Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 2
Mantra-śakti, Dūta-Carā (Envoys & Spies), Vyasana (Calamities), and the Sapta-Upāya of Nīti
मन्त्रयेतेह कार्याणि नानाप्तैर् नाविपश्चिता अशक्यारम्भवृत्तीनां कुतः क्लेशादृते फलं
mantrayeteha kāryāṇi nānāptair nāvipaścitā aśakyārambhavṛttīnāṃ kutaḥ kleśādṛte phalaṃ
ਇਸ ਜਗਤ ਵਿੱਚ ਜੋ ਨਾ ਭਰੋਸੇਯੋਗ ਹਨ ਨਾ ਵਿਵੇਕੀ, ਉਹੀ ਕੰਮਾਂ ਬਾਰੇ ਮੰਤ੍ਰਣਾ ਕਰਦੇ ਹਨ; ਪਰ ਜੋ ਅਸੰਭਵ ਕੰਮਾਂ ਦੀ ਆਦਤ ਨਾਲ ਸ਼ੁਰੂਆਤ ਕਰਦੇ ਹਨ, ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਮਿਹਨਤ ਤੇ ਕਲੇਸ਼ ਤੋਂ ਬਿਨਾ ਫਲ ਕਿੱਥੇ?
Lord Agni (instructional narration in the Agni Purana)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Screen advisers and project proposals: avoid counsel from the untrustworthy/undiscerning; reject initiatives whose prerequisites make them impossible, to prevent waste of labor and public resources.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Futility of Impossible Undertakings & Unfit Counsel","lookup_keywords":["amantrin (unfit counsel)","asakya-arambha (impossible start)","niti (policy)","apta (trustworthy)","vipascit (discerning)"],"quick_summary":"Policy deliberation should be done only with trustworthy, discerning persons. Projects that are structurally impossible yield only effort and distress, not results."}
Concept: Yukti (sound reasoning) and sat-sanga (reliance on the trustworthy) as prerequisites for fruitful action; avoidance of asambhava (impossibility).
Application: Adopt feasibility checks and ethical vetting of advisers before committing resources.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma / Niti-shastra (Statecraft, counsel, and practical governance)
Primary Rasa: Shanta
Secondary Rasa: Karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A king in council rejects a grand but impossible proposal after noticing the advisers are unreliable; the rejected plan is shown as a collapsing bridge or unfinished fort, symbolizing futile toil.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style royal sabha scene: seated king with palm-leaf manuscripts, two advisers—one sincere, one shifty-eyed—behind them a faint vignette of a crumbling construction, earthy reds/ochres, bold outlines, temple-mural composition.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting: king on ornate throne with gold-leaf arch, minister presenting a scroll; the king gestures refusal; symbolic broken wheel/bridge in background; rich jewel tones, heavy gold work, frontal iconic arrangement.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting: instructional court tableau with labeled elements (apta/vipascit vs unfit), delicate linework, soft washes; a small inset diagram of 'impossible undertaking' as a blocked path.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: detailed durbar with expressive faces; the untrustworthy adviser whispers; the king points to an account ledger showing losses; background shows laborers exhausted at an unworkable site, fine architectural detail."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: मन्त्रयेतेह → मन्त्रयेत् + इह; नानाप्तैर् → न + अनाप्तैः; नाविपश्चिता → न + अविपश्चिता; अशक्यारम्भवृत्तीनां treated as तत्पुरुष-समास; क्लेशादृते → क्लेशात् + ऋते.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Rajadharma/Niti sections on ministers, counsel, and secrecy (contextual)
FAQs
Niti-vidya (statecraft/practical ethics): consult only with trustworthy and discerning advisors, and avoid initiating inherently impossible projects that yield only hardship.
Alongside ritual and theology, the Agni Purana preserves governance and decision-science (Rajadharma/Niti), showing how rulers and households should evaluate feasibility, advisors (āpta), and outcomes (phala).
It promotes dharmic discernment (viveka): right counsel and realistic effort prevent wasteful, ego-driven action, reducing needless suffering (kleśa) and aligning work with responsible duty.