Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 11
Adhyaya 223 — Rājadharmāḥ
Royal Duties: Inner Palace Governance, Trivarga Protection, Courtly Conduct, and Aromatic/Hygienic Sciences
कामाधरा इति घ , ञ च लज्जाधिकारे इति ख , छ च सुवासिका इति क द्विष्टान्याचक्षते इति ञ न पश्यत्यग्रदत्तन्त्वित्यादिः, मित्रेष्वथ पराङ्मुखीत्यन्तः पाठः ज पुस्तके नास्ति स्त्रियं व्रजेदिति घ , ञ च दृश्यमना तथान्यत्र दृष्टिं क्षिपति चञ्चलां तथाप्युपावर्तयितुं नैव शक्नोत्यशेषतः
kāmādharā iti gha , ña ca lajjādhikāre iti kha , cha ca suvāsikā iti ka dviṣṭānyācakṣate iti ña na paśyatyagradattantvityādiḥ, mitreṣvatha parāṅmukhītyantaḥ pāṭhaḥ ja pustake nāsti striyaṃ vrajediti gha , ña ca dṛśyamanā tathānyatra dṛṣṭiṃ kṣipati cañcalāṃ tathāpyupāvartayituṃ naiva śaknotyaśeṣataḥ
«كāmādharā»—هكذا تقرأ مخطوطتا غا (Gha) وÑa؛ و«في باب الحياء (lajjā-adhikāra)»—هكذا تقرأ مخطوطتا خا (Kha) وتشـا (Cha)؛ و«Suvāsikā»—هكذا يقرأ مخطوط كا (Ka)؛ و«يُشيرون إلى العيوب المكروهة»—هكذا يقرأ Ña. وقد أُثبتت قراءة «…na paśyati…» المبتدئة بـ«agradattantv…» ونحوها؛ أمّا الخاتمة «mitreṣv atha parāṅmukhī…» فلا توجد في مخطوط جا (Ja). و«striyaṃ vrajet»—هكذا تقرأ غا وÑa. (المعنى:) مع أنها تُراقَب، تُلقي بنظرها القَلِق إلى موضع آخر؛ لكنها لا تقدر أن ترده ردًّا تامًّا.
Lord Agni (traditional frame: Agni instructing Vasiṣṭha; here the verse is largely a textual/recensional note within the Sahitya-shastra passage)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Alamkara","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Nayika-bheda identification for kavya composition and dramaturgical characterization; also illustrates textual criticism via variant readings.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Nayika-lakshana: Cañcala-dṛṣṭi (restless glance) with pāṭha-bheda notes","lookup_keywords":["nāyikā-bheda","cañcala-dṛṣṭi","lajjā-adhikāra","pāṭha-bheda","manuscript readings"],"quick_summary":"Defines a heroine’s behavioral sign: even when watched she throws her gaze elsewhere and cannot fully restrain it; the passage also preserves manuscript variant readings useful for establishing the text."}
Khanda Section: Sahitya-shastra (Kavya/Alankara: Nayika-bheda and behavioral traits)
Primary Rasa: Śṛṅgāra
Secondary Rasa: Hāsya
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A heroine, under observation, repeatedly casts her eyes sideways and away, unable to keep her gaze steady; attendants or a friend notice her telltale glances.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, elegant nāyikā with expressive eyes, subtle abhinaya, warm earthy palette, ornate jewelry, companion sakhī observing her restless sideways glances, classical interior setting","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, nāyikā with large almond eyes looking aside, rich silk garments, heavy gold ornaments and gold-leaf highlights, palace interior, sakhī nearby, emphasis on facial expression and gaze","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, refined linework and soft shading, close-up focus on eye movement and hand gesture of modesty, minimal background, instructional feel showing ‘cañcala-dṛṣṭi’","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtly chamber scene, heroine seated with attendants, detailed textiles, she glances away while being watched, delicate profile and expressive eyes, fine architectural borders"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Khamaj","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: Verse text contains extensive critical-apparatus prose; analyzed the metrical sentence segment: dṛśyamānā tathā anyatra dṛṣṭiṃ kṣipati cañcalāṃ tathā api upāvartayitum na eva śaknoti aśeṣataḥ. Sandhi: tathānyatra→tathā anyatra; tathāpyupāvartayitum→tathā api upāvartayitum; naiva→na eva; śaknotyaśeṣataḥ→śaknoti aśeṣataḥ.
Related Themes: Agni Purana Sahitya-śāstra sections on nāyikā-bheda and lajjā-adhikāra (same khanda context)
FAQs
This is Sahitya-shastra (poetics/dramaturgy) and textual tradition: it records variant readings across manuscripts and gives a behavioral marker of a heroine—her restless, sideward glance that cannot be fully restrained even when watched.
Beyond ritual and theology, the Agni Purana preserves Kavya-shastra material (nāyikā-bheda) and even reflects a living transmission history through manuscript variants—showing it functions as a compendium of literary theory as well as a text with documented recensions.
The passage is primarily aesthetic/psychological rather than ritual-karmic: it refines discernment (viveka) of emotions and conduct in literature, supporting dharmic cultivation through nuanced understanding of modesty, desire, and self-control as portrayed in classical narratives.