Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 2
Mantra-śakti, Dūta-Carā (Envoys & Spies), Vyasana (Calamities), and the Sapta-Upāya of Nīti
मन्त्रयेतेह कार्याणि नानाप्तैर् नाविपश्चिता अशक्यारम्भवृत्तीनां कुतः क्लेशादृते फलं
mantrayeteha kāryāṇi nānāptair nāvipaścitā aśakyārambhavṛttīnāṃ kutaḥ kleśādṛte phalaṃ
この世において、信頼に足らず識別もない者でさえ事業を論議する。だが不可能なことを常に始める者に、労苦と苦悩以外の果がどうしてあろうか。
Lord Agni (instructional narration in the Agni Purana)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Screen advisers and project proposals: avoid counsel from the untrustworthy/undiscerning; reject initiatives whose prerequisites make them impossible, to prevent waste of labor and public resources.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Futility of Impossible Undertakings & Unfit Counsel","lookup_keywords":["amantrin (unfit counsel)","asakya-arambha (impossible start)","niti (policy)","apta (trustworthy)","vipascit (discerning)"],"quick_summary":"Policy deliberation should be done only with trustworthy, discerning persons. Projects that are structurally impossible yield only effort and distress, not results."}
Concept: Yukti (sound reasoning) and sat-sanga (reliance on the trustworthy) as prerequisites for fruitful action; avoidance of asambhava (impossibility).
Application: Adopt feasibility checks and ethical vetting of advisers before committing resources.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma / Niti-shastra (Statecraft, counsel, and practical governance)
Primary Rasa: Shanta
Secondary Rasa: Karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A king in council rejects a grand but impossible proposal after noticing the advisers are unreliable; the rejected plan is shown as a collapsing bridge or unfinished fort, symbolizing futile toil.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style royal sabha scene: seated king with palm-leaf manuscripts, two advisers—one sincere, one shifty-eyed—behind them a faint vignette of a crumbling construction, earthy reds/ochres, bold outlines, temple-mural composition.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting: king on ornate throne with gold-leaf arch, minister presenting a scroll; the king gestures refusal; symbolic broken wheel/bridge in background; rich jewel tones, heavy gold work, frontal iconic arrangement.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting: instructional court tableau with labeled elements (apta/vipascit vs unfit), delicate linework, soft washes; a small inset diagram of 'impossible undertaking' as a blocked path.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: detailed durbar with expressive faces; the untrustworthy adviser whispers; the king points to an account ledger showing losses; background shows laborers exhausted at an unworkable site, fine architectural detail."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: मन्त्रयेतेह → मन्त्रयेत् + इह; नानाप्तैर् → न + अनाप्तैः; नाविपश्चिता → न + अविपश्चिता; अशक्यारम्भवृत्तीनां treated as तत्पुरुष-समास; क्लेशादृते → क्लेशात् + ऋते.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Rajadharma/Niti sections on ministers, counsel, and secrecy (contextual)
FAQs
Niti-vidya (statecraft/practical ethics): consult only with trustworthy and discerning advisors, and avoid initiating inherently impossible projects that yield only hardship.
Alongside ritual and theology, the Agni Purana preserves governance and decision-science (Rajadharma/Niti), showing how rulers and households should evaluate feasibility, advisors (āpta), and outcomes (phala).
It promotes dharmic discernment (viveka): right counsel and realistic effort prevent wasteful, ego-driven action, reducing needless suffering (kleśa) and aligning work with responsible duty.