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Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 33

Chapter 231 — शकुनानि (Śakunāni) | Omens in Governance, Travel, and War

आरोहणं न चेद्दद्यात् प्रतीपं वा गृहं व्रजेत् मदं वा वारणो जह्याद्राजघातकरो भवेत्

ārohaṇaṃ na ceddadyāt pratīpaṃ vā gṛhaṃ vrajet madaṃ vā vāraṇo jahyādrājaghātakaro bhavet

Si l’on ne fournit pas de moyen de monter (siège ou monture), ou si l’on se rend dans une maison avec une attitude d’opposition hostile, ou si l’on fait perdre à un éléphant son musth, on devient cause ou instrument de la mort du roi.

आरोहणम्mounting (act of mounting)
आरोहणम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootआरोहण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
not
:
Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)
चेत्if
चेत्:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/condition)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootचेत् (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; शर्त-निपात (conditional particle)
दद्यात्should give/allow
दद्यात्:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootदा (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
प्रतीपम्contrary/hostile
प्रतीपम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootप्रतीप (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying गृहम्)
वाor
वा:
Vikalpa (विकल्प)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; विकल्प (disjunctive particle)
गृहम्home/house
गृहम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootगृह (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
व्रजेत्should go
व्रजेत्:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootव्रज् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
मदम्rut/intoxication
मदम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootमद (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अत्र ‘मद’ (rut/intoxication)
वाor
वा:
Vikalpa (विकल्प)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; विकल्प (disjunctive particle)
वारणःelephant
वारणः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootवारण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
जह्यात्should abandon/lose
जह्यात्:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootहा (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
राज-घात-करःcausing the king’s death
राज-घात-करः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootराजन् (प्रातिपदिक) + घात (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (राज्ञः घातः) + उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (घातं करोति इति)
भवेत्would become
भवेत्:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootभू (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Lord Agni (instructing Sage Vasiṣṭha)

Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Court protocol and conduct rules framed as high-stakes: failures in royal service and hostile approach are treated as causes of regicide/royal ruin.","sutra_style":true}

Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Rājaghātakara-nimitta: protocol breaches that become ‘king-killing’ causes","lookup_keywords":["rājaghātakara","ārohaṇa-dāna","pratīpa-gamana","gaja-mada","rāja-nīti"],"quick_summary":"Not providing proper mounting/assistance, approaching a house in hostility, or causing an elephant to lose musth are classified as acts that lead to the king’s destruction—i.e., grave breaches of royal order."}

Weapon Type: Elephant corps (gaja) and royal conveyance

Concept: Rājasevā (service to the king) and social conduct are framed as dharma with direct consequences for political survival.

Application: Codify and enforce court etiquette; treat negligence and hostile comportment as punishable security risks.

Khanda Section: Rajadharma / Niti-shastra (Governance, royal protocol, and statecraft)

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A royal attendant fails to provide a mounting step/stool; another figure approaches a house with hostile posture; a mahout mishandles an elephant causing it to lose musth—ministers warn these acts endanger the king.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, three-panel didactic scene: missing mounting aid, hostile approach to a doorway, elephant with subdued musth, ministers with stern gestures, strong outlines and earthy palette","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, gold-highlighted royal paraphernalia, attendant holding an unused mounting stool, elephant with ornate caparison, court scene emphasizing protocol, embossed jewelry","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, instructional triptych with clear gestures and courtly refinement, captions implied, emphasis on etiquette and elephant-handling","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, court and street vignettes with precise architecture, expressive body language showing hostility, detailed elephant and mahout, officials recording the breach"}

Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}

Sandhi Resolution Notes: चेद्दद्यात् = चेत् + दद्यात्; जह्याद्राजघातकरः = जह्यात् + राजघातकरः

Related Themes: Agni Purana 231 (Nīti/Rājadharma continuations around śakuna and conduct)

A
Agni
R
Raja (King)
V
Vārana (Elephant)

FAQs

It gives practical rājadharma guidance: specific breaches of royal protocol and security—refusing required mounting assistance, approaching in hostility, or interfering with a war/royal elephant’s musth—are treated as gravely dangerous acts.

Beyond theology, it preserves administrative and security norms of kingship, including courtly logistics (mounting/conveyance) and war-elephant management, showing the Purana’s coverage of governance and statecraft.

Such acts are framed as equivalent to causing the king’s death (a major sin/treason), implying severe karmic consequence and social condemnation for endangering sovereign order.