Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 12

Rājābhiṣeka-kathana

Account of the Royal Consecration

Devanagari script

न व्रजेयुश् च मध्येन मार्जारमृगपक्षिणः पर्वताग्रमृदा तावन्मूर्धानं शोधयेन्नृपः

Transliteration

na vrajeyuś ca madhyena mārjāramṛgapakṣiṇaḥ parvatāgramṛdā tāvanmūrdhānaṃ śodhayennṛpaḥ

Translation

Katzen, wilde Tiere und Vögel sollen nicht durch die Mitte (des königlichen Bezirks/der Versammlung) gehen. Bis dahin soll der König sein Haupt mit Erde vom Gipfel eines Berges reinigen.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

• व्रजेयुः: should go
• व्रजेयुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

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

• मध्येन: through the middle
• मध्येन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; अधिकरण/मार्ग-निर्देशे साधनभावः

• मार्जार-मृग-पक्षिणः: cats, animals, and birds
• मार्जार-मृग-पक्षिणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्जार (प्रातिपदिक) + मृग (प्रातिपदिक) + पक्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (cats, beasts, birds)

• पर्वत-अग्र-मृदा: with earth from a mountain peak
• पर्वत-अग्र-मृदा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक) + मृदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; (पर्वतस्य अग्रं) षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष, तस्य मृदा = तृतीया-प्रयोगे साधनम्

• तावत्: then/for that extent
• तावत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक-निष्पन्न)
• Form: परिमाण/अवधि-बोधक अव्यय (so long/then)

• मूर्धानम्: the head
• मूर्धानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• शोधयेत्: should cleanse/purify
• शोधयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √शुध्/शुध् (धातु) (कारणार्थे: शोधयति)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच् (causative) भावः

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

Speaker

Lord Agni (in dialogue tradition, instructing Vasiṣṭha)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: Mountain

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: व्रजेयुश् च = व्रजेयुः + च; तावन्मूर्धानं = तावत् + मूर्धानम्; शोधयेन्नृपः = शोधयेत् + नृपः (त् + न → न्न्).

Characters & Entities

• Nṛpa (King)

FAQs

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

It gives a śaucavidhi (purificatory protocol): if cats/animals/birds cross the central space, it is treated as an inauspicious breach and the king performs head-purification using mountain-peak earth.

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

Alongside theology, the text preserves practical royal regulations—court omens, spatial etiquette, and corrective rites—showing how Purāṇas function as handbooks for governance and ritual life.

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

Maintaining ritual purity in the king’s central space is linked to auspiciousness and protection of royal fortune; the cleansing act serves as a remedial expiation to neutralize inauspicious signs.