Agni Purana — Avatara-lila, Shloka 34
Chapter 10 — श्रीरामावतारवर्णनम्
Description of the Incarnation-Deeds of Śrī Rāma
पुत्रवद्धर्मकामादीन् दुष्टनिग्रहणे रतः सर्वधर्मपरो लोकः सर्वशस्या च मेदिनी नाकालमरणञ्चासीद् रामे राज्यं प्रशासति
putravaddharmakāmādīn duṣṭanigrahaṇe rataḥ sarvadharmaparo lokaḥ sarvaśasyā ca medinī nākālamaraṇañcāsīd rāme rājyaṃ praśāsati
ರಾಮನು ರಾಜ್ಯವನ್ನು ಆಡಳಿತ ಮಾಡುವಾಗ ಅವನು ಧರ್ಮ, ಕಾಮ ಮೊದಲಾದ ಪುರುಷಾರ್ಥಗಳನ್ನು ಪುತ್ರನಂತೆ ಪೋಷಿಸಿದನು; ದುಷ್ಟರ ನಿಯಂತ್ರಣ-ದಂಡದಲ್ಲಿ ನಿರತನಾಗಿದ್ದನು। ಜನರು ಸರ್ವಧರ್ಮಪರರಾಗಿದ್ದರು, ಭೂಮಿ ಎಲ್ಲ ಬೆಳೆಗಳನ್ನು ನೀಡಿತು, ಅಕಾಲಮರಣ ಇರಲಿಲ್ಲ।
Lord Agni (narrating the Purāṇic account to Sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Blueprint for ideal governance: nurture the puruṣārthas, suppress crime, ensure agricultural abundance, and maintain public health/longevity through just administration.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Rāma-rājya lakṣaṇa: niyama, duṣṭa-nigraha, kṣema and akālāmaraṇa-abhāva","lookup_keywords":["Rāma-rājya","duṣṭa-nigraha","sarva-śasyā medinī","akāla-maraṇa","puruṣārtha-pālana"],"quick_summary":"Just rule that restrains the wicked and supports dharma and prosperity yields social virtue, abundant harvests, and freedom from untimely death—an idealized governance outcome."}
Concept: Daṇḍa-nīti yoked to compassion: caring for puruṣārthas ‘like a son’ while restraining adharma produces loka-kṣema.
Application: Policy principle: combine welfare (nurture) with enforcement (restraint) to create prosperity and reduce preventable mortality.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma (Ideal Kingship and Governance)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A montage-like vision of Rāma-rājya: Rama administering justice, wicked restrained, citizens performing duties, fields heavy with crops, and a serene populace free from premature death.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, Rama as king with calm gaze holding scepter, a restrained wrongdoer at the side, villagers in dhārmic activity, lush paddy fields and flowering trees, harmonious composition with symbolic abundance","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, central enthroned Rama with gold halo, side panels showing dāna and justice, foreground of overflowing granaries and ripe crops, rich ornamentation and gold work emphasizing prosperity","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, didactic tableau: court of justice, village agriculture scene, and healthy families, fine linework and soft shading, labels implied through clear visual organization","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed city-and-countryside panorama: durbar justice scene, patrols maintaining order, farmers harvesting, bustling markets, naturalistic landscape and architecture"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: नाकालमरणञ्चासीद् = न + अकालमरणम् + च + आसीत्; (अ) + (आ) → आ; रामे (सप्तमी) ‘रामे (सति)’ implied locative absolute sense.
Related Themes: Agni Purana rājadharma passages on daṇḍa, prajā-rakṣaṇa, and prosperity signs (elsewhere in governance chapters)
FAQs
It imparts rāja-vidyā/rajadharma: the king must nurture the aims of life (puruṣārthas) and actively restrain wrongdoers to maintain social order and welfare.
It exemplifies the Agni Purāṇa’s statecraft component by linking ethical governance (dharma enforcement and justice) with measurable public outcomes (agricultural abundance and public health/longevity).
Upholding dharma through just rule is presented as karmically meritorious, generating collective well-being—prosperity, social righteousness, and protection from premature death.