Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 33
Rājanīti (Statecraft): Ṣaḍvidha-bala, Vyūha-vidhāna, and Strategic Warfare
जयार्थी न च युद्ध्येत मतिमानप्रतिग्रहः यत्र राजा तत्र कोषः कोषाधीना हि राजता
jayārthī na ca yuddhyeta matimānapratigrahaḥ yatra rājā tatra koṣaḥ koṣādhīnā hi rājatā
যি জয় বিচাৰে, সি তাড়াহুড়া কৰি যুদ্ধত নামিব নালাগে; বুদ্ধিমান লোভ/ঘুষত অচল (অপ্ৰতিগ্ৰহ) হৈ থাকিব লাগে। য’ত ৰজা ত’তেই কোষাগাৰ; কিয়নো ৰাজত্ব সঁচাকৈ কোষৰ ওপৰত নিৰ্ভৰশীল।
Lord Agni (in instruction on Rajadharma/statecraft)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Statecraft guidance: avoid impulsive war; uphold integrity against bribery; protect and mobilize the treasury as the material basis of sovereignty and governance.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Kośa-mūla rājya (treasury as the basis of kingship) and war prudence","lookup_keywords":["kośa (treasury)","jayārthī","na yuddhyet (avoid rash war)","apratigraha (unbribable)","rājatā"],"quick_summary":"Victory requires restraint and incorruptibility; kingship depends on the treasury, so fiscal strength and ethical firmness are prerequisites for successful policy and warfare."}
Concept: Rāja-dharma unites nīti (prudence) and śīla (incorruptibility); material support (kośa) is necessary for protecting dharma in the realm.
Application: Build reserves, audit revenue, prevent corruption, and choose war only when objectives, resources, and timing align.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma (Governance, statecraft, treasury, and kingship)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A king in council restrains eager generals from rushing to war; beside him the treasury is shown as guarded coffers; a minister refuses a bribe offered by an envoy.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural; royal court scene with the king seated, ministers advising restraint; a bribe-offering figure rebuffed; guarded treasury room depicted to the side; solemn ethical tone.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore with gold; king with halo-like arch, gold-embossed treasury chests, ministers in orderly rows; symbolic gesture of refusal of bribe; rich ornamentation emphasizing sovereignty rooted in kośa.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style; narrative-instructional court tableau: council deliberation, treasury accounting scrolls, guards at kośa; clear expressions showing prudence and incorruptibility.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature; detailed durbar with accountants and ledgers, guarded خزانہ-like treasury alcove, an envoy discreetly offering coins to a stern minister; king signaling ‘no war yet’; refined realism."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: जयार्थी = जय-अर्थी; मतिमानप्रतिग्रहः = मति-मान्-प्रतिग्रहः; कोषाधीना = कोष-आधीना.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: rāja-dharma and nīti sections on kośa, daṇḍa, and war policy; Agni Purana: counsel on ministers and corruption control
FAQs
It imparts rāja-nīti (statecraft): avoid premature warfare, maintain incorruptibility (apratigraha), and recognize the treasury (koṣa) as the operational basis of sovereignty.
Beyond ritual and theology, it preserves practical governance doctrine—war policy, administrative ethics, and fiscal foundations—showing the Agni Purana’s coverage of public administration alongside religious subjects.
By advocating apratigraha (non-acceptance of corrupt gifts) and restraint in violence, it supports dharmic rule: ethical conduct reduces adharma-born consequences for the ruler and protects the realm’s moral order.