Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 52
Mantra-śakti, Dūta-Carā (Envoys & Spies), Vyasana (Calamities), and the Sapta-Upāya of Nīti
प्रकाशश्चाप्रकाशश् च लोकद्विष्टान् प्रकाशतः उद्विजेत हतैर् लोकस्तेषु पिण्डः प्रशस्यते
prakāśaścāprakāśaś ca lokadviṣṭān prakāśataḥ udvijeta hatair lokasteṣu piṇḍaḥ praśasyate
Ya sea actuando abiertamente o con discreción, debe uno apartarse de quienes son odiados por el pueblo; pues cuando tales personas son destruidas, la comunidad queda apaciguada, y las ofrendas de bolas de alimento (piṇḍa) hechas por ellos se consideran apropiadas.
Lord Agni (instructional narration to Vasiṣṭha, in the standard Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"राज्य-प्रशासन में लोकमत-विरोधी/लोकद्विष्ट व्यक्तियों से दूरी रखना, ताकि जन-आक्रोश न बढ़े और शान्ति बनी रहे।","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"लोकद्विष्ट-परिहार (Publicly hated persons: avoidance and public appeasement)","lookup_keywords":["लोकद्विष्ट","प्रकाश-अप्रकाश","राजनीति","जन-तोष","पिण्ड-प्रशंसा"],"quick_summary":"राजा/अधिकारी को लोकद्विष्ट व्यक्तियों से खुले या गुप्त रूप से दूरी रखनी चाहिए; उनके नाश/निष्कासन से जनता तुष्ट होती है और उनके लिए पिण्ड-दान भी ‘उचित’ कहा जाता है (लोक-शान्ति के सन्दर्भ में)।"}
Concept: लोकसंग्रह—राजधर्म में जन-तोष और सामाजिक शान्ति को प्राथमिकता।
Application: नीति-निर्णय में ‘लोक-विश्वास’ और ‘लोक-क्रोध’ को जोखिम-कारक मानकर विवादास्पद संगति से बचना।
Khanda Section: Rajadharma / Niti-shastra (Governance and Social Conduct)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"राजसभा/नगर-चौक में राजा अपने मंत्रियों को लोकद्विष्ट व्यक्ति से दूरी रखने का संकेत देता है; पृष्ठभूमि में जनता का असन्तोष और शान्ति-स्थापन का दृश्य।","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, royal court scene, king with ministers, a shunned corrupt courtier kept at distance, townspeople in background calming down, earthy reds and ochres, stylized faces, traditional ornaments","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, seated king on ornate throne with gold leaf, minister pointing to a disgraced official being escorted away, symbolic food-ball (pinda) offering tray shown subtly, rich textiles, halo-like arch","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, instructional court tableau, labeled gestures of ‘open’ and ‘secret’ conduct, calm palette, fine linework, emphasis on governance ethics","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed durbar, disliked noble removed from proximity, crowd outside palace gates appeased, intricate architecture, naturalistic expressions"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: प्रकाशश्चाप्रकाशश्च = प्रकाशः च अप्रकाशः च; लोकस्तेषु = लोकः तेषु; हतैर् = हतैः (रेफ-सन्धि); श्लोके अर्थानुसार ‘लोकद्विष्टान्’ तत्पुरुष-समासः (लोकस्य द्विष्टान् / लोकद्वेष्यान्) इति ग्रहणीयः।
Related Themes: Agni Purana 240 (Rajadharma/Dandaniti context: sāma-dāna-bheda-daṇḍa)
FAQs
It combines niti (practical statecraft/social conduct) with a ritual note: avoid socially condemned persons, and if they are eliminated, piṇḍa (food-ball) offerings for them are considered an appropriate pacificatory act.
It exemplifies the text’s mixing of governance ethics (rajadharma/niti: managing public hostility and social risk) with ritual practice (piṇḍa offerings), showing how the Agni Purana treats political, social, and religious procedures together.
The verse frames avoidance of public wrongdoers as protective dharma, and treats post-elimination piṇḍa as a sanctioned rite to settle residual social and ritual disturbance—aimed at restoring communal peace and reducing lingering harm.