Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 12
Adhyaya 223 — Rājadharmāḥ
Royal Duties: Inner Palace Governance, Trivarga Protection, Courtly Conduct, and Aromatic/Hygienic Sciences
विवृणीति तथाङ्गानि स्वस्या गुह्यानि भार्गव गर्हितञ्च तथैवाङ्गं प्रयत्नेन निगूहति
vivṛṇīti tathāṅgāni svasyā guhyāni bhārgava garhitañca tathaivāṅgaṃ prayatnena nigūhati
バールガヴァよ、人は自らの秘所さえも露わにすることがある。しかも同様に、努力して、非難されるべき肢体、すなわち欠点を隠すのである。
Lord Agni (teaching the Bhārgava interlocutor within the Agni Purana’s instructional dialogue)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Guidance on propriety: avoid shameless exposure while being careful to conceal socially blameworthy defects; used in sadācāra instruction and ethical self-presentation.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Sadācāra: viparīta-lajjā (misplaced modesty)","lookup_keywords":["sadācāra","lajjā","guhya-aṅga","gṛhya-nigūhana","nīti"],"quick_summary":"Warns against inverted shame: people may expose what should be private yet labor to hide what is truly blameworthy; cultivate correct modesty and ethical self-correction."}
Concept: Right modesty and moral discernment: conceal what is private; rectify rather than merely hide what is blameworthy.
Application: Adopt standards of decorum; focus effort on removing faults (doṣa) rather than cosmetically concealing them.
Khanda Section: Nīti-śāstra / Sadācāra (Ethics of conduct; social and personal propriety)
Primary Rasa: Śānta
Secondary Rasa: Bībhatsa
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A didactic scene contrasting two behaviors: a person carelessly exposing private parts while anxiously covering a visible defect; a teacher figure (Bhārgava) instructs on proper modesty.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, moral-instruction tableau, teacher-sage addressing a householder, symbolic gestures of covering and uncovering, muted earthy tones, clear narrative contrast","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, seated sage instructing, gold-leaf halo for the teacher, two small vignette panels showing ‘exposure’ vs ‘concealment of defect’, ornate borders","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clean didactic composition, labeled contrasting actions, emphasis on gesture and posture, minimal background for clarity","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, ethical lesson in a courtyard, scholar-teacher with manuscript, figures demonstrating improper and proper concealment, fine detailing of garments and expressions"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: tathāṅgāni→tathā aṅgāni; tathaivāṅgaṃ→tathā eva aṅgam; garhitañca→garhitaṃ ca.
Related Themes: Agni Purana Nīti/Sadācāra passages on lajjā, śauca, and social conduct (same khanda context)
FAQs
It imparts nīti (practical ethics): discretion in bodily and personal matters—what should remain concealed (guhya) and the deliberate hiding of blameworthy defects (garhita) to maintain propriety.
Beyond rituals and theology, the Agni Purana also codifies social conduct (sadācāra) and nīti—offering guidance on modesty, secrecy, and reputation management as part of its wide-ranging instructional scope.
Practicing modesty and self-restraint supports dharma, reduces occasions for social harm and personal downfall, and aligns one’s behavior with disciplined living that is praised as conducive to merit (puṇya) and inner purity.