Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