 161: The duty of the renunciant. Puṣkara said: I shall declare the duty of the renunciant, which shows knowledge, liberation and the rest. Having reached the fourth portion of his life, he should give up attachment.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 161.2
यदह्नि विरजेद्धीरस्तदह्नि(५) च परिव्रजेत् प्रजापत्यां निरूप्येष्टिं सर्वदेवसदक्षिणां
yadahni virajeddhīrastadahni(5) ca parivrajet prajāpatyāṃ nirūpyeṣṭiṃ sarvadevasadakṣiṇāṃ
On whatever day the steadfast one becomes free of passion, on that very day he may wander forth. Having performed the Prājāpatya offering with all (his goods) as the sacrificial fee (to all the gods),
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 161.3
आत्मन्यग्नीन् समारोप्य प्रव्रजेद्ब्राह्मणो गृहात् :न् १ दृष्ट्वावश्यमिति ङ॥ २ तपश्चोग्रं वने चरेदिति ङ॥ ३ भजेद्दिशमजिम्हग इति ङ॥ ४ सङ्गान् परित्यजेदिति ङ॥ ५ विरजेद्वापि तदह्नि इति ङ॥ :प् १४४ एक एव चरेन्नित्यं ग्रासमन्नाथमाश्रयेत्
ātmanyagnīn samāropya pravrajedbrāhmaṇo gṛhāt :n 1 dṛṣṭvāvaśyamiti ṅa.. 2 tapaścograṃ vane carediti ṅa.. 3 bhajeddiśamajimhaga iti ṅa.. 4 saṅgān parityajediti ṅa.. 5 virajedvāpi tadahni iti ṅa.. :p 144 eka eva carennityaṃ grāsamannāthamāśrayet
and having placed the (sacrificial) fires within himself, the brahmin should go forth from his house. He should always wander quite alone, and depend upon (only) a mouthful of food.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
AgP 161.4
उपेक्षको ऽसिञ्चयिको मुनिर्ज्ञानसमन्वितः कपालं वृक्षमूलञ्च(१) कुचेलमसहायाता
upekṣako 'siñcayiko munirjñānasamanvitaḥ kapālaṃ vṛkṣamūlañca(1) kucelamasahāyātā
Indifferent, hoarding nothing, a silent sage endowed with knowledge; a skull-bowl, the root of a tree, poor clothing, being without a companion,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 161.5
समता चैव सर्वस्मिन्नेतन्मुक्तस्य(२) लक्षणं नाभिनन्देन मरणं नाभिनन्देत जीवनं(३)
samatā caiva sarvasminnetanmuktasya(2) lakṣaṇaṃ nābhinandena maraṇaṃ nābhinandeta jīvanaṃ(3)
and equanimity toward everything — this is the mark of the liberated man. He should not welcome death, nor should he welcome life.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 161.6
कालमेव प्रतीक्षेत निदेशं भृतको यथा दृष्टिपूतं न्यसेत्पादं वस्त्रपूतं जलं पिवेत्
kālameva pratīkṣeta nideśaṃ bhṛtako yathā dṛṣṭipūtaṃ nyasetpādaṃ vastrapūtaṃ jalaṃ pivet
He should simply await his time, as a hired servant awaits his order. He should set down his foot (only where) purified by the eye, and drink water purified by a cloth.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 161.7
सत्यपूतां वदेद्वाचं मनःपूतं समाचरेत् अलावुदारुपत्राणि मृण्मयं वैष्णवं यतेः
satyapūtāṃ vadedvācaṃ manaḥpūtaṃ samācaret alāvudārupatrāṇi mṛṇmayaṃ vaiṣṇavaṃ yateḥ
He should speak speech purified by truth, and act (in a way) purified by the mind. Gourd, wood, leaves and clay (are the vessels) of the renunciant devoted to Viṣṇu.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
AgP 161.8
विधूमे न्यस्तमुषले व्यङ्गारे भुक्तवज्जने वृत्ते शरावसम्पाते भिक्षां नित्यं यतिश् चरेत्
vidhūme nyastamuṣale vyaṅgāre bhuktavajjane vṛtte śarāvasampāte bhikṣāṃ nityaṃ yatiś caret
When the smoke is gone, the pestle laid aside, the embers dead, the people have eaten and the setting-out of dishes is over — at that time the renunciant should always go for alms.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 161.9
