Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 42
Adhyaya 223 — Rājadharmāḥ
Royal Duties: Inner Palace Governance, Trivarga Protection, Courtly Conduct, and Aromatic/Hygienic Sciences
कन्दुकञ्चेति ख , छ च दद्यात्तुर्थं तुलोन्मितमिति ट , छ च कक्कोलैलेत्यादिः गुटिकाः शुभा इत्य् अन्तः पाठः घ , ज पुस्तकद्वये नास्ति एवं कुर्यात् सदा स्त्रीणां रक्षणं पृथिवीपतिः न चासां विश्वसेज्जातु पुत्रमातुर्विशेषतः
kandukañceti kha , cha ca dadyātturthaṃ tulonmitamiti ṭa , cha ca kakkolailetyādiḥ guṭikāḥ śubhā ity antaḥ pāṭhaḥ gha , ja pustakadvaye nāsti evaṃ kuryāt sadā strīṇāṃ rakṣaṇaṃ pṛthivīpatiḥ na cāsāṃ viśvasejjātu putramāturviśeṣataḥ
‘கந்துகஞ்ச’—இது க, ச கைஎழுத்துப் பிரதிகளின் பாடம்; ‘எடையில் நான்கில் ஒரு பங்கு அளிக்க வேண்டும்’—இது ட, ச பாடம்; மேலும் ‘கக்கோல முதலியவை—இக் குளிகைகள் மங்களமானவை’—இது , ஜ மரபின் உள்பாடம்; ஆனால் இரண்டு நூல்களில் இல்லை. இவ்வாறு பூமிபதி எப்போதும் பெண்களைப் பாதுகாக்க வேண்டும்; அவர்களை ஒருபோதும் நம்பக் கூடாது—குறிப்பாக மகனின் தாய் விஷயத்தில்।
Lord Agni (in dialogue framework of the Agni Purana, instructing the primary listener-sage)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Royal policy guidance on women’s protection and prudential distrust; also reflects textual-critical manuscript variants relevant for establishing a reading.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Strī-rakṣā and prudential counsel with pāṭha-bheda notes","lookup_keywords":["strī-rakṣā","rājadharma","aviśvāsa (distrust)","pāṭha-bheda","nīti"],"quick_summary":"The king is enjoined to ensure women’s protection while maintaining caution in matters of trust; the verse is transmitted with notable manuscript variants, indicating a layered redactional history."}
Concept: Ruler’s duty of protection (rakṣaṇa) coupled with nīti-based vigilance in governance and household-state ethics.
Application: Policy framing: establish protective institutions for women while maintaining procedural safeguards in inheritance, succession, and court testimony—especially where maternal interests may conflict.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma (Governance, ethics, and statecraft)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A royal court scene where the king issues edicts for women’s protection while scribes compare manuscripts with variant readings; guards and attendants symbolize protective governance and cautious policy.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style; king seated in sabhā, palm-leaf manuscripts open with scribes pointing to variant lines; women under a protective canopy; guards at the doorway; strong outlines and traditional ornamentation.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style with gold work; crowned king holding a decree scroll; two scribes with palm-leaf bundles marked as different recensions; protective attendants around women; gilded throne and arch.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting; didactic tableau: king instructing ministers on strī-rakṣā; inset panel showing manuscript collation (Kha/Cha/Ṭa/Gha/Ja) as marginal notes; refined pastel palette.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature; court scholars collating texts before the ruler; marginalia-like cartouches showing variant readings; guards posted discreetly; detailed textiles and architectural depth."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":null,"pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: kandukañceti = kandukaṃ ca iti; dadyātturthaṃ = dadyāt turthaṃ; tulonmitam = tulā-unmitam; kakkolailetyādiḥ = kakkola-elā-iti-ādiḥ; ity antaḥ = iti antaḥ; na cāsāṃ = na ca āsām; viśvasejjātu = viśvaset jātu; putramāturviśeṣataḥ treated as compound + tasil adverb.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 223 (strī-rakṣā topics); Agni Purana 224 (rājadharma continuation)
FAQs
It imparts rajadharma: a king’s administrative duty to ensure women’s protection, coupled with a cautionary policy of withholding trust in sensitive household matters.
Alongside ritual and technical topics, the text also preserves governance norms and social policy, and even records manuscript-level variant readings—showing both practical statecraft and textual transmission.
Protecting dependents is framed as a kingly dharma; fulfilling it supports social order (dharma) and is treated as a meritorious duty of rulership.