Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 2
Adhyaya 223 — Rājadharmāḥ
Royal Duties: Inner Palace Governance, Trivarga Protection, Courtly Conduct, and Aromatic/Hygienic Sciences
मासेनैकेनेति छ , ज च धर्ममूलो ऽर्थविटपस् तथा कर्मफलो महान् त्रिवर्गपादपस्तत्र रक्षया फलभागं भवेत्
māsenaikeneti cha , ja ca dharmamūlo 'rthaviṭapas tathā karmaphalo mahān trivargapādapastatra rakṣayā phalabhāgaṃ bhavet
தர்மம் அதன் வேர்; அர்த்தம் அதன் கிளைகள்; கர்மத்தின் மகத்தான பலனே அதன் கனியாகும். இது திரிவர்கத்தின் மரம்; இதைப் பாதுகாத்தால் அதன் கனிகளில் பங்கு கிடைக்கும்।
Lord Agni (in dialogue framework of Agni Purana, instructing the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Philosophy","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Using the trivarga ‘tree’ model to design policy: keep dharma as the foundation so artha and kāma yield legitimate results; protect institutions that sustain ethical prosperity.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Trivarga-vṛkṣa: Dharma as Root, Artha as Branches, Karma-phala as Fruit","lookup_keywords":["trivarga","dharma-mūla","artha-viṭapa","karma-phala","rakṣā"],"quick_summary":"The three aims are pictured as a tree: dharma is the root, artha the branches, and the fruit is the result of action. Protecting this structure ensures one’s rightful share of outcomes."}
Alamkara Type: Rupaka
Concept: Primacy of dharma as causal ground: artha and enjoyment become stable only when rooted in dharma; karma yields phala accordingly.
Application: In personal life and governance, audit ‘roots’ (ethics, law, restraint) before expanding ‘branches’ (wealth, projects); protect the system to secure sustainable results.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma / Nīti-śāstra (Dharma–Artha–Kāma: governance and ethical economy)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A symbolic tree labeled: roots ‘Dharma’, branches ‘Artha’, and fruits ‘Karma-phala’; a king protects the tree with a fence while a sage explains the model.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, allegorical trivarga tree with Sanskrit labels, sage instructing king, stylized foliage and fruits, protective fence motif, warm ochres and reds","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, central trivarga tree with gold-leaf fruits, sage and king on either side, ornate border, inscriptions on scroll-like panels: dharma-mūla, artha-viṭapa, karma-phala","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clean didactic diagram aesthetic: tree cross-section showing roots/branches/fruits, sage pointing with stylus, king holding staff of protection, soft pastel background","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, garden setting with a labeled tree, sage explaining to king, attendants holding a protective screen/fence, fine botanical detail and calligraphic captions"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: māsenaikena→māsena ekena; dharmamūlo 'rtha→dharma-mūlaḥ artha-; trivargapādapastatra→tri-varga-pādapaḥ tatra.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Nīti passages on dharma-artha-kāma balance and king as protector of dharma
FAQs
It teaches nīti (practical ethics): treat the trivarga like a cultivated tree—root it in Dharma, grow Artha as its branches, and you will receive karma-phala as the harvest by protecting and sustaining the system.
It shows the Agni Purana’s coverage of statecraft and moral economy (Rajadharma/Nīti), using a compact model that links ethics (Dharma), wealth (Artha), and outcomes (karma-phala) as an actionable framework.
The verse frames prosperity as karmically conditioned: when Artha is grounded in Dharma and carefully protected, one rightfully partakes of the resulting fruits without spiritual decline.