मधूकरमसङ्क्लिप्तं प्राक्प्रणीतमयाचितं तात्कालिकञ्चोपपन्नं भैक्षं पञ्चविधं स्मृतं
madhūkaramasaṅkliptaṃ prākpraṇītamayācitaṃ tātkālikañcopapannaṃ bhaikṣaṃ pañcavidhaṃ smṛtaṃ
Alms are said to be of five kinds: (that gathered) bee-like (from many houses), that not previously arranged for, that brought forward beforehand, that unasked for, and that which is occasional and happens to come to hand.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
AgP 161.10
पाणिपात्री भवेद्वापि पात्रे पात्रात् समाचरेत् अवेक्षेत गतिं नॄणां कर्मदोषसमुद्भवां
pāṇipātrī bhavedvāpi pātre pātrāt samācaret avekṣeta gatiṃ nṝṇāṃ karmadoṣasamudbhavāṃ
Or he may use his hand as his bowl; (if he has) a bowl he should eat from the bowl. He should observe the course of men, which arises from the faults of (their) actions.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 161.11
शुद्धभावश् चरेद्भर्मं यत्र तत्राश्रमे रतः समः सर्वेषु भूतेषु न लिङ्गं धर्मकारणं
śuddhabhāvaś caredbharmaṃ yatra tatrāśrame rataḥ samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu na liṅgaṃ dharmakāraṇaṃ
Of pure disposition he should practise dharma, content in whichever stage of life (he is), the same toward all beings; the outward mark is not the cause of dharma.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 161.12
फलं कतकवृक्षस्य यद्यप्यम्बुप्रसादकं न नामग्रहणादेव तस्य वारि प्रसीदति
phalaṃ katakavṛkṣasya yadyapyambuprasādakaṃ na nāmagrahaṇādeva tasya vāri prasīdati
Though the fruit of the kataka tree clarifies water, the water is not clarified merely by uttering its name.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 161.13
:न् १ वृक्षमूलानि ख॥ , घ॥ , छ॥ , झ॥ च । वृक्षमूलादि इति ट॥ २ एतच्छुद्धस्येति ङ॥ ३ जीवितमिति ख॥ , घ॥ , ङ॥ , छ॥ , ज॥ च :प् १४५ अजिह्मः पण्डकः पङ्गुरन्धो बधिर एव च सद्भिश् च मुच्यते मद्भिरज्ञानात् संसृतो द्विजः
:n 1 vṛkṣamūlāni kha.. , gha.. , cha.. , jha.. ca / vṛkṣamūlādi iti ṭa.. 2 etacchuddhasyeti ṅa.. 3 jīvitamiti kha.. , gha.. , ṅa.. , cha.. , ja.. ca :p 145 ajihmaḥ paṇḍakaḥ paṅgurandho badhira eva ca sadbhiś ca mucyate madbhirajñānāt saṃsṛto dvijaḥ
[apparatus: 1 'vṛkṣamūlāni' in mss. kha, gha, cha, jha; 'vṛkṣamūlādi' in ṭa. 2 'etacchuddhasya' in ṅa. 3 'jīvitam' in kha, gha, ṅa, cha, ja. p. 145] Not crooked, (though) impotent, lame, blind, and even deaf—the twice-born who has wandered through transmigration out of ignorance is freed by the good.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
AgP 161.14
अह्नि रात्र्याञ्च यान् जन्तून् हिनस्त्यज्ञानतो यतिः तेषां स्नात्वा विशुद्ध्यर्थं प्राणायामान् षडाचरेत्(१)
ahni rātryāñca yān jantūn hinastyajñānato yatiḥ teṣāṃ snātvā viśuddhyarthaṃ prāṇāyāmān ṣaḍācaret(1)
For the purification (from killing) those creatures which the ascetic destroys unknowingly by day and by night, he should bathe and perform six breath-restraints.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 161.15
अस्थिस्थूणं स्नायुयुतं मांसशोणितलेपनं चर्मावनद्धं दुर्गन्धं पूर्णं मूत्रपुरीषयोः
asthisthūṇaṃ snāyuyutaṃ māṃsaśoṇitalepanaṃ carmāvanaddhaṃ durgandhaṃ pūrṇaṃ mūtrapurīṣayoḥ
(This body) has bones for its pillars, is bound together with sinews, plastered with flesh and blood, covered over with skin, foul-smelling, full of urine and excrement;
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 161.16
