Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 63
Chapter 226 — राजधर्माः
Rājadharma: Royal Duties and Daṇḍanīti
राजपत्न्यभिगामी च दग्धव्यास्तु कटाग्निना ऊनं वाप्यधिकं वापि लिखेद्यो राजशासनं
rājapatnyabhigāmī ca dagdhavyāstu kaṭāgninā ūnaṃ vāpyadhikaṃ vāpi likhedyo rājaśāsanaṃ
যে রাজপত্নীর সঙ্গে গমন করে, তাকে প্রখর অগ্নিতে দগ্ধ করা উচিত। আর যে রাজাদেশে কম-বেশি করে লিখে (রাজার অভিপ্রায় বিকৃত করে), সেও অপরাধী।
Lord Agni (narrating to sage Vashistha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Defines capital punishment for violating royal household security and establishes document-integrity norms for royal edicts to prevent administrative fraud.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Punishment for Queen-violation and Tampering with Royal Edicts","lookup_keywords":["rajapatni","paradaragamana","rajasasana","lekhaka-aparadha","danda"],"quick_summary":"Sexual violation of the king’s wife is treated as a highest-order crime with burning as penalty; altering a royal decree by omission/addition is likewise culpable, protecting the sanctity of state orders."}
Concept: Rajadharma protects social order by safeguarding the royal household and the inviolability of the king’s command (shasana).
Application: Maintain strict chain-of-custody and verbatim recording for decrees; treat state-security and trust-breach offenses as aggravated crimes.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma (Governance, Law, and Royal Edicts)
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A royal court scene where a scribe is caught altering a sealed royal edict, juxtaposed with a grim punitive fire prepared by royal officers, emphasizing the severity of crimes against the king’s household and command.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style, palace court with the king on a high seat, palm-leaf edict and stylus, guards holding a culprit scribe, ritual-like blazing fire in the courtyard, flat bold colors, ornate borders, expressive eyes, traditional attire.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, king enthroned with gold-leaf ornaments, minister presenting a tampered copper-plate/palm-leaf decree, guards restraining the offender, stylized flames at side, rich reds and greens, heavy jewelry, embossed gold work.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, detailed administrative tableau: scribe desk with ink, stylus, seals, the decree compared to an original, officers pointing to omissions/additions, restrained palette, fine linework, instructional clarity.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, intimate court interior with calligrapher-scribe, sealed decree, officials examining text, guards and execution fire outside in a courtyard, delicate architectural details, naturalistic faces, fine textiles."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"stern","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: राजपत्न्यभिगामी = rāja-patnī-abhigāmī; दग्धव्यास्तु = dagdhavyāḥ tu; वाप्यधिकं = vā api adhikam; वापि = vā api; लिखेद्यो = likhet yaḥ.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 226 (Rajadharma/Vyavahara danda-niti context)
FAQs
It gives a Rajadharma/legal rule: severe state punishment for violating the queen’s chastity and for falsifying or altering a royal decree (administrative-document integrity).
Beyond theology and ritual, the Agni Purana also preserves practical statecraft—criminal liability, document control, and protection of royal authority—showing its coverage of governance and jurisprudence.
Such acts are treated as grave adharma: violating the king’s household and corrupting lawful rule are seen as heavy sins that disrupt social order (dharma), warranting harsh retribution to deter wrongdoing.