Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 23

Adhyaya 222 — राजधर्माः

Rājadharmāḥ): Duties of Kings (Administrative Order, Protection, and Revenue Ethics

Devanagari script

न तद्राज्ञा प्रदातव्यं गृहे यद् गृहगैर् हृतं स्वराष्ट्रपण्यादादद्याद्राजा विंशतिमं द्विज

Transliteration

na tadrājñā pradātavyaṃ gṛhe yad gṛhagair hṛtaṃ svarāṣṭrapaṇyādādadyādrājā viṃśatimaṃ dvija

Translation

ഹേ ദ്വിജാ! വീട്ടിനുള്ളിൽ വീട്ടുകാർ തന്നെ കവർന്ന നഷ്ടം രാജാവ് പൂരിപ്പിക്കേണ്ടതില്ല. സ്വന്തം രാജ്യത്തിലെ വ്യാപാരവസ്തുക്കളിൽ നിന്ന് രാജാവ് ഇരുപതിൽ ഒരു ഭാഗം സ്വീകരിക്കണം।

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• तत्: that (property)
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; (वाक्ये कर्मसंज्ञकं भाव्यं)

• राज्ञा: by the king
• राज्ञा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• प्रदातव्यम्: should be given
• प्रदातव्यम्: Kriya (क्रिया/भाव)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-√दा (धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: कर्तव्यार्थक कृदन्त (तव्यत्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘to be given’

• गृहे: in a house
• गृहे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• यत्: which (that which)
• यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम

• गृहगैः: by household members
• गृहगैः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; ‘गृह-ग’ = house-dweller/one belonging to the house

• हृतम्: stolen/taken
• हृतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृत (धातु √हृ) (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• स्वराष्ट्रपण्यात्: from goods of his own kingdom
• स्वराष्ट्रपण्यात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व-राष्ट्र + पण्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; ‘स्वराष्ट्र-पण्या’ = goods/merchandise of one’s own kingdom

• आदद्याद्: should take/collect
• आदद्याद्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• विंशतिमम्: the twentieth part
• विंशतिमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विंशतितम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक (ordinal)

• द्विज: O Brahmin
• द्विज: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Agni (teaching rājadharma to the sage Vasiṣṭha, standard Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: Kingdom

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: तद्राज्ञा = तत् + राज्ञा; गृहगैर् = गृहगैः (विसर्ग/रेफ्-सन्धि); स्वराष्ट्रपण्यादादद्याद्राजा = स्वराष्ट्रपण्यात् + आदद्याद् + राजा.

Characters & Entities

• Rājā (king)
• Dvija (brāhmaṇa)
• Sva-rāṣṭra (the realm)

FAQs

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

It imparts rājadharma (statecraft/legal policy): limits of royal liability for theft and a specific revenue rule—levying a 1/20 tax on merchandise in the king’s realm.

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

Beyond theology, it preserves administrative law and fiscal policy (tax rates and liability norms), showing the Agni Purāṇa’s coverage of practical governance alongside ritual and spiritual topics.

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

It frames taxation and justice as dharma: the king must collect revenue in a regulated, non-arbitrary way and avoid improper payouts, supporting social order (dharma) and reducing adharma in governance.