Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 29
Adhyaya 222 — राजधर्माः
Rājadharmāḥ): Duties of Kings (Administrative Order, Protection, and Revenue Ethics
वैदलानाञ्च भाण्डानां सर्वस्याश्ममयस्य च षड्भागमेव चादद्यान् मधुमांसस्य सर्पिषः
vaidalānāñca bhāṇḍānāṃ sarvasyāśmamayasya ca ṣaḍbhāgameva cādadyān madhumāṃsasya sarpiṣaḥ
Dos artigos de vime/bambu e dos recipientes, e igualmente de tudo o que é feito de pedra, deve-se tomar apenas um sexto; e o mesmo do mel, da carne e do ghee (manteiga clarificada).
Lord Agni (in discourse to Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purana frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Fix a standard one-sixth share on specified manufactured and consumable goods (wicker/bamboo items, vessels, stone goods, honey, meat, ghee) to guide toll/tax collection and prevent arbitrary levies.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"One-sixth assessment on specified goods (manufactures and foodstuffs)","lookup_keywords":["vaidala","bhāṇḍa","aśmamaya","ṣaḍ-bhāga","madhu","māṃsa","sarpiṣ"],"quick_summary":"For wicker/bamboo articles, vessels, stone-made goods, and also honey, meat, and ghee, the prescribed royal share is one-sixth—standardizing fiscal extraction across diverse commodities."}
Concept: Uniform rates (ṣaḍbhāga) for enumerated goods embody predictable governance and reduce conflict.
Application: Publish rate schedules for artisans and food traders; enforce consistent collection and penalize deviations.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma & Vyavahara (Law, fines, and fiscal penalties)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Tax officials measure out a one-sixth portion from baskets of bamboo goods and pottery vessels, tally stone items, and collect one-sixth from jars of honey, cuts of meat, and pots of ghee in a regulated marketplace.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, market scene with bamboo baskets (vaidala), pottery (bhāṇḍa), stone goods (aśmamaya), honey jars, meat and ghee; an official separates a sixth share with measuring tools; bold colors and decorative frame.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-leaf accents on measuring vessels and treasury box, richly ornamented market stalls, stylized honey and ghee pots, formal depiction of one-sixth share being set aside.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clear instructional depiction of fractioning goods into six parts, labeled categories (bamboo, vessels, stone, honey, meat, ghee), fine linework and calm palette.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed bazaar with artisans and food sellers, officials using scales and measures to take one-sixth, realistic textures for stone, wicker, and ghee pots, architectural market arcade backdrop."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Saveri","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: vaidalānām+ca → vaidalānāñca; sarvasya+aśmamayasya → sarvasyāśmamayasya; ṣaḍbhāgam+eva → ṣaḍbhāgameva; eva+ca+ādad-yāt → eva cādadyāt.
Related Themes: Agni Purana ch. 222 taxation shares: viṃśāṃśa (v. 222.25), commodity shares (vv. 222.26-28)
FAQs
It gives a fiscal rule of assessment: the king/state should levy a standard one-sixth share on specified categories of goods (wicker goods, vessels, stone items, and commodities like honey, meat, and ghee).
Beyond theology, the Agni Purana preserves practical statecraft—rates of levy and commodity-wise assessment—showing its coverage of governance, law, and economic administration.
By prescribing a measured, rule-bound levy (not excessive), it frames revenue collection as dharmic governance, reducing injustice and the karmic burden associated with exploitative taxation.