Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 2
Adhyaya 223 — Rājadharmāḥ
Royal Duties: Inner Palace Governance, Trivarga Protection, Courtly Conduct, and Aromatic/Hygienic Sciences
मासेनैकेनेति छ , ज च धर्ममूलो ऽर्थविटपस् तथा कर्मफलो महान् त्रिवर्गपादपस्तत्र रक्षया फलभागं भवेत्
māsenaikeneti cha , ja ca dharmamūlo 'rthaviṭapas tathā karmaphalo mahān trivargapādapastatra rakṣayā phalabhāgaṃ bhavet
ਧਰਮ ਉਸ ਦੀ ਜੜ੍ਹ ਹੈ, ਅਰਥ ਉਸ ਦੀਆਂ ਟਾਹਣੀਆਂ ਹਨ, ਅਤੇ ਕਰਮ ਦਾ ਮਹਾਨ ਫਲ ਹੀ ਉਸ ਦਾ ਫਲ ਹੈ। ਇਹ ਤ੍ਰਿਵਰਗ ਦਾ ਰੁੱਖ ਹੈ; ਇਸ ਦੀ ਰੱਖਿਆ ਕਰਨ ਨਾਲ ਫਲਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਹਿੱਸਾ ਮਿਲਦਾ ਹੈ।
Lord Agni (in dialogue framework of Agni Purana, instructing the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Philosophy","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Using the trivarga ‘tree’ model to design policy: keep dharma as the foundation so artha and kāma yield legitimate results; protect institutions that sustain ethical prosperity.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Trivarga-vṛkṣa: Dharma as Root, Artha as Branches, Karma-phala as Fruit","lookup_keywords":["trivarga","dharma-mūla","artha-viṭapa","karma-phala","rakṣā"],"quick_summary":"The three aims are pictured as a tree: dharma is the root, artha the branches, and the fruit is the result of action. Protecting this structure ensures one’s rightful share of outcomes."}
Alamkara Type: Rupaka
Concept: Primacy of dharma as causal ground: artha and enjoyment become stable only when rooted in dharma; karma yields phala accordingly.
Application: In personal life and governance, audit ‘roots’ (ethics, law, restraint) before expanding ‘branches’ (wealth, projects); protect the system to secure sustainable results.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma / Nīti-śāstra (Dharma–Artha–Kāma: governance and ethical economy)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A symbolic tree labeled: roots ‘Dharma’, branches ‘Artha’, and fruits ‘Karma-phala’; a king protects the tree with a fence while a sage explains the model.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, allegorical trivarga tree with Sanskrit labels, sage instructing king, stylized foliage and fruits, protective fence motif, warm ochres and reds","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, central trivarga tree with gold-leaf fruits, sage and king on either side, ornate border, inscriptions on scroll-like panels: dharma-mūla, artha-viṭapa, karma-phala","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clean didactic diagram aesthetic: tree cross-section showing roots/branches/fruits, sage pointing with stylus, king holding staff of protection, soft pastel background","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, garden setting with a labeled tree, sage explaining to king, attendants holding a protective screen/fence, fine botanical detail and calligraphic captions"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: māsenaikena→māsena ekena; dharmamūlo 'rtha→dharma-mūlaḥ artha-; trivargapādapastatra→tri-varga-pādapaḥ tatra.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Nīti passages on dharma-artha-kāma balance and king as protector of dharma
FAQs
It teaches nīti (practical ethics): treat the trivarga like a cultivated tree—root it in Dharma, grow Artha as its branches, and you will receive karma-phala as the harvest by protecting and sustaining the system.
It shows the Agni Purana’s coverage of statecraft and moral economy (Rajadharma/Nīti), using a compact model that links ethics (Dharma), wealth (Artha), and outcomes (karma-phala) as an actionable framework.
The verse frames prosperity as karmically conditioned: when Artha is grounded in Dharma and carefully protected, one rightfully partakes of the resulting fruits without spiritual decline.