Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 47

Chapter 238 — राजधर्माः (Rājadharmāḥ) | Duties of Kings

Devanagari script

अवेक्ष्यैतद्भयं काले आददीत करं नृपः अभ्यन्तरं शरीरं स्वं वाह्यं राष्ट्रञ्च रक्षयेत्

Transliteration

avekṣyaitadbhayaṃ kāle ādadīta karaṃ nṛpaḥ abhyantaraṃ śarīraṃ svaṃ vāhyaṃ rāṣṭrañca rakṣayet

Translation

بعد أن يتفحّص هذا الخطر في وقته اللائق، ينبغي للملك أن يفرض الخراج؛ وأن يحمي جسده من الداخل، وأن يحمي المملكة من الخارج كذلك.

Word by Word

• अवेक्ष्य: having considered
• अवेक्ष्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया; धातु: अव-ईक्ष् (to look at/consider)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• भयम्: fear/danger
• भयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• काले: at the time
• काले: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; कालाधिकरण

• आददीत: should take/collect
• आददीत: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• करम्: tax/tribute
• करम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• नृपः: the king
• नृपः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• अभ्यन्तरम्: internal
• अभ्यन्तरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभ्यन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (शरीरम् इति)

• शरीरम्: body
• शरीरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• स्वम्: one’s own
• स्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; स्वकीय (possessive adjective)

• वाह्यम्: external
• वाह्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (राष्ट्रम् इति)

• राष्ट्रम्: kingdom/state
• राष्ट्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राष्ट्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• रक्षयेत्: should protect
• रक्षयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lord Agni (in discourse to sage Vasiṣṭha, within the Agni Purana’s rajadharma instruction)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: अवेक्ष्य+एतत्→अवेक्ष्यैतत्; एतत्+भयम्→एतद्भयम् (त्→द्); राष्ट्रम्+च→राष्ट्रञ्च (म्→ञ् before च)

Characters & Entities

• nṛpa (king)
• rāṣṭra (kingdom)

FAQs

What technical or ritual knowledge (Vidya) is imparted in this verse?

It imparts practical rajadharma: in times of danger the king may levy kara (tax) as an emergency measure, coupled with the duty to maintain internal security (protecting the ruler’s person/administration) and external security (protecting the realm).

How does this verse contribute to the 'Encyclopedic' nature of the Agni Purana?

Beyond mythic narration, it preserves applied political science—fiscal policy under crisis and the protective obligations of kingship—showing the Agni Purana’s coverage of governance alongside ritual, theology, and other sciences.

What is the spiritual or karmic significance of this specific instruction?

It frames taxation as dharmically permissible when justified by public danger, provided the king uses it for protection; righteous protection of subjects and the realm is treated as a core merit-bearing duty (dharma) of kingship.