Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 1
Chapter 238 — राजधर्माः (Rājadharmāḥ) | Duties of Kings
इत्य् आग्नेये महापुराणे रामोक्तनीतिर्नाम सप्तत्रिंशदधिकद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः अथाष्टत्रिंशदधिकशततमो ऽध्यायः राजधर्माः राम उवाच स्वाम्यमात्यञ्च राष्ट्रञ्च दुर्गं कोषो बलं सुहृत् परस्परोपकारीदं सप्ताङ्गं राज्यमुच्यते
ity āgneye mahāpurāṇe rāmoktanītirnāma saptatriṃśadadhikadviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ athāṣṭatriṃśadadhikaśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ rājadharmāḥ rāma uvāca svāmyamātyañca rāṣṭrañca durgaṃ koṣo balaṃ suhṛt parasparopakārīdaṃ saptāṅgaṃ rājyamucyate
ਇਸ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਅਗਨੀ ਮਹਾਪੁਰਾਣ ਵਿੱਚ ‘ਰਾਮੋਕਤ ਨੀਤੀ’ ਨਾਮਕ ੨੩੭ਵਾਂ ਅਧਿਆਇ ਸਮਾਪਤ ਹੋਇਆ। ਹੁਣ ੨੩੮ਵਾਂ ਅਧਿਆਇ ‘ਰਾਜਧਰਮ’ ਸ਼ੁਰੂ ਹੁੰਦਾ ਹੈ। ਰਾਮ ਨੇ ਕਿਹਾ—ਸਵਾਮੀ (ਰਾਜਾ), ਅਮਾਤ੍ਯ (ਮੰਤਰੀ), ਰਾਸ਼ਟਰ (ਜਨਪਦ), ਦੁਰਗ, ਕੋਸ਼ (ਖ਼ਜ਼ਾਨਾ), ਬਲ (ਸੈਨਾ) ਅਤੇ ਸੁਹ੍ਰਿਤ (ਮਿੱਤਰ ਰਾਜ)—ਪਰਸਪਰ ਉਪਕਾਰਕ ਇਹ ਸੱਤ ਅੰਗਾਂ ਦਾ ਸਮੂਹ ‘ਰਾਜ੍ਯ’ ਕਿਹਾ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ।
Rama
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Statecraft framework (saptāṅga theory) for assessing and strengthening governance: evaluate king, ministers, territory, fortifications, treasury, army, and allies as interdependent supports.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Saptāṅga-rājya (Seven-limbed state)","lookup_keywords":["saptāṅga","svāmī","amātya","rāṣṭra","durga-kośa-bala-suhṛt"],"quick_summary":"A kingdom is defined as seven mutually supportive limbs—sovereign, ministers, territory/people, fort, treasury, army, and ally—used to diagnose state strength and policy needs."}
Concept: Polity as a system: the state is an organism with interdependent limbs; weakness in one limb harms the whole.
Application: Governance audit: assess each limb (leadership quality, ministerial competence, public welfare, fort readiness, fiscal health, military discipline, alliance reliability) and prioritize reforms.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma (Governance and Statecraft)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Rāma instructs on governance, enumerating the seven limbs of the state—king, ministers, realm, fort, treasury, army, and ally—shown as a structured diagram-like court teaching scene.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, royal court with Rāma seated as teacher-king, hand in teaching mudrā, seven symbolic emblems arranged around: crown (svāmī), scroll (amātya), fields and people (rāṣṭra), fort gate (durga), coin chest (kośa), soldiers (bala), allied envoy (suhṛt); flat decorative style and rich ochres.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting with gold leaf: Rāma on throne under ornate arch, seven icons in gold-highlighted medallions around him, ministers and envoys attentive, deep red background, jewel-toned garments.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, semi-diagrammatic instructional painting: Rāma points to a wheel labeled ‘saptāṅga rājya’, each spoke labeled with the seven limbs, with small illustrative scenes for each limb; fine outlines and soft shading.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed durbar: a prince-teacher (Rāma) addressing ministers, a map-like depiction of territory, fort walls in background, treasurer with ledgers, army contingent, allied ambassador presenting gifts; intricate architectural perspective."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ity āgneye ← iti + āgneye (i + ā → yā); rāmoktanītir nāma ← rāma-ukta-nītiḥ + nāma (visarga before n → r); 'dhyāyaḥ indicates elision of initial a- in adhyāyaḥ after o (…tamo 'dhyāyaḥ); svāmyamātyañca ← svāmī + amātyam + ca (ī + a → yā; m + c → ñc); rāṣṭrañca ← rāṣṭram + ca (m + c → ñc); parasparopakārīdaṃ ← paraspara-upakārī + idam (ī + i → ī; written as -īdaṃ).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 237 (Rāmokta-nīti conclusion); Agni Purana 238 (rājadharma continuation: duties of kings)
FAQs
It defines the classical saptāṅga (seven-constituent) model of the state—king, ministers, territory/subjects, fortifications, treasury, army, and allies—used as a practical framework for governance and strategy.
By presenting a formal political-science definition (state constituents and their interdependence), it shows the Agni Purāṇa’s coverage beyond ritual and myth into applied disciplines like law, administration, and strategic governance.
In Rajadharma, maintaining a well-ordered, mutually supportive state is treated as a king’s sacred duty; righteous governance sustains social order (dharma) and is a source of religious merit through protection and welfare of subjects.