Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 18
Adhyaya 222 — राजधर्माः
Rājadharmāḥ): Duties of Kings (Administrative Order, Protection, and Revenue Ethics
सम्पाद्य रूपसङ्ख्यादीन् स्वामी तद् द्रव्यमर्हति सत्प्रजा इति घ , ञ च सुभगा विटभीतेवेत्यादिः, करमाददेदित्यन्तः पाठः झ पुस्तके नास्ति द्विजे ऽर्पयेदिति ञ , ट च अमृतं वदतो ग्राह्यमिति ट बालदायादिकमृक्थं तावद्राजानुपालयेत्
sampādya rūpasaṅkhyādīn svāmī tad dravyamarhati satprajā iti gha , ña ca subhagā viṭabhītevetyādiḥ, karamādadedityantaḥ pāṭhaḥ jha pustake nāsti dvije 'rpayediti ña , ṭa ca amṛtaṃ vadato grāhyamiti ṭa bāladāyādikamṛkthaṃ tāvadrājānupālayet
Kapag natiyak ang mga palatandaang pagkakakilanlan—gaya ng anyo at bilang (ng mga bagay)—ang tunay na may-ari ay may karapatan sa ari-ariang iyon. Hanggang sa maging may kakayahan ang mga menor-de-edad na tagapagmana at ang katulad nila, dapat pangalagaan ng hari ang kanilang mana (ari-arian).
Lord Agni (instructing sage Vasiṣṭha, in the common Agni Purana dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Teaches evidentiary identification of property (form, number, marks) for rightful restitution and mandates royal guardianship of minors’ estates until competence.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Dravya-lakṣaṇa-parīkṣā (rūpa-saṅkhyā) and bāla-dāyāda-mṛktha-rakṣaṇa","lookup_keywords":["rūpa","saṅkhyā","lakṣaṇa","mṛktha","bāla-dāyāda"],"quick_summary":"Ownership is established by verifying identifying features like form and number; the king must safeguard the inheritance of minors and other incapable heirs until they can manage it."}
Concept: Rājā as protector (rakṣitā) must ensure accurate restitution through lakṣaṇa-parīkṣā and must act as guardian for those lacking legal capacity.
Application: Use inventories describing rūpa/saṅkhyā and distinguishing marks; appoint custodians, prevent dissipation of minors’ assets, and release property upon attaining competence.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma & Vyavahara (Governance, property law, inheritance, and legal procedure)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Officials examining goods—counting items and noting shapes/marks—then sealing them for safekeeping; a minor heir with a guardian while the king’s treasury protects the estate.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: clerks counting ornaments and bundles, palm-leaf inventory with rūpa/saṅkhyā notes, sealed cloth-wrapped estate, a child heir beside an elder guardian, king’s emblem indicating protection.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: royal treasury scene with gold-leaf on seals and chests; minister presenting an inventory; child heir depicted with protective aura; ornate pillars and lamps.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: didactic inventory-making—scribe drawing item outlines, numerals, and marks; sealing process shown clearly; calm palette and precise linework.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: accountants and scribes in a treasury room, goods laid on carpets, seals and ledgers, a young heir with attendant, fine architectural detailing."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Sri","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: Verse contains extensive critical apparatus/variant readings (gha/ña/ṭa/jha) which are not part of the core syntactic pādas; analyzed the main readable sentence: sampādya ... svāmī ... arhati ... bāladāyādikamṛkthaṃ ... rājā anupālayet. dravyam-arhati → dravyam + arhati.
Related Themes: Agni Purana vyavahāra: dravya-parīkṣā, lekhyam (records), sākṣin (witnesses); Agni Purana rājadharma: protection of subjects and vulnerable persons
FAQs
It imparts legal-administrative knowledge: verifying ownership through identifying particulars (form, number, etc.) and the king’s duty to safeguard a minor heir’s inheritance.
Beyond theology, it preserves practical rajadharma and vyavahāra norms—how the state adjudicates property claims and protects vulnerable heirs—showing the text’s coverage of civil governance.
Upholding rightful ownership and protecting minors’ property is presented as dharmic kingship; it supports social order and reduces injustice, aligning royal action with merit-producing governance.