Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 13
Yātrā-Maṇḍala-Cintā and Rājya-Rakṣaṇa: Auspicious Travel Rules and the Twelve-King Mandala
सप्ताङ्गस्य तु राज्यस्य विघ्नकर्तॄन् विनाशयेत् मण्डलेषु च सर्वेषु वृद्धिः कार्या महीक्षिता
saptāṅgasya tu rājyasya vighnakartṝn vināśayet maṇḍaleṣu ca sarveṣu vṛddhiḥ kāryā mahīkṣitā
Zum Wohl des siebengliedrigen Reiches soll der König die Hindernisbereiter vernichten; und in allen Mandalas (Provinzen) hat der Herrscher für Gedeihen und Wachstum zu sorgen.
Lord Agni (in dialogue to Sage Vasiṣṭha, Agni Purana’s standard narration frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"State administration: protect the seven constituents of the polity by removing disruptive elements and actively promoting welfare, revenue stability, and development across all provinces.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Saptanga-rajya: removing obstacles and ensuring provincial prosperity","lookup_keywords":["saptanga rajya","vighnakartṛ","mandala governance","raja dharma","provincial prosperity"],"quick_summary":"A king must safeguard the seven-limbed state by suppressing internal disruptors and by instituting growth measures in every mandala (province)."}
Concept: Raja-dharma as protection (raksha) and welfare (vriddhi) of the polity’s limbs.
Application: Combine coercive power against destabilizers with constructive governance—irrigation, trade security, fair taxation, and local justice—to produce vriddhi in all mandalas.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma (Governance and Statecraft)
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A crowned king in court receives reports from ministers; guards restrain troublemakers while scribes map provinces; outside, prosperous towns, irrigated fields, and secure roads symbolize vriddhi across mandalas.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style: frontal crowned raja with ministers (amātya) and soldiers, stylized palm-leaf documents, mandala map motifs, lush paddy fields and river canals in the background, earthy reds and greens, bold outlines.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting: seated king on ornate throne with gold-leaf arch, ministers presenting scrolls, symbolic seven limbs (treasury chest, army, fort, allies) arranged as icons, shimmering gold detailing, rich jewel tones.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting: instructional tableau of governance—king, council, provincial officers, granaries and irrigation works depicted clearly; delicate lines, muted palette, emphasis on administrative order.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: durbar scene with the king reviewing provincial ledgers; guards removing agitators; detailed cityscape and cultivated countryside beyond palace walls; fine brushwork and patterned textiles."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: सप्ताङ्गस्य = सप्त + अङ्गस्य; विघ्नकर्तॄन् = विघ्न + कर्तॄन्; महीक्षिता = मही + क्षिता (राजा).
Related Themes: Agni Purana Rajadharma sections on saptanga, danda, and mandala-niti (same khanda/adhyaya cluster); Agni Purana chapters on duties of the king and ministers
FAQs
It teaches practical Rajadharma: protect the saptāṅga (sevenfold structure of the state) by suppressing disruptive elements and actively promoting prosperity across all administrative mandalas.
Beyond theology, the Agni Purana codifies applied knowledge—here, political science and administration—covering security, governance, and regional development as part of its wide-ranging “encyclopedia” of dharma and worldly policy.
A king who removes obstruction to dharma and ensures the people’s welfare upholds rājadharma; such protection of order and prosperity is treated as a meritorious duty that sustains social harmony and righteous rule.