Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 41
Determination of Boundary Disputes and Related Matters (सीमाविवादादिनिर्णयः)
वेदज्ञाः शुचयो ऽलुब्धा भवेयुः कार्यचिन्तकाः कर्तव्यं वचनं तेषां समूहहितवादिनां
vedajñāḥ śucayo 'lubdhā bhaveyuḥ kāryacintakāḥ kartavyaṃ vacanaṃ teṣāṃ samūhahitavādināṃ
ସେମାନେ ବେଦଜ୍ଞ, ଆଚରଣରେ ଶୁଚି ଓ ଲୋଭରହିତ, କାର୍ଯ୍ୟବିଚାରକ ହେବା ଉଚିତ। ସମୂହହିତ କହୁଥିବା ଲୋକଙ୍କ ବଚନ କର୍ତ୍ତବ୍ୟରୂପେ ମାନିବା ଉଚିତ।
Lord Agni (in discourse to Sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Selection of ministers/counsellors and decision-making protocol: prefer advisers who are śuci (ethically clean), alubdha (non-corrupt), and oriented to collective welfare; treat their counsel as binding duty in governance.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Mantri-lakṣaṇa (Qualifications of royal counsellors)","lookup_keywords":["mantrin","alubdha","śuci","vedajña","samūha-hita"],"quick_summary":"A king should rely on advisers who are Veda-educated, morally pure, and free from greed. Counsel aimed at the welfare of the collective is to be treated as obligatory guidance."}
Concept: Niṣkāma-sevā and alobha as prerequisites for trustworthy counsel; collective welfare (samūha-hita) as the criterion of right policy.
Application: Create anti-corruption norms: vet advisers for greed/conflict-of-interest; institutionalize deliberation with public-welfare metrics.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma / Governance and Counsel (Ministerial Ethics)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A king seated in sabhā listens to a circle of sober, Veda-learned ministers; one adviser speaks for the common good while others deliberate with palm-leaf manuscripts.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, flat rich colors, ornate court hall (sabhā), king with crown and kasavu garments, ministers with palm-leaf manuscripts, calm ethical deliberation, traditional borders, symmetrical composition","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, king on jeweled throne with gold foil highlights, ministers in respectful posture holding palm-leaf texts, halo-like aureoles, deep reds and greens, embossed ornaments emphasizing dharma and counsel","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, fine linework, soft shading, court scene with labeled roles (king, chief minister), palm-leaf manuscripts, gesture of instruction, minimal background architecture, instructional clarity","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed durbar interior, patterned carpets, ministers in turbans presenting counsel scrolls, naturalistic faces, delicate borders, emphasis on ethical governance"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: शुचयो ऽलुब्धा = शुचयः अलुब्धाः; समूहहितवादिनां = समूह-हित-वादिनाम् (समास).
Related Themes: Agni Purana Rajadharma section on ministerial selection and counsel; Agni Purana Vyavahāra section on adjudication and evidence (contextual governance norms)
FAQs
This verse imparts Rajadharma (statecraft ethics): advisors should be Veda-educated, morally pure, non-greedy, and skilled in deliberating practical affairs; the king should treat welfare-oriented counsel as binding.
It demonstrates the Agni Purana’s coverage beyond ritual into governance—laying down qualifications for ministers and a principle of policy-making centered on collective welfare, a key topic within its broad Rajadharma material.
By prioritizing purity, non-greed, and public welfare in counsel, the ruler aligns governance with dharma, reducing harmful karma from selfish rule and supporting merit through just, community-benefiting decisions.