Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 27
Rāja-dharma (राजधर्माः) — Protection of the Heir, Discipline, Counsel, and the Seven Limbs of the State
विश्वासयेच्चापि परन्तत्त्वभूतेन हेतुना तस्य कर्मकमिति ख क्वचित् कस्यापि इति ख , ग , घ , ज , ट च वकविच्चिन्तयेदर्थं सिंहवच्च पराक्रमेत्
viśvāsayeccāpi parantattvabhūtena hetunā tasya karmakamiti kha kvacit kasyāpi iti kha , ga , gha , ja , ṭa ca vakaviccintayedarthaṃ siṃhavacca parākramet
وعليه أيضًا أن يُولِّد الثقة في الآخرين بعِلّةٍ قائمةٍ على المبدأ الأعلى؛ فذلك هو مسلكه اللائق. وفي بعض الأحوال (بحسب اختلاف القراءات)، ينبغي للمتكلّم البليغ المتبصّر أن يتأمّل الغاية المقصودة، ثم يُقدِم بشجاعة كإقدام الأسد.
Lord Agni (traditional Agni Purana narration to Vasiṣṭha; chapter-level attribution)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Philosophy","practical_application":"Nīti for persuasion and action: build trust through reasons aligned with higher principle, deliberate on objectives, then execute decisively with lion-like courage.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Viśvāsa-janana and Siṃha-vikrama (Persuasion, Deliberation, Decisive Action)","lookup_keywords":["viśvāsayet","hetu","parama-tattva","artha-cintā","siṃha-vikrama"],"quick_summary":"Win confidence by principled reasoning, assess the intended objective (artha), and then act with decisive valor. The verse blends ethical grounding with practical statecraft/leadership psychology."}
Alamkara Type: Upamā (lion-simile)
Concept: Right action is grounded in higher principle (parama-tattva) and guided by clear purpose (artha), culminating in fearless execution.
Application: In leadership or negotiation: justify proposals with ethical-first principles, test the goal and consequences, then commit without wavering.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma / Niti-shastra (Counsel on persuasion, policy, and personal conduct)
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A counselor or king persuades an assembly with principled reasoning; then, after contemplating the objective, he advances with lion-like valor—lion imagery echoes behind him as a metaphor of courage.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, royal advisor gesturing in court, stylized lion motif near the throne, then a second vignette of the king advancing, bold lines, symbolic hand mudrās for counsel and resolve","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, assembly scene with gold-highlighted throne and ornaments, lion emblem gilded, king shown in dynamic stance of resolve, rich jewel tones and ornate arch","mysore_prompt":"Mysore, instructional two-panel narrative: (1) reasoning to build trust, (2) artha-cintana with scroll/map, (3) decisive advance; fine outlines, soft gradients, clarity of roles","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed durbar with courtiers, subtle expressions of persuasion, then a dynamic departure scene; lion standard on a spear, intricate textiles and architectural depth"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Kedar","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: viśvāsayet ca api → viśvāsayec cāpi; siṃhavat ca → siṃhavac ca. Several tokens (kha/ga/gha/ja/ṭa) are edition variant markers; ‘vakavic’ appears corrupt/uncertain in the provided text, so full syntactic integration is not reliable.
Related Themes: Agni Purana nīti/rājadharma passages on counsel (mantra), testing allies, and decisive action; Agni Purana sections on speech/communication where persuasion and reasoning are valued
FAQs
It teaches niti (practical statecraft/ethics): win trust through sound reasoning rooted in higher principles, deliberate on the objective, and then act decisively.
Beyond mythic narration, it preserves applied knowledge in governance and rhetoric—how persuasion, deliberation, and courageous execution function as tools of leadership.
Grounding one’s counsel and action in paratattva (highest truth) frames policy as dharmic conduct, aiming at right intention (artha) and righteous courage rather than reckless force.