Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 33
Chapter 238 — राजधर्माः (Rājadharmāḥ) | Duties of Kings
प्रवासायासदुःखेषु युद्धेषु च कृतश्रमः अद्वैधक्षत्रियप्रायो दण्डो दण्डवतां मतः
pravāsāyāsaduḥkheṣu yuddheṣu ca kṛtaśramaḥ advaidhakṣatriyaprāyo daṇḍo daṇḍavatāṃ mataḥ
ក្នុងទុក្ខលំបាកដែលកើតពីការធ្វើដំណើរ ការខិតខំ និងការឈឺចាប់—ហើយក្នុងសង្គ្រាមផងដែរ—ទណ្ឌកម្ម ត្រូវបានអ្នកចេះទណ្ឌនីតិចាត់ទុកថា គួរជាទណ្ឌដែលបានឲ្យអ្នកទទួលទណ្ឌបានឆ្លងកាត់ការលំបាករួចហើយ; វាគួរត្រូវដាក់ជាចម្បងលើក្សត្រីយៈ ហើយត្រូវតែត្រង់ត្រូវ មិនមានល្បិចពីរចិត្ត។
Lord Agni (in the Agni Purana’s instructional discourse)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Guidance for administering punishment and discipline in contexts of travel hardship and warfare; emphasizes straightforward, non-duplicity in danda-niti.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Danda in hardship and war: impartial, straightforward punishment chiefly for kshatriya duty","lookup_keywords":["danda-niti","kshatriya-dharma","yuddha-shrama","advaidha","punishment-principle"],"quick_summary":"Frames punishment as a disciplined, toil-bearing duty in harsh conditions, to be applied straightforwardly and impartially, aligned with kṣatriya responsibility."}
Concept: Danda as dharmic governance: punishment must be straightforward and aligned with role-duty, especially of the kshatriya.
Application: In administration and military command, apply penalties transparently and consistently, especially where public order is strained by travel and war.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma / Dandaniti (Governance, Law, and Punishment)
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A campaign setting where officials administer discipline among weary troops after travel and battle, emphasizing impartial judgment.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style, a royal judge/commander seated under a canopy in a military camp, weary soldiers returning from march, orderly attendants, visual emphasis on stern yet fair demeanor","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, king/commander with gold-worked throne and parasol, symbolic danda (staff of authority), disciplined soldiers in rows, solemn palette with ornate borders","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, instructional court-martial scene: scribe, witnesses, commander holding staff, clear gestures indicating impartial decision-making, minimal background clutter","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed camp court scene with tents, soldiers in varied uniforms, commander adjudicating, subtle expressions showing fatigue and seriousness"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: pravāsāyāsaduḥkheṣu parsed as dvandva compound in locative plural; no external sandhi beyond standard compounding.
Related Themes: Agni Purana Rajadharma/Dandaniti discussions on punishment gradations and kingly duty
FAQs
It conveys dandanīti (the science of punishment): in contexts like wartime and severe hardship, punishment/discipline should be applied straightforwardly (without duplicity) and is framed as chiefly a kṣatriya/royal concern.
Alongside ritual and theology, the Agni Purana also teaches practical statecraft—here, legal-political doctrine on punishment, discipline, and conduct during war and hardship—showing its coverage of governance as a technical subject.
By insisting on non-duplicitous, impartial discipline, it aligns royal action with dharma; just governance reduces adharma and its karmic consequences for ruler and realm.