Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 20
Sahāya-sampattiḥ (Securing Support/Allies): Royal Appointments, Court Offices, Spies, and Personnel Ethics
रिपननर्थकृत्येष्विति ख जनानाश्रयकाम्ययेति ख भृत्या वशिष्टं विज्ञेयाः कुभृट्याश् च तथैकतः चारचक्षुर्भवेद्राजा नियुञ्जीत सदाचरान्
ripananarthakṛtyeṣviti kha janānāśrayakāmyayeti kha bhṛtyā vaśiṣṭaṃ vijñeyāḥ kubhṛṭyāś ca tathaikataḥ cāracakṣurbhavedrājā niyuñjīta sadācarān
(சில பாடங்களில்) ‘பகைவர்க்கு தீங்கு செய்து அனர்த்தத்தைத் தடுக்கின்ற காரியங்களில்’ என்று; (சிலவற்றில்) ‘மக்களுக்கு ஆதரவாக ஆக விரும்பி’ என்று வாசகம் உள்ளது. இவ்வாறு நல்ல பணியாளரும் தீய பணியாளரும் அறியப்பட வேண்டும். அரசனுக்கு உளவாளிகளே கண்கள்; நல்லொழுக்கமுள்ளவர்களையே நியமிக்க வேண்டும்।
Lord Agni (in instruction to Sage Vasiṣṭha, Agni Purana’s standard dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Human-resource governance: identify good/bad servants; institutionalize espionage as the king’s ‘eyes’; appoint ethically reliable agents.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Textual Variants on Royal Policy; Identifying Servants and Appointing Spies","lookup_keywords":["pathabheda","bhritiya-pariksha","kubhritiya","chara-chakshu","sadachara"],"quick_summary":"The verse preserves variant readings about policy aims and then gives a rule: evaluate servants’ quality and use well-conducted spies as the king’s eyes."}
Alamkara Type: Rupaka
Concept: Rajadharma requires both right intention (people’s refuge / enemy-harm prevention) and right instruments (tested servants, ethical spies).
Application: Create vetting standards, performance review, and integrity checks; avoid empowering unfit agents.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma (Governance, ministers, spies, and royal conduct)
Primary Rasa: Shanta
Secondary Rasa: Veera
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A king consults multiple manuscripts with variant readings while ministers present candidates; spies stand as attentive ‘eyes’ at the edges; good and bad servants are contrasted by posture and demeanor.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, king with palm-leaf manuscripts, scribes indicating variant lines, two groups of servants—humble disciplined vs. sly negligent—spies at pillars as watchful eyes, warm earthy palette, iconic faces","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, king holding manuscript, gold-foil on manuscript borders and throne, orderly line of sadachara agents receiving appointment tokens, shadowed figures representing kubhritiya, rich ornamentation","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, didactic court tableau with clear separation of vetted vs rejected servants, spies positioned symmetrically like ‘eyes’, fine linework and gentle colors, emphasis on administrative procedure","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, durbar with scribes comparing texts, marginal notes implied, king appointing a discreet spy, rejected servants shown exiting, intricate carpets and architectural depth"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: janānāśrayakāmyayā = janānām + āśraya-kāmyayā; kubhṛṭyāś = ku-bhṛtyāḥ; tathaikataḥ = tathā + ekataḥ; cāracakṣurbhavedrājā = cāra-cakṣuḥ + bhavet + rājā.
Related Themes: Agni Purana Rajadharma sections on amatyas (ministers), bhritiya-pariksha (testing servants), and chara-vidhana (spy deployment)
FAQs
It teaches rajadharma/statecraft: identify good vs. corrupt officials and use a spy network (cāras) as the king’s “eyes,” appointing only persons of proven good conduct.
Beyond ritual topics, it preserves political science: administrative vetting, ethics of service, and intelligence operations—showing the Agni Purana’s coverage of governance alongside religion and culture.
By appointing righteous servants and avoiding corrupt ones, the king upholds dharma, protects subjects, and reduces collective harm (anartha), generating merit through just rule.