Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 25
Mantra-śakti, Dūta-Carā (Envoys & Spies), Vyasana (Calamities), and the Sapta-Upāya of Nīti
राजा सव्यसनी हन्याद्राजकार्याणि यानि च वाग्दण्डयोश् च पारुष्यमर्थदूषणमेव च
rājā savyasanī hanyādrājakāryāṇi yāni ca vāgdaṇḍayoś ca pāruṣyamarthadūṣaṇameva ca
Raja hendaklah menghukum orang yang tenggelam dalam keburukan kerana mengabaikan atau merosakkan tugas-tugas diraja; juga kerana kekasaran dalam ucapan dan dalam hukuman jasmani; dan كذلك kerana mencemarkan harta (penyelewengan kewangan).
Lord Agni (in instruction to sage Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Administrative ethics and anti-abuse governance: punish vice-driven officials/king’s agents for dereliction, excessive harshness, and financial corruption; establishes standards for lawful punishment.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Punishable Misconduct in Royal Administration","lookup_keywords":["vyasana","vāk-pāruṣya","daṇḍa-pāruṣya","artha-dūṣaṇa","royal duties"],"quick_summary":"Dereliction due to vice, verbal/physical cruelty, and financial malpractice are punishable. Governance requires both discipline and restraint in speech, force, and finance."}
Concept: Ruler’s dharma includes punishing misconduct while avoiding cruelty and corruption; legitimacy rests on measured speech, measured force, and clean wealth.
Application: Codify misconduct categories, audit finances, and enforce proportionality in penalties to prevent abuse of authority.
Khanda Section: Rājadharma (Governance, Law, and Royal Duties)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A royal court where a corrupt or vice-driven official is tried; the king restrains harsh speech and excessive punishment, while accountants present evidence of embezzlement.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, courtroom scene with king and ministers, accused official with downcast face, palm-leaf records displayed, guards present, strong outlines and symbolic gestures of restraint","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, king on throne with gold-leaf regalia, judicial assembly, evidence of coins and ledgers, emphasis on moral authority and balanced justice","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, procedural justice tableau: complaint, evidence, judgment, punishment—arranged in panels; fine detailing, didactic clarity","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed court trial with scribes, witnesses, and accountants; subtle expressions, architectural depth, careful depiction of documents and coin scales"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: हन्याद्राजकार्याणि → हन्यात् राजकार्याणि; वाग्दण्डयोश् च → वाक् दण्डयोः च; अर्थदूषणमेव → अर्थदूषणम् एव
Related Themes: Agni Purana Rājadharma sections on daṇḍa, nyāya, and vyasana
FAQs
It imparts rājadharma-vidyā: practical statecraft on penal policy—punishing vice-driven officials/subjects for dereliction of royal work, verbal/physical cruelty in administering punishment, and financial corruption.
Beyond ritual and theology, it preserves administrative law and governance norms—defining punishable misconduct (abuse of coercive power and economic malpractice), showing the text’s broad coverage of polity and ethics.
It frames just governance as dharma: restraining vice, cruelty, and corruption protects social order, reduces collective harm, and supports the king’s merit by aligning punishment with righteousness rather than abuse.