Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 53
Chapter 226 — राजधर्माः
Rājadharma: Royal Duties and Daṇḍanīti
राष्ट्रेषु राष्ट्राधिकृतान् सामन्तान् पापिनो हरेत् सन्धिं कृत्वा तु ये चौर्यं रात्रौ कुर्वन्ति तस्कराः
rāṣṭreṣu rāṣṭrādhikṛtān sāmantān pāpino haret sandhiṃ kṛtvā tu ye cauryaṃ rātrau kurvanti taskarāḥ
Di dalam kerajaan, raja hendaknya menangkap dan menyingkirkan para samanta serta pejabat wilayah yang jahat. Dan para pencuri yang setelah bersekutu melakukan pencurian pada malam hari, mereka pun harus ditangkap.
Lord Agni
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"State security: identification, arrest, and removal of corrupt local officials/feudatories and organized night-theft gangs; guidance for policing and internal intelligence.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Suppression of corrupt officers and nocturnal pact-thieves","lookup_keywords":["samanta","rashtra-adhikrita","sandhi-kritva chaurya","ratri-taskara","raja-danda"],"quick_summary":"The king must purge wicked feudatories/provincial officers and apprehend organized night thieves who act after forming pacts; it frames internal security as a core royal duty."}
Concept: Raja-dharma as protection: removing corrupt power and restraining organized crime.
Application: Institutional checks on local officials; proactive policing of conspiratorial theft.
Khanda Section: Rājadharma (Governance, Law, and Penal Policy)
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A royal court scene where the king orders arrest of corrupt feudatories and captures a night-time thief gang that acted by secret pact.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, regal king on throne with attendants, stern expressions, guards seizing bound samantas and masked night thieves, deep earthy reds and greens, flat iconic composition, ornamental borders.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, king with jeweled crown and halo-like arch, gold-leaf detailing on throne and ornaments, soldiers presenting captured thieves, stylized palace pillars, rich reds and blues.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clean linework and soft shading, instructional court tableau: king pointing to scribes recording charges, guards arresting officials and thieves, emphasis on law-and-order narrative clarity.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed palace interior with courtiers, night-thief vignette in a corner with moonlit street, fine textiles, realistic faces, guards apprehending conspirators."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: राष्ट्राधिकृतान् = राष्ट्र + अधिकृतान् (तत्पुरुष); हरेत् (optative) governs accusatives राष्ट्राधिकृतान्/सामन्तान्/पापिनः. No further mandatory sandhi splits.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 226 (Rājadharma/Vyavahāra sequence on crimes, fines, and punishments)
FAQs
This verse imparts rājadharma (statecraft/legal policy): identifying and suppressing internal threats—corrupt provincial officers, wicked feudatories, and organized night-thieves acting by prior pact.
It shows the Agni Purana functioning as a practical manual beyond ritual—covering administration, policing, and criminal justice alongside theology, making it an encyclopedic Purana.
Protecting subjects by restraining wicked officials and thieves is treated as dharmic kingship; failure to curb such harm accrues demerit, while just enforcement supports social order (dharma) and reduces collective wrongdoing.