Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 41
Determination of Boundary Disputes and Related Matters (सीमाविवादादिनिर्णयः)
वेदज्ञाः शुचयो ऽलुब्धा भवेयुः कार्यचिन्तकाः कर्तव्यं वचनं तेषां समूहहितवादिनां
vedajñāḥ śucayo 'lubdhā bhaveyuḥ kāryacintakāḥ kartavyaṃ vacanaṃ teṣāṃ samūhahitavādināṃ
彼らはヴェーダに通じ、行い清浄で、貪りを離れ、事務を熟慮する者であるべきである。共同体の福利のために語る者たちの助言は、義務として従うべきである。
Lord Agni (in discourse to Sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Selection of ministers/counsellors and decision-making protocol: prefer advisers who are śuci (ethically clean), alubdha (non-corrupt), and oriented to collective welfare; treat their counsel as binding duty in governance.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Mantri-lakṣaṇa (Qualifications of royal counsellors)","lookup_keywords":["mantrin","alubdha","śuci","vedajña","samūha-hita"],"quick_summary":"A king should rely on advisers who are Veda-educated, morally pure, and free from greed. Counsel aimed at the welfare of the collective is to be treated as obligatory guidance."}
Concept: Niṣkāma-sevā and alobha as prerequisites for trustworthy counsel; collective welfare (samūha-hita) as the criterion of right policy.
Application: Create anti-corruption norms: vet advisers for greed/conflict-of-interest; institutionalize deliberation with public-welfare metrics.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma / Governance and Counsel (Ministerial Ethics)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A king seated in sabhā listens to a circle of sober, Veda-learned ministers; one adviser speaks for the common good while others deliberate with palm-leaf manuscripts.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, flat rich colors, ornate court hall (sabhā), king with crown and kasavu garments, ministers with palm-leaf manuscripts, calm ethical deliberation, traditional borders, symmetrical composition","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, king on jeweled throne with gold foil highlights, ministers in respectful posture holding palm-leaf texts, halo-like aureoles, deep reds and greens, embossed ornaments emphasizing dharma and counsel","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, fine linework, soft shading, court scene with labeled roles (king, chief minister), palm-leaf manuscripts, gesture of instruction, minimal background architecture, instructional clarity","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed durbar interior, patterned carpets, ministers in turbans presenting counsel scrolls, naturalistic faces, delicate borders, emphasis on ethical governance"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: शुचयो ऽलुब्धा = शुचयः अलुब्धाः; समूहहितवादिनां = समूह-हित-वादिनाम् (समास).
Related Themes: Agni Purana Rajadharma section on ministerial selection and counsel; Agni Purana Vyavahāra section on adjudication and evidence (contextual governance norms)
FAQs
This verse imparts Rajadharma (statecraft ethics): advisors should be Veda-educated, morally pure, non-greedy, and skilled in deliberating practical affairs; the king should treat welfare-oriented counsel as binding.
It demonstrates the Agni Purana’s coverage beyond ritual into governance—laying down qualifications for ministers and a principle of policy-making centered on collective welfare, a key topic within its broad Rajadharma material.
By prioritizing purity, non-greed, and public welfare in counsel, the ruler aligns governance with dharma, reducing harmful karma from selfish rule and supporting merit through just, community-benefiting decisions.