Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 1
Prātyahika-Rāja-Karma
Daily Duties of a King
इत्य् आग्नेये महापुराणे उपायषड्गुणादिर्नाम त्रयस्त्रिंशदधिकद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः अथ चतुस्त्रिंशदधिकद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः प्रात्यहिकराजकर्म पुष्कर उवाच अजस्रं कर्म वक्ष्यामि दिनं प्रति यदाचरेत् द्विमुहूर्तावशेषायां रात्रौ निद्रान्त्यजेन्नृपः
ity āgneye mahāpurāṇe upāyaṣaḍguṇādirnāma trayastriṃśadadhikadviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ atha catustriṃśadadhikadviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ prātyahikarājakarma puṣkara uvāca ajasraṃ karma vakṣyāmi dinaṃ prati yadācaret dvimuhūrtāvaśeṣāyāṃ rātrau nidrāntyajennṛpaḥ
Thus, in the Agni Mahāpurāṇa ends the two-hundred-and-thirty-third chapter, called “Upāya and the Six Measures (Ṣaḍguṇa), etc.” Now begins the two-hundred-and-thirty-fourth chapter: “Daily Duties of a King.” Puṣkara said: “I shall describe the constant routine—what a king should practice each day. When two muhūrtas of the night remain, the king should abandon sleep, that is, rise from his bed.”
Puṣkara
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Daily regimen for kingship: rise before dawn (two muhūrtas before sunrise) to begin disciplined governance—audiences, worship, counsel, security review—anchoring royal efficiency and moral order.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Prātyahika-rāja-karman: King’s daily routine—rising at the last two muhūrtas","lookup_keywords":["prātyahika","rāja-karman","dvī-muhūrta","rātri-śeṣa","nidra-tyāga"],"quick_summary":"A king should rise when two muhūrtas of night remain, establishing a strict daily routine that supports vigilance, administration, and dharmic conduct."}
Dosha: Tridosha
Concept: Self-governance precedes governance of the realm; time-discipline is a royal sādhanā.
Application: Adopt a fixed pre-dawn wake time to allocate uninterrupted hours for worship, planning, intelligence review, and public welfare decisions.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma (Governance and Kingly Duties)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: niti
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Pre-dawn palace interior: the king rises from bed as lamps flicker; attendants open windows to the dark-blue sky; a clock-like water vessel (ghaṭī-yantra) marks the last two muhūrtas; the king prepares for morning duties.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, pre-dawn palace chamber with oil lamps, king rising calmly, attendants with water vessel timekeeper, deep indigo sky at window, stylized architecture and ornamental borders.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, king rising with gold-highlighted ornaments and palace décor, attendants holding lamp and water pot, a small timekeeping vessel depicted, rich textiles and gilded frame.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clean instructional depiction of pre-dawn waking and timekeeping (ghaṭī-yantra), subtle colors, fine lines, emphasis on routine and objects.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, intimate palace dawn scene with detailed bedding, lamps, attendants, and a water-clock; cool dawn palette; courtyard visible with fading stars."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ity āgneye = iti + āgneye; upāyaṣaḍguṇādirnāma = upāyaṣaḍguṇādiḥ + nāma; dviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ = dviśatatamaḥ + adhyāyaḥ; dvimuhūrtāvaśeṣāyāṃ = dvi-muhūrta-avaśeṣāyām; nidrāntyajen = nidrām + tyajet (anusvāra/phonetic coalescence in transmission).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 234 (Prātyahika-rāja-karman chapter continuation); Agni Purana 233 (policy measures that require vigilance)
FAQs
It imparts practical rāja-nīti discipline: the king’s prescribed daily regimen begins with rising before dawn—specifically when two muhūrtas of night remain.
By shifting from strategic theory (upāya/ṣaḍguṇa) to applied administration—daily royal routine—this verse shows the text’s coverage of both high-level statecraft and concrete governance practice.
Early rising is framed as disciplined conduct (ācāra) appropriate to a ruler, supporting purity, alertness, and readiness for dharmic governance—thereby sustaining righteous rule and its merit.