Agni Purana — Ayurveda, Shloka 24
अश्ववाहनसारः
Aśvavāhana-sāra) — Essentials of Horses as Mounts (and Horse-Treatment
अकर्मज्ञो ऽनुपायज्ञो वेगासक्तो ऽतिकोपनः घनदण्डरतिच्छिद्रे यः ममोपि न शस्यते
akarmajño 'nupāyajño vegāsakto 'tikopanaḥ ghanadaṇḍaraticchidre yaḥ mamopi na śasyate
Sesiapa yang jahil tentang tindakan yang wajar, jahil tentang jalan ikhtiar, terikat pada dorongan laju yang melulu, terlalu pemarah, gemar hukuman yang keras, serta mengambil kesempatan pada kelemahan—orang demikian tidak patut disyorkan, bahkan olehku sekalipun.
Lord Agni (teaching governance/niti to sage Vashistha in the Agni Purana’s instructional frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Ministerial/official selection: avoid recommending persons lacking competence and prudence, prone to impulsiveness and anger, harsh punishment, and exploitative opportunism.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Disqualifying traits for counsel/office: akarmajña, anupāyajña, vegāsakta, atikopana, ghana-daṇḍarati, chidra-anveṣin","lookup_keywords":["rajadharma","anupaya-jna","atikopa","danda-niti","chidra (exploiting faults)"],"quick_summary":"A ruler should not endorse or appoint one who lacks knowledge of right action and expedients, is impulsive and wrathful, delights in severe punishment, and hunts for others’ weaknesses."}
Concept: Right governance requires self-restraint and upaya-jñāna; punitive zeal and fault-finding opportunism are adharma and politically destructive.
Application: Use competency and temperament screening for leadership roles; prefer calm, strategic, fair-minded administrators over impulsive punitive personalities.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma (Niti-shastra: Governance, Counsel, and Ministerial Ethics)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A king in council rejects an unfit advisor characterized by anger and harsh punishment; a wise minister presents a list of disqualifying traits for office.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: royal sabha with king on throne, minister holding palm-leaf list of vices; the rejected official shown with angry posture; bold colors, ornate pillars, stylized expressions.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: king and chief minister in frontal composition, gold-leaf throne and jewelry; symbolic depiction of ‘danda’ (staff) set aside to indicate restraint; rich reds and greens.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: didactic court scene with clear gestures—minister enumerating faults on a scroll; the unfit candidate depicted with tense stance; fine linework and soft shading.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: detailed durbar with courtiers; the king turns away from a wrathful official; a wise counselor points to a written memorandum; intricate textiles and architectural detail."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: अकर्मज्ञो ऽनुपायज्ञो = अकर्मज्ञः अनुपायज्ञः; वेगासक्तो ऽतिकोपनः = वेगासक्तः अतिकोपनः; ममोपि = मम अपि.
Related Themes: Agni Purana Rajadharma/Niti sections on amatyas (ministers), danda, and upaya; Agni Purana discussions of krodha (anger) as a governance vice
FAQs
Niti-vidya (statecraft): it lists disqualifying traits in an advisor/minister—ignorance of duty, ignorance of expedients (upāya), impulsiveness, uncontrolled anger, cruelty in punishment (daṇḍa), and exploiting others’ vulnerabilities.
Alongside ritual and theology, the Agni Purana also preserves practical governance doctrine (rajadharma), including administrative ethics and decision-making standards for selecting trustworthy counselors.
It frames righteous rule as restraint and discernment: avoiding cruelty, anger, and opportunism supports dharmic governance, reducing harmful karma generated through unjust punishment and exploitative conduct.