Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 47
Chapter 226 — राजधर्माः
Rājadharma: Royal Duties and Daṇḍanīti
रक्षास्वधिकृतैयस्तु प्रजात्यर्थं विलुप्यते तेषां सर्वस्वमादाय राजा कुर्यात् प्रवासनं
rakṣāsvadhikṛtaiyastu prajātyarthaṃ vilupyate teṣāṃ sarvasvamādāya rājā kuryāt pravāsanaṃ
રક્ષણ માટે અધિકૃત વ્યક્તિ જો પોતાના લાભ માટે પ્રજાને લૂંટે, તો રાજાએ તેની સર્વ સંપત્તિ જપ્ત કરીને તેને નિર્વાસિત કરવો જોઈએ.
Lord Agni (in dialogue with sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Anti-corruption governance rule: if a protector/official abuses authority to plunder subjects, the king should confiscate all property and impose banishment—deterrence and restoration of public trust.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Penalty for corrupt protectors: confiscation and exile","lookup_keywords":["rakṣādhikṛta","bhrashta-ācāra","sarvasva-haraṇa","pravāsana","rājadharma"],"quick_summary":"Officials entrusted with protection who exploit the populace are to be stripped of all wealth and exiled. The rule frames corruption as a grave breach of delegated dharma requiring exemplary punishment."}
Concept: Delegated power is a trust (adhikāra) bound to protection; betrayal of that trust is worse than ordinary theft and demands strong corrective action.
Application: Design governance with strict penalties for abuse of office (asset forfeiture, removal/exile), transparent audits, and public-facing restitution to rebuild legitimacy.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma (Governance, Law, and Punishment)
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A royal judgment scene: a corrupt guard/official is brought before the king; scribes list confiscated goods; soldiers escort the condemned into exile beyond the city gate; citizens watch, relieved.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: king seated in judgment, corrupt rakṣādhikṛta with downcast posture, confiscated chests and ledgers, guards leading him toward a stylized city gate, bold lines and moral clarity.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: opulent court with gold leaf on throne and treasure chests; the king gestures confiscation; the official is led away; composition emphasizes righteous authority and restoration of order.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: narrative-instructional scene with clear elements—ledger, confiscation inventory, exile procession—fine detailing, calm but firm judicial mood.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: detailed palace court, clerks recording property seizure, soldiers escorting the official out; architectural depth, realistic faces, civic spectators."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Darbari Kanada","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: rakṣāsvadhikṛtaiyastu = rakṣāsu adhikṛtaiḥ tu; prajātyarthaṃ = prajāti-artham; sarvasvamādāya = sarvasvam ādāya.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 226 (rājadharma/vyavahāra cluster on punishments); Agni Purana 226.46 (limits on punishment) as complementary: strong penalties but regulated methods
FAQs
It imparts rajadharma (statecraft/jurisprudence): officials tasked with protection who exploit the populace are to be punished through confiscation of wealth and exile.
Alongside ritual and theology, the Agni Purana preserves practical governance norms—administrative ethics, anti-corruption measures, and penal policy—showing its broad, encyclopedic coverage of dharma in public life.
Misusing a protective duty to harm subjects is treated as a grave adharma; the king’s punishment functions as social purification and deterrence, restoring dharmic order and reducing collective harm.