Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 3
Rāja-dharma (राजधर्माः) — Protection of the Heir, Discipline, Counsel, and the Seven Limbs of the State
न चास्य सङ्गो दातव्यः क्रुद्धलुब्धविमानितैः अशक्यन्तु गुणाधानं कर्तुं तं बन्धयेत् मुखैः
na cāsya saṅgo dātavyaḥ kruddhalubdhavimānitaiḥ aśakyantu guṇādhānaṃ kartuṃ taṃ bandhayet mukhaiḥ
No debe concedérsele compañía con quienes son iracundos, codiciosos o soberbios. Si es imposible infundirle virtudes, entonces debe ser contenido mediante amonestaciones firmes y reprensiones severas.
Lord Agni (instructing sage Vasiṣṭha, as per the usual Agni Purana dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Guidelines for character-formation and risk-control: restrict harmful peer influence; use corrective counsel and, if needed, firm restraint to prevent escalation into vice/crime.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Saṅga-parihāra (Avoiding corrupting association) and Nigraha (Firm restraint)","lookup_keywords":["saṅga","krodha","lobha","vimāna","nigraha"],"quick_summary":"Do not allow companionship with the wrathful, greedy, or arrogant. If virtue cannot be inculcated, restrain the person through strong admonition and corrective reproof."}
Concept: Saṅga shapes guṇa; when instruction fails, protective restraint prevents adharma.
Application: In governance, education, and family life: screen companions; apply graded correction—counsel, reprimand, then restriction.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma / Niti-shastra (Ethics of association and character formation)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A mentor/minister prevents a youth/official from joining an angry, greedy, arrogant group; the mentor delivers stern admonition, symbolically ‘binding’ him with words.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style, palace courtyard, wise minister in white mundu and angavastram raising a teaching hand, youth being gently held back from three courtiers embodying krodha-lobha-vimāna, rich flat colors, ornate borders, traditional facial features","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, royal hall with gold-leaf arches, minister admonishing a young prince, three vice-figures in the background, heavy jewelry, embossed gold detailing, frontal composition","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional moral scene, clean linework, soft shading, minister pointing to a palm-leaf ‘nīti’ text while attendants separate the youth from corrupt companions, muted palette","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, intimate court scene, detailed textiles, minister whispering stern counsel, youth turning away from dissolute companions, fine architectural background, delicate foliage"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: cāsya = ca + asya; aśakyantu = aśakyam + tu; guṇādhānam = guṇa + ādhānam; kruddhalubdhavimānitaiḥ treated as dvandva compound in instrumental plural.
Related Themes: Agni Purana Rajadharma/Nīti sections on amātya-guṇa, durvyasana-tyāga, daṇḍa-naya
FAQs
It imparts Nīti-vidyā (practical ethics): avoid harmful association (saṅga) and, if virtue cannot be inculcated, restrain the person through strict verbal discipline (admonition/censure).
Beyond rituals and theology, the Agni Purana also codifies social ethics and governance-minded conduct, showing its wide scope that includes Rajadharma and behavioral regulation.
Avoiding corrupting company protects one’s dharma and mental purity; restraining harmful behavior prevents further adharma, limiting negative karma for both the individual and the community.