Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 9
Adhyaya 222 — राजधर्माः
Rājadharmāḥ): Duties of Kings (Administrative Order, Protection, and Revenue Ethics
विना ह्य् अर्थमिति घ , ञ च नैव स्याद्वशवर्तिनीति ख , ट च नैव स्याद्वशवर्तिनीति घ , ज , ञ च सुखमाहरेदिति ज , ट च किं यज्ञैस्तपसा तस्य प्रजा यस्य न रक्षिताः सुरक्षिताः प्रजा यस्य स्वर्गस्तस्य गृहोपमः
vinā hy arthamiti gha , ña ca naiva syādvaśavartinīti kha , ṭa ca naiva syādvaśavartinīti gha , ja , ña ca sukhamāharediti ja , ṭa ca kiṃ yajñaistapasā tasya prajā yasya na rakṣitāḥ surakṣitāḥ prajā yasya svargastasya gṛhopamaḥ
‘विना ह्यर्थम्’ इति केचित्; ‘नैव स्याद्वशवर्तिनी’ इति केचित्; ‘सुखमाहरेत्’ इति केचित्। किं यज्ञैस्तपसा तस्य प्रजा यस्य न रक्षिताः? सुरक्षिताः प्रजा यस्य स्वर्गस्तस्य गृहोपमः॥
Lord Agni (teaching Vasiṣṭha, standard Agni Purana dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Governance KPI: measure a ruler’s religious merit by concrete protection and welfare of subjects; prioritize security, justice, and relief over mere ritual display.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Primacy of Praja-Rakshana over Yajna for Royal Merit","lookup_keywords":["praja-rakshana","raja-dharma","yajna","tapas","svarga"],"quick_summary":"Rituals and austerities are futile for a ruler who fails to protect subjects; for the protector-king, the fruits of heaven are said to be present already—his home becomes heaven-like."}
Alamkara Type: Arthapatti-prashna (rhetorical question) and Rupaka/Atishayokti (heaven as home)
Concept: Rajadharma is praja-rakshana; ritual merit is subordinate to ethical governance and protection.
Application: Prioritize rule of law, defense, disaster response, and welfare provisioning; evaluate kingship by safety and flourishing of subjects rather than ceremonial piety.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma (Governance, protection of subjects, kingly duty)
Primary Rasa: veera
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A king patrolling and administering justice, protecting subjects from threats; contrasted with a hollow ritual scene where subjects remain unsafe; concluding image of a peaceful, prosperous city like 'heaven at home'.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, narrative triptych: (1) king with guards protecting villagers from bandits, (2) yajna scene fading/secondary, (3) flourishing city with happy subjects symbolizing svarga-at-home; bold lines, saturated colors, moral clarity.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting with gold: central king as protector with sword and shield (symbolic), surrounded by prosperous subjects; small side vignette of yajna minimized; gold highlights on city prosperity to signify 'svarga'.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, instructional governance tableau: court of justice, city watch, granary relief distribution; captions indicating 'rakshita praja'; soft palette and precise detailing.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed cityscape with orderly bazaar and guards, king hearing petitions; inset of a ritual pavilion; emphasis on civic peace and prosperity as heaven-like home."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Kambhoji","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: हि+अर्थम्→ह्यर्थम्; न+एव→नैव; स्यात्+वशवर्तिनी→स्याद्वशवर्तिनी; सुखम्+आहरेत्→सुखमाहरेत्; स्वर्गः+तस्य→स्वर्गस्तस्य; गृह+उपमः→गृहोपमः. प्रारम्भे 'घ, ञ, ख, ट, ज' इत्यादि पाठभेद-सूचकाः (manuscript markers) — पदविश्लेषणे न गृहीताः।
Related Themes: Agni Purana Rajadharma material on danda, kosa, and raksha; Agni Purana discussions contrasting external ritual with substantive dharma (where present)
FAQs
It imparts Rajadharma: the ruler’s primary ‘technique’ of merit is practical prajā-rakṣā (protection and welfare of subjects), placed above merely performing yajña or tapas.
It shows the text’s coverage beyond ritual—into governance and political ethics—stating a measurable criterion of dharma (public protection) as superior to private ascetic merit.
Protecting subjects is presented as a direct producer of punya: a ruler who secures citizens gains a heaven-like state here and hereafter, whereas ritual without protection is spiritually hollow.