जराशोकसमाविष्टं रोगायतनमातुरं रजस्वलमनित्यञ्च भूतावासमिमन्त्यजेत्
jarāśokasamāviṣṭaṃ rogāyatanamāturaṃ rajasvalamanityañca bhūtāvāsamimantyajet
beset by old age and grief, the seat of disease, ailing, dusty (impure) and impermanent—this dwelling of the elements he should abandon.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 161.17
धृतिः क्षमा दमो ऽस्तेयं(२) शौचमिन्द्रियनिग्रहः ह्रीर्विद्या सत्यमक्रोधो दशकं धर्मलक्षणं
dhṛtiḥ kṣamā damo 'steyaṃ(2) śaucamindriyanigrahaḥ hrīrvidyā satyamakrodho daśakaṃ dharmalakṣaṇaṃ
Steadfastness, patience, self-control, not stealing, purity, restraint of the senses, modesty, knowledge, truth, freedom from anger—this set of ten is the mark of dharma.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 161.18
चतुर्विधं भैक्षवस्तु कुटीरकवहूदके हंसः परमहंसश् च यो यः पश्चात् स उत्तमः
caturvidhaṃ bhaikṣavastu kuṭīrakavahūdake haṃsaḥ paramahaṃsaś ca yo yaḥ paścāt sa uttamaḥ
The mendicant's state is of four kinds: kuṭīcaka, bahūdaka, haṃsa and paramahaṃsa; each later one is the higher.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 161.19
एकदण्डी त्रिदण्डी वा(३) योगी मुच्यते बन्धनात् अहिंसा सत्यमस्तेयं ब्रह्मचर्यापरिग्रहौ
ekadaṇḍī tridaṇḍī vā(3) yogī mucyate bandhanāt ahiṃsā satyamasteyaṃ brahmacaryāparigrahau
Whether bearing a single staff or three staffs, the yogin is freed from bondage. Non-injury, truth, not stealing, chastity and non-acquisition—
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 161.20
यमाः पञ्चाथ नियमाः शौचं सन्तोषणन्तपः स्वाध्यायेश्वरपूजा च पद्मकाद्यासनं यतेः(४)
yamāḥ pañcātha niyamāḥ śaucaṃ santoṣaṇantapaḥ svādhyāyeśvarapūjā ca padmakādyāsanaṃ yateḥ(4)
these are the five restraints (yama); then the observances (niyama): purity, contentment, austerity, self-study, and worship of the Lord; and for the ascetic the lotus posture and the rest.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 161.21
प्राणायामस्तु द्विविधः स गर्भो ऽगर्भ एव च जपध्यानयुतो गर्भो विपरीतस्त्वगर्भकः
prāṇāyāmastu dvividhaḥ sa garbho 'garbha eva ca japadhyānayuto garbho viparītastvagarbhakaḥ
Breath-restraint is of two kinds: with a core and without a core; that joined with muttered recitation and meditation has a core, the opposite is without a core.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 161.22
प्रत्येकं त्रिविधं सोपि पूरकुम्भकरेचकैः पूरणात् पूरको वायोर् निश् चलत्वाच्च कुम्भकः
pratyekaṃ trividhaṃ sopi pūrakumbhakarecakaiḥ pūraṇāt pūrako vāyor niś calatvācca kumbhakaḥ
Each of these too is threefold, by inhalation, retention and exhalation: from filling comes the pūraka, and from the stillness of the breath the kumbhaka.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 161.23
:न् १ समाचरेदिति ख॥ , छ॥ च २ दयास्तेयमिति ङ॥ ३ त्रिदण्डी चेति ङ॥ ४ पद्मकाद्यासनं महत् इति ट॥ :प् १४६ रेचनाद्रेचकः प्रोक्तो मात्राभेदेन च त्रिधा द्वादशात्तु चतुर्विंशः षट्त्रिंशन्मात्रिको ऽपरः
:n 1 samācarediti kha.. , cha.. ca 2 dayāsteyamiti ṅa.. 3 tridaṇḍī ceti ṅa.. 4 padmakādyāsanaṃ mahat iti ṭa.. :p 146 recanādrecakaḥ prokto mātrābhedena ca tridhā dvādaśāttu caturviṃśaḥ ṣaṭtriṃśanmātriko 'paraḥ
[apparatus: 1 'samācaret' in kha and cha. 2 'dayāsteyam' in ṅa. 3 'tridaṇḍī ca' in ṅa. 4 'padmakādyāsanaṃ mahat' in ṭa. p. 146] From emptying out, the recaka is declared; and (each is) threefold by difference of measure: twelve measures, then twenty-four, and another of thirty-six measures.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
AgP 161.24
तालो लघ्वक्षरो मात्रा प्रणवादि चरेच्छनैः प्रत्याहारो जापकानां ध्यानमीश्वरचिन्तनं
tālo laghvakṣaro mātrā praṇavādi carecchanaiḥ pratyāhāro jāpakānāṃ dhyānamīśvaracintanaṃ
A measure (mātrā) is the beat of a short syllable; he should slowly recite the praṇava and so on. Withdrawal (pratyāhāra) belongs to those who recite; meditation is the contemplation of the Lord.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
AgP 161.25
मनोधृतिर्धारणा स्यात् समाधिर्ब्रह्मणि स्थितिः अयमात्मा परं ब्रह्म सत्यं ज्ञानमनन्तकं
manodhṛtirdhāraṇā syāt samādhirbrahmaṇi sthitiḥ ayamātmā paraṃ brahma satyaṃ jñānamanantakaṃ
Concentration (dhāraṇā) is the holding of the mind; absorption (samādhi) is standing firm in Brahman. This self is the supreme Brahman, truth, knowledge, endless,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 161.26
विज्ञानमानन्दं ब्रह्म तत्त्वमस्य।अहमस्मि तत् परम् ब्रह्म ज्योतिरात्मा वासुदेवो विमुक्त ॐ
vijñānamānandaṃ brahma tattvamasya.ahamasmi tat param brahma jyotirātmā vāsudevo vimukta oṃ
consciousness, bliss—Brahman: "You are that," "I am that." The supreme Brahman, light, the self, Vāsudeva, liberated—Oṃ.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 161.27
देहेन्द्रियमनोबुद्धिप्राणाहङ्कारवर्जितं जाग्रत्स्वप्नसुसुप्त्यादिमुक्तं(१) ब्रह्म तुरोयकं
dehendriyamanobuddhiprāṇāhaṅkāravarjitaṃ jāgratsvapnasusuptyādimuktaṃ(1) brahma turoyakaṃ
Brahman is the fourth (state), devoid of body, senses, mind, intellect, breath and the ego-sense, free from waking, dream, deep sleep and the rest,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 161.28
नित्यशुद्धबुद्धयुक्तसत्यमानन्दमद्वयं(२) अहं ब्रह्म परं ज्योतिरक्षरं सर्वगं हरिः
nityaśuddhabuddhayuktasatyamānandamadvayaṃ(2) ahaṃ brahma paraṃ jyotirakṣaraṃ sarvagaṃ hariḥ
eternal, pure, joined with intelligence, true, blissful, without a second. I am Brahman, the supreme light, the imperishable, the all-pervading, Hari.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 161.29
सो ऽसावादित्यपुरुषः सो ऽसावहमखण्ड ॐ सर्वारम्भपरित्यागी समदुःखसुखं क्षमी
so 'sāvādityapuruṣaḥ so 'sāvahamakhaṇḍa oṃ sarvārambhaparityāgī samaduḥkhasukhaṃ kṣamī
"That yonder Person in the sun — that yonder one am I, the undivided. Om." (He is) one who has abandoned all undertakings, alike in pain and pleasure, forbearing,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
AgP 161.30
भावशुद्धश् च ब्रह्माण्डं भित्त्वा ब्रह्म भवेन्नरः आषढ्यां पौर्णमास्याञ्च चातुर्मास्यं व्रतञ्चरेत्
bhāvaśuddhaś ca brahmāṇḍaṃ bhittvā brahma bhavennaraḥ āṣaḍhyāṃ paurṇamāsyāñca cāturmāsyaṃ vratañcaret
and pure in disposition; having broken through the egg of Brahmā, the man becomes Brahman. On the Āṣāḍha full-moon day he should undertake the four-month observance,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 161.31
ततो ज्रजेत् नवम्यादौ ह्य् ऋतुसन्धिषु वापयेत् प्रायश्चित्तं यतीनाञ्च ध्यानं वायुयमस् तथा
tato jrajet navamyādau hy ṛtusandhiṣu vāpayet prāyaścittaṃ yatīnāñca dhyānaṃ vāyuyamas tathā
and after that he should set out, on the ninth day and so on; at the junctures of the seasons he should have (his hair) shaved. And for ascetics (there is prescribed) expiation, meditation, and likewise breath-restraint.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain