Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 17

Sahāya-sampattiḥ (Securing Support/Allies): Royal Appointments, Court Offices, Spies, and Personnel Ethics

Devanagari script

विना दायादकृत्येषु तत्र ते हि समागताः परराजगृहात् प्राप्तान् जनान् संश्रयकाम्यया

Transliteration

vinā dāyādakṛtyeṣu tatra te hi samāgatāḥ pararājagṛhāt prāptān janān saṃśrayakāmyayā

Translation

ദായാദരുടെ നിർബന്ധിത കൃത്യങ്ങൾ ചെയ്തില്ലെങ്കിലും അവർ അവിടെ ഒന്നിച്ചു കൂടി; കാരണം മറ്റൊരു രാജാവിന്റെ ഗൃഹം/രാജസഭയിൽ നിന്ന് വന്ന ജനങ്ങൾക്ക് ആശ്രയവും പരിപാലനവും ലഭിക്കണമെന്ന ആഗ്രഹം അവർക്കുണ്ടായിരുന്നു।

Word by Word

• विना: without/except
• विना: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध/वर्जनार्थक-अव्यय (preposition-like: without/except)

• दायाद-कृत्येषु: in matters concerning heirs
• दायाद-कृत्येषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दायाद (प्रातिपदिक) + कृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (दायादस्य कृत्येषु); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• तत्र: there/in that context
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/indeed)

• समागताः: assembled/arrived
• समागताः: Kriya (क्रिया/वृत्ति)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-गम् (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• पर-राज-गृहात्: from another king’s house/court
• पर-राज-गृहात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + राजन् (प्रातिपदिक) + गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (परस्य राज्ञः गृहात्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/अपादान), एकवचन

• प्राप्तान्: arrived/come
• प्राप्तान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• जनान्: people
• जनान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• संश्रय-काम्यया: due to desire for shelter/refuge
• संश्रय-काम्यया: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संश्रय (प्रातिपदिक) + काम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (संश्रयस्य काम्या = desire for refuge); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन; हेतौ/कारणे (as cause)

Speaker

Lord Agni (in dialogue with Sage Vasiṣṭha, continuing the Rajadharma/Vyavahāra exposition)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: Kingdom

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: दायादकृत्येषु = दायाद + कृत्येषु; परराजगृहात् = पर + राज + गृहात्; संश्रयकाम्यया = संश्रय + काम्यया

Characters & Entities

• Dāyāda (heirs)
• Pararāja (foreign king)

FAQs

What technical or ritual knowledge (Vidya) is imparted in this verse?

It conveys a legal-ethical point in dāyāda-vyavahāra: heirs are expected to perform prescribed heir-duties, and social actions like granting shelter/patronage (saṃśraya) are framed within ordered obligations.

How does this verse contribute to the 'Encyclopedic' nature of the Agni Purana?

Beyond theology, the Agni Purana preserves governance and jurisprudence—inheritance duties, social responsibility, and state-like concerns (foreign arrivals, protection)—showing its wide coverage of practical law (vyavahāra) and Rajadharma.

What is the spiritual or karmic significance of this specific instruction?

Neglecting prescribed duties (kṛtya) is treated as a lapse in dharma, while offering saṃśraya (protection) is generally dharmic; the verse highlights that righteous merit depends on aligning compassionate acts with one’s obligatory responsibilities.