Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 4
Chapter 238 — राजधर्माः (Rājadharmāḥ) | Duties of Kings
शक्यसामन्तता चैव तथा च दृढभक्तिता दीर्घदर्शित्वमुत्साहः शुचिता स्थूललक्षिता
śakyasāmantatā caiva tathā ca dṛḍhabhaktitā dīrghadarśitvamutsāhaḥ śucitā sthūlalakṣitā
At (dapat taglayin) ang kakayahang pamahalaan at pasunurin ang mga karatig na samanta, gayundin ang matatag na katapatan; ang malayong pagtanaw at sigasig na pagkilos; ang kalinisan ng asal; at ang malinaw na mga palatandaang hayag ng mabuting pagkatao.
Lord Agni (narrating Agni Purana’s rajadharma teachings)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Statecraft checklist: manage sāmantha relations, ensure loyalty, plan long-term, act with initiative, maintain personal/public purity, and display clear signs of reliability to build legitimacy.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Qualities for managing feudatories and sustaining rule","lookup_keywords":["samanta","dridha-bhakti","dirgha-darshitva","utsaha","shuchita"],"quick_summary":"Effective kingship requires controllable neighbors/feudatories, steadfast loyalty, long-range vision, energetic initiative, clean conduct, and visible markers of trustworthiness."}
Concept: Rule is sustained by inner purity and outwardly legible character (sthūla-lakṣaṇāni) coupled with strategic foresight and loyal alignment.
Application: Governance: maintain transparent conduct, visible accountability, and long-term planning; diplomacy: keep feudatories within manageable bounds via honors, surveillance, and timely action.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma (Governance and Statecraft)
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A king receives tributary feudatories; some are honored, some are firmly restrained by protocol. Behind him, a strategist points to a long-term plan on a board; the king performs purification/clean conduct rituals, and his insignia and demeanor show clear signs of reliability.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, king with attendants and feudatory chiefs in stylized profiles, a planning board with symbols, ritual purity scene with water vessel, bold colors and strong outlines","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, king enthroned with gold ornaments, feudatories offering tribute, gold-highlighted planning scroll, purity motif with sacred water pot, symmetrical grandeur","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, instructional court-diplomacy scene: labeled feudatories, planning diagram, emphasis on foresight and initiative; fine linework and calm palette","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, diplomatic audience with tributary rulers, detailed architecture and carpets, a counselor presenting a strategic memorandum, subtle depiction of cleanliness and decorum"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: caiva = ca + eva; dīrghadarśitvamutsāhaḥ = dīrgha-darśitvam + utsāhaḥ (m + u → mu).
Related Themes: Agni Purana Nīti material on sandhi-vigraha, dūta, sāmantha relations, and kingly guṇas
FAQs
It lists operational criteria for selecting an advisor: capability to manage neighbouring sāmantas, proven loyalty, strategic foresight, energetic initiative, personal integrity, and clearly observable signs of reliability.
Beyond ritual and theology, the Agni Purana preserves applied rajadharma—administrative science—by specifying measurable ministerial qualifications tied to diplomacy, internal security, and governance ethics.
Choosing pure and loyal advisors supports dharmic rule; such governance reduces harm, prevents injustice, and is treated as a merit-bearing duty of kingship aligned with righteousness.