Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 4
Adhyaya 222 — राजधर्माः
Rājadharmāḥ): Duties of Kings (Administrative Order, Protection, and Revenue Ethics
श्रुत्वापि दशपालो ऽपि तत्र युक्तिमुपाचरेत् वित्ताद्याप्नोति राजा वै विषयात्तु सुरक्षितात्
śrutvāpi daśapālo 'pi tatra yuktimupācaret vittādyāpnoti rājā vai viṣayāttu surakṣitāt
सुन लेने पर भी दशपाल वहाँ युक्ति/नीति का प्रयोग करे। क्योंकि राजा को धन आदि की प्राप्ति वास्तव में सुरक्षित विषय (क्षेत्र/राज्य) से ही होती है।
Lord Agni (in instruction on rajadharma to the listening sage, traditionally Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Apply practical policy (yukti) even when protected; wealth accrues only from a secured territory—prioritize internal security, law enforcement, and protection of productive regions.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Yukti and the Principle: Wealth from a Protected Realm","lookup_keywords":["yukti","surakṣita-viṣaya","vitta","rājā","rakṣaṇa"],"quick_summary":"Protection is the economic foundation of kingship: revenue and prosperity arise from a secure district. Even with divine/structural protections, the king must actively employ policy and prudence."}
Alamkara Type: Arthāntaranyāsa / Nīti-nyāya (general maxim linking security to wealth)
Concept: Prudence (yukti) is indispensable; prosperity is not fate but the fruit of protection and policy. Security is dharma because it safeguards livelihoods.
Application: Invest in policing, border control, road safety, granary protection, and intelligence; measure governance success by stability of the viṣaya and uninterrupted economic activity.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma (Governance, Statecraft, Protection of the Realm)
Primary Rasa: Veera
Secondary Rasa: Shanta
Type: District (Viṣaya)
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A king consults ministers over a map of the district, dispatches patrols, and fortifies gates; fields and markets flourish behind secure walls, showing wealth arising from protection.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, king with ministers pointing to a stylized viṣaya map, guards at gates, watchtowers, calm yet vigilant palette, flourishing fields in the background as a symbol of protected prosperity","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, king in regal posture with gold-embossed fort walls and gates, soldiers in orderly lines, prosperous market scene behind, heavy gold work emphasizing royal protection","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional security tableau: patrol routes, gate inspection, ministerial counsel, clear depiction of administrative-yukti, fine detailing of uniforms and fort elements","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, strategic council with a painted map, dispatch riders leaving the fort, lively protected bazaar and cultivated fields, architectural depth and realistic detail"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: śrutvāpi → śrutvā api; daśapālo 'pi → daśapālaḥ api; yuktimupācaret → yuktim upācaret; vittādyāpnoti → vittāt ādi āpnoti; viṣayāttu → viṣayāt tu.
Related Themes: Agni Purana Rajadharma: protection of subjects, punishment, and revenue principles (near Adhyāyas 222–224)
FAQs
It imparts practical political vidyā: a king must actively employ yुक्ति (strategy/administrative prudence) to secure the realm, because revenue and prosperity arise from effective protection, not merely from divine or symbolic safeguards.
Alongside ritual and theology, the Agni Purana also preserves applied governance (rajadharma)—linking security, administration, and economic outcomes—showing its wide scope as a compendium of religious and practical knowledge.
Protecting the subjects and territory is framed as the king’s dharma; fulfilling it sustains order (dharma) and yields rightful prosperity, while negligence implies adharma and the loss of legitimate wealth.