Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 64
Chapter 226 — राजधर्माः
Rājadharma: Royal Duties and Daṇḍanīti
पारजायिकचौरौ च मुञ्चतो दण्ड उत्तमः राजयानासनारोढुर्दण्ड उत्तमसाहसः
pārajāyikacaurau ca muñcato daṇḍa uttamaḥ rājayānāsanāroḍhurdaṇḍa uttamasāhasaḥ
Barangsiapa membebaskan pezina dan pencuri, baginya ditetapkan hukuman tertinggi. Dan siapa yang menaiki kendaraan kerajaan atau singgasana, baginya dikenakan denda sāhasa tingkat tertinggi (paling berat).
Lord Agni (in discourse to Sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Sets deterrent penalties for officials who unlawfully release serious offenders and for unauthorized use of royal vehicles/seats—protecting custody, hierarchy, and symbols of sovereignty.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Highest Penalties: Releasing Felons; Usurping Royal Conveyance/Seat","lookup_keywords":["parajayika","chaura","muncati","rajayana","sahasa-danda"],"quick_summary":"Freeing an adulterer or thief attracts the highest penalty; mounting the king’s conveyance/seat is punished with the gravest class of sāhasa fine, guarding royal prerogatives and public order."}
Concept: Authority must not be abused: custody of criminals and royal insignia are inviolable; violating them destabilizes dharma and rajya.
Application: Implement strict protocols for prisoner release and access control to royal property; treat symbolic usurpation as a serious public offense.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma (Criminal law, fines, and penalties)
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A constable secretly releasing a bound thief/adulterer at night, contrasted with a brazen offender climbing onto the king’s chariot or sitting on the royal throne, while ministers react in alarm.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, palace gateway at night with guards untying a prisoner, and a separate panel of a man stepping onto a royal chariot near the throne hall, bold outlines, stylized flames/lamps, dramatic gestures.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, king’s throne and chariot rendered with gold embossing, offender depicted touching the royal seat, ministers with raised hands, rich ornamentation, symmetrical composition.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clear narrative split-scene: (1) unlawful release of prisoner with keys and shackles, (2) unauthorized mounting of royal conveyance, fine linework, muted elegance, didactic labeling feel.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed palace courtyard with chariot, guards, and a culprit climbing up, while another scene shows a jailer bribed to release a prisoner, intricate textiles and architecture."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"admonitory","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: पारजायिकचौरौ = pārajāyika-caurau (dvandva, dual); राजयानासनारोढुर्दण्ड = rāja-yāna-āsana-āroḍhuḥ daṇḍaḥ (visarga sandhi); उत्तमसाहसः = uttama-sāhasaḥ.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 226 (danda gradations; sāhasa fines context)
FAQs
It imparts daṇḍa-nīti (penal jurisprudence): releasing serious offenders (adulterer, thief) and unlawfully using royal conveyances/seats attracts the severest class of punishment, including the highest sāhasa-fine.
Alongside ritual and theology, the Agni Purana preserves practical statecraft—codifying crimes, graded fines (sāhasa), and protections around royal insignia—showing it functions as a compendium of governance and legal norms.
By enforcing strict penalties for enabling crime and for violating royal authority, the text frames social order (dharma) as a moral duty; complicity in wrongdoing is treated as a heavy karmic fault requiring strong corrective punishment.