Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 14
Chapter 225 — राजधर्माः
The Duties of Kings): Daiva and Pौरुष (Effort), Upāyas of Statecraft, and Daṇḍa (Punitive Authority
दण्डे सर्वं स्थितं दण्डो नाशयेद्दुष्प्रणीकृतः अदण्ड्यान् दण्डयन्नश्येद्दण्ड्यान्राजाप्यदण्डयन्
daṇḍe sarvaṃ sthitaṃ daṇḍo nāśayedduṣpraṇīkṛtaḥ adaṇḍyān daṇḍayannaśyeddaṇḍyānrājāpyadaṇḍayan
ଦଣ୍ଡରେ ସମସ୍ତ ଶାସନ-କ୍ରମ ନିହିତ। ଦଣ୍ଡ ଯଦି ଭୁଲ ଭାବେ ପ୍ରୟୋଗ ହୁଏ, ତେବେ ରାଜ୍ୟ ନଶ୍ଟ ହୁଏ। ଅଦଣ୍ଡ୍ୟକୁ ଦଣ୍ଡ ଦେଲେ ସେ ନଶେ; ଦଣ୍ଡ୍ୟକୁ ଦଣ୍ଡ ନଦେଲେ ରାଜା ମଧ୍ୟ ନଶେ।
Lord Agni (in instruction to Sage Vasiṣṭha, within the Agni Purana’s didactic narration)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Designing a just penal policy: punish only the punishable, avoid wrongful punishment, and avoid impunity; this stabilizes governance and legitimacy.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Daṇḍa as the basis of order; danger of misapplied or omitted punishment","lookup_keywords":["daṇḍa","punishment","rājadharma","wrongful punishment","impunity"],"quick_summary":"Social order depends on daṇḍa (coercive authority). Both overreach (punishing the innocent) and negligence (not punishing the guilty) ruin the ruler and the realm."}
Concept: Dharma is protected by proportionate, correctly targeted punishment; injustice and impunity are equally destructive.
Application: Adopt due process, clear standards of culpability, and proportional sentencing; audit punishments to prevent abuse and neglect.
Khanda Section: Rājadharma (Governance and Jurisprudence)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A king seated in court with the daṇḍa (rod/scepter) beside him; two cases shown—an innocent spared and a guilty punished—symbolizing balance and due punishment.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, royal sabhā scene, king with scepter (daṇḍa), ministers and scribes, two petitioners (innocent and guilty), flat warm colors, ornate borders, dignified expressions","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, king on jeweled throne holding daṇḍa, gold-leaf halo and arch, attendants with palm-leaf records, symbolic scales of justice, rich reds and greens, embossed ornaments","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional court tableau, labeled gestures of ‘punish’ and ‘spare’, clean lines, soft shading, emphasis on ethical balance and procedure, minimal background architecture","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed durbar with qazi-like judge and king, fine textiles, manuscript margins, two litigants, one being fined and one released, precise architectural perspective"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: nāśayedduṣpraṇīkṛtaḥ = nāśayet duṣ-praṇīkṛtaḥ; daṇḍayannaśyet = daṇḍayan naśyet; daṇḍyān rājā api a-daṇḍayan = daṇḍyān rājā api adaṇḍayan.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 225 (Rājadharma: daṇḍanīti)
FAQs
Daṇḍanīti (the science of punishment): governance requires correct, proportionate punishment—misapplied punishment and failure to punish both lead to political ruin.
It shows the Agni Purana’s coverage beyond ritual into practical statecraft—legal responsibility, standards of justice, and consequences of judicial error—typical of its wide-ranging, encyclopedic scope.
A ruler incurs demerit by harming the innocent or shielding the guilty; righteous punishment is framed as a dharmic duty that protects society and sustains moral order.