Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 9
Adhyaya 222 — राजधर्माः
Rājadharmāḥ): Duties of Kings (Administrative Order, Protection, and Revenue Ethics
विना ह्य् अर्थमिति घ , ञ च नैव स्याद्वशवर्तिनीति ख , ट च नैव स्याद्वशवर्तिनीति घ , ज , ञ च सुखमाहरेदिति ज , ट च किं यज्ञैस्तपसा तस्य प्रजा यस्य न रक्षिताः सुरक्षिताः प्रजा यस्य स्वर्गस्तस्य गृहोपमः
vinā hy arthamiti gha , ña ca naiva syādvaśavartinīti kha , ṭa ca naiva syādvaśavartinīti gha , ja , ña ca sukhamāharediti ja , ṭa ca kiṃ yajñaistapasā tasya prajā yasya na rakṣitāḥ surakṣitāḥ prajā yasya svargastasya gṛhopamaḥ
بعض نسخوں میں ‘بغیرِ اَرتھ (مالی وسائل)’ آیا ہے؛ بعض میں ‘وہ تابعِ فرمان نہیں رہے گی’؛ اور بعض میں ‘وہ آسائش و بہبود پہنچائے’ کا پڑھنا ہے۔ جس حاکم کی رعایا محفوظ نہ ہو، اس کے لیے یَجْن اور تپسیا کا کیا فائدہ؟ مگر جس کی رعایا محفوظ ہو، اس کے لیے سُوَرگ گویا اپنے گھر کے مانند ہے۔
Lord Agni (teaching Vasiṣṭha, standard Agni Purana dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Governance KPI: measure a ruler’s religious merit by concrete protection and welfare of subjects; prioritize security, justice, and relief over mere ritual display.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Primacy of Praja-Rakshana over Yajna for Royal Merit","lookup_keywords":["praja-rakshana","raja-dharma","yajna","tapas","svarga"],"quick_summary":"Rituals and austerities are futile for a ruler who fails to protect subjects; for the protector-king, the fruits of heaven are said to be present already—his home becomes heaven-like."}
Alamkara Type: Arthapatti-prashna (rhetorical question) and Rupaka/Atishayokti (heaven as home)
Concept: Rajadharma is praja-rakshana; ritual merit is subordinate to ethical governance and protection.
Application: Prioritize rule of law, defense, disaster response, and welfare provisioning; evaluate kingship by safety and flourishing of subjects rather than ceremonial piety.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma (Governance, protection of subjects, kingly duty)
Primary Rasa: veera
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A king patrolling and administering justice, protecting subjects from threats; contrasted with a hollow ritual scene where subjects remain unsafe; concluding image of a peaceful, prosperous city like 'heaven at home'.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, narrative triptych: (1) king with guards protecting villagers from bandits, (2) yajna scene fading/secondary, (3) flourishing city with happy subjects symbolizing svarga-at-home; bold lines, saturated colors, moral clarity.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting with gold: central king as protector with sword and shield (symbolic), surrounded by prosperous subjects; small side vignette of yajna minimized; gold highlights on city prosperity to signify 'svarga'.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, instructional governance tableau: court of justice, city watch, granary relief distribution; captions indicating 'rakshita praja'; soft palette and precise detailing.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed cityscape with orderly bazaar and guards, king hearing petitions; inset of a ritual pavilion; emphasis on civic peace and prosperity as heaven-like home."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Kambhoji","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: हि+अर्थम्→ह्यर्थम्; न+एव→नैव; स्यात्+वशवर्तिनी→स्याद्वशवर्तिनी; सुखम्+आहरेत्→सुखमाहरेत्; स्वर्गः+तस्य→स्वर्गस्तस्य; गृह+उपमः→गृहोपमः. प्रारम्भे 'घ, ञ, ख, ट, ज' इत्यादि पाठभेद-सूचकाः (manuscript markers) — पदविश्लेषणे न गृहीताः।
Related Themes: Agni Purana Rajadharma material on danda, kosa, and raksha; Agni Purana discussions contrasting external ritual with substantive dharma (where present)
FAQs
It imparts Rajadharma: the ruler’s primary ‘technique’ of merit is practical prajā-rakṣā (protection and welfare of subjects), placed above merely performing yajña or tapas.
It shows the text’s coverage beyond ritual—into governance and political ethics—stating a measurable criterion of dharma (public protection) as superior to private ascetic merit.
Protecting subjects is presented as a direct producer of punya: a ruler who secures citizens gains a heaven-like state here and hereafter, whereas ritual without protection is spiritually hollow.