Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 27
Adhyaya 222 — राजधर्माः
Rājadharmāḥ): Duties of Kings (Administrative Order, Protection, and Revenue Ethics
राजा वन्यार्थमादद्याद्देशकालानुरूपकं पञ्चषड्भागमादद्याद् राजा पशुहिरण्ययोः
rājā vanyārthamādadyāddeśakālānurūpakaṃ pañcaṣaḍbhāgamādadyād rājā paśuhiraṇyayoḥ
The king should levy a tax on forest produce in a manner suited to the region and the time. From livestock and gold, the king should take a share of one-fifth or one-sixth.
Lord Agni (in discourse to the sage Vasiṣṭha, within the Agni Purana’s instructional narration)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Design adaptive taxation for forest produce based on region and season, and set standard royal shares for livestock and gold to stabilize revenue without harming productivity.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Adaptive forest-produce tax; royal shares in livestock and gold","lookup_keywords":["vanyārtha","deśa-kāla","paśu","hiraṇya","pañca-bhāga","ṣaḍ-bhāga"],"quick_summary":"Forest produce is taxed flexibly according to place and time. Livestock and gold yield a fixed royal share of one-fifth or one-sixth, balancing state needs with economic sustainability."}
Concept: Context-sensitive governance (deśa-kāla) is dharmic; revenue must follow proportionality.
Application: Adjust levies during scarcity/abundance; maintain registers for forest produce, herds, and bullion with transparent rates.
Khanda Section: Rājadharma (Governance, taxation, and kingly duties)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Forest gatherers present honey, resins, fruits, and timber to a royal officer who adjusts tax by season; in another scene, herdsmen and goldsmiths render a one-fifth/one-sixth share to the treasury.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, lush forest with collectors carrying bundles, royal officer with palm-leaf records, seasonal cues (rain clouds/harvest); pastoral herd and gold weighing scene, stylized figures and ornate borders.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-leaf treasury chest, gilded weighing scales for hiraṇya, decorative cows and attendants, rich jewel tones, formal composition showing measured shares.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, didactic panels: forest-produce assessment by deśa-kāla, then livestock and gold share calculation; fine detailing of scales, measures, and registers.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, naturalistic forest landscape with collectors, court official assessing; separate vignette of gold weighing and cattle counting, intricate textiles and architectural treasury backdrop."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: vanyārtham + ādad-yāt → vanyārthamādadyāt; ādad-yāt + deśa... → ādad-yāddeśa...; deśakāla + anurūpakam → deśakālānurūpakam; bhāgam + ādad-yāt → bhāgamādadyāt.
Related Themes: Agni Purana Rajadharma taxation schedules in ch. 222; related lists of taxable goods in vv. 222.28-29
FAQs
It teaches rājadharma as practical statecraft: how a king should assess and collect taxes—especially shares from forest produce, livestock, and gold—adjusted to local and seasonal conditions.
Alongside rituals and theology, the Agni Purana also preserves administrative and legal norms; this verse functions like a concise fiscal guideline on revenue policy within a broader compendium of governance topics.
By prescribing proportionate, context-sensitive taxation, it frames revenue collection as a dharmic duty—reducing harm and exploitation—so the king’s rule supports social order (dharma) rather than generating negative karma through oppressive levies.