Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 20
Adhyaya 222 — राजधर्माः
Rājadharmāḥ): Duties of Kings (Administrative Order, Protection, and Revenue Ethics
पतिव्रतासु च स्त्रीषु विधबास्वातुरासु च जीवन्तीनान्तु तासां ये संहरेयुः स्ववान्धवाः
pativratāsu ca strīṣu vidhabāsvāturāsu ca jīvantīnāntu tāsāṃ ye saṃhareyuḥ svavāndhavāḥ
E no caso das mulheres fiéis ao esposo, das viúvas e das mulheres enfermas—enquanto ainda vivem—aqueles que, embora sejam seus próprios parentes, lhes tomem os bens ou os meios de sustento, cometem falta punível.
Lord Agni (in discourse to Sage Vasiṣṭha, as typical for the Agni Purana)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Protecting the property and maintenance (jīvikā) of vulnerable dependents—pativratā women, widows, and the sick—by treating wrongful seizure even by relatives as a punishable offense.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Wrongful seizure of maintenance/property of dependent women and the sick","lookup_keywords":["pativrata","vidhava","atura","bandhu-apahara","jivika-harana"],"quick_summary":"Seizing the means of support/property of devoted wives, widows, or sick women while they are alive—especially by their own relatives—is a legally culpable wrong requiring state intervention."}
Concept: Dharma as protection of the weak (anātha/āśrita) and restraint of greed even within kinship ties.
Application: Frame inheritance/maintenance rules and guardianship so dependents cannot be dispossessed during their lifetime.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma & Dharma-shastra (Inheritance, protection of dependents, legal-ethical duties)
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A widow and a sick woman seated with minimal belongings while aggressive relatives attempt to seize their household goods; a royal judge/king’s officer intervenes to stop the confiscation.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, flat vibrant colors, stylized faces; scene of a compassionate king’s court protecting a widow and an ill woman from grasping relatives, traditional attire, palm-leaf documents, moral-dharma emphasis","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting with gold leaf highlights; central righteous king seated on throne, halo-like arch, attendants; widow and sick woman petitioning, relatives shown restrained; ornate jewelry and gilded borders","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, delicate lines and soft shading; courtroom scene with legal scrolls, emphasis on ethical instruction, calm but firm royal authority preventing property seizure","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed interior of a court, textiles and carpets; widow and sick woman with a petition, relatives reaching for goods, officials intervening; fine architectural perspective and naturalistic faces"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Darbari Kanada","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: विधबास्वातुरासु = विधबासु + आतुरासु; जीवन्तीनान्तु = जीवन्तीनाम् + तु; संहरेयुः (सम्-√हृ); स्ववान्धवाः = स्व + बान्धवाः (स्व- prefixed).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 222.21-222.24 (penalties, restitution, taxation and trade duties)
FAQs
It gives a dharma-legal rule: even close relatives must not appropriate the property or means of support of living pativratā women, widows, or the sick—establishing a protection norm within Rajadharma/Dharma-shastra.
Beyond theology, the Agni Purana preserves practical governance and civil-ethical norms—here, rules about family conduct, protection of vulnerable dependents, and improper seizure of assets—showing its wide coverage of law and social order.
Seizing the livelihood/property of vulnerable living women is treated as adharma; refraining from it protects one’s merit (puṇya) and avoids the karmic fault associated with exploitation and breach of familial duty.