Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 8
Duties outside the Varṇa Order (वर्णेतरधर्माः) — Agni Purana, Chapter 151
क्षत्रियस्य सवैश्यस्य कर्मेदं परिकीर्तितं क्षत्रियस्य विशेषेण पालनं दुष्टनिग्रहः
kṣatriyasya savaiśyasya karmedaṃ parikīrtitaṃ kṣatriyasya viśeṣeṇa pālanaṃ duṣṭanigrahaḥ
ക്ഷത്രിയനും, വൈശ്യനോടൊപ്പം, ഈ കർത്തവ്യം പ്രസ്താവിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു; എന്നാൽ ക്ഷത്രിയന്റെ പ്രത്യേക ധർമ്മം പ്രജാപാലനവും ദുഷ്ടനിഗ്രഹവും (ശിക്ഷ) ആകുന്നു।
Lord Agni (narrating to Sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Guides governance: the ruler/warrior class must protect subjects and suppress अपराध (wrongdoers) through policing, adjudication, and proportionate punishment.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Kṣatriya-viśeṣa-dharma: pālana and duṣṭa-nigraha","lookup_keywords":["kshatriya dharma","palana","dusta nigraha","rajadharma","punishment"],"quick_summary":"Defines the kṣatriya’s distinctive duty: protection of the people and restraint/punishment of the wicked. Practical basis for law-and-order and defense functions of the state."}
Weapon Type: Bow (as emblematic of kṣatriya), Sword
Concept: Coercive power is legitimate when used for protection (pālana) and curbing adharma (duṣṭa-nigraha).
Application: Policy principle: prioritize citizen safety, fair enforcement, and measured punishment to prevent social breakdown.
Khanda Section: Rājadharma (Governance and Social Duties)
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A king/warrior stands guard over a town; he hears petitions, protects merchants and farmers, and orders the arrest of a bandit—symbolizing pālana and duṣṭa-nigraha.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: kṣatriya king with bow and sword, protective stance before city gate; न्याय-सभा scene with petitioners; subdued depiction of restraining a wrongdoer, bold outlines and traditional ornaments.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: regal king with gold-embossed crown and weapons, seated in court dispensing justice; background shows guarded city and peaceful subjects; rich gold detailing and symmetrical composition.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: narrative panels—(1) protection patrol, (2) court judgment, (3) apprehension of criminal—fine linework, clear instructional emphasis on governance.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: durbar scene with the ruler adjudicating; guards escort a culprit; bustling city life protected under rule; intricate textiles, architecture, and realistic faces."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: कर्मेदम् → कर्म इदम्; सवैश्यस्य interpreted as स-वैश्यस्य (‘with/and the vaiśya’s’).
Related Themes: Agni Purana rājadharma/nīti chapters (king’s duties, daṇḍa, administration); Agni Purana dhanurveda passages (weapons/training)
FAQs
It imparts rājadharma: the statecraft duty of pālana (public protection) and duṣṭa-nigraha (restraining/punishing wrongdoers), defining the Kṣatriya’s core administrative function.
By codifying governance and social duty alongside other disciplines, it shows the Agni Purana’s wide scope—treating political ethics and law-and-order as part of its multi-subject compendium.
Fulfilling protection and just restraint is presented as the Kṣatriya’s svadharma; performing it upholds dharma and yields merit, while neglecting it leads to social disorder and negative karmic consequences.