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
“Kandukañca”—cách đọc này có trong các bản chép tay Kha và Cha; “nên cho một phần tư, tính theo trọng lượng”—có trong các bản Ṭa và Cha; còn dị bản nội bộ “kakkola v.v.—những viên hoàn này là cát tường” thuộc truyền thống Gha và Ja, nhưng vắng trong hai bản sách. Vì vậy, bậc chúa tể cõi đất phải luôn bảo hộ phụ nữ; và tuyệt đối không nên đặt lòng tin nơi họ, nhất là đối với mẹ của con trai.
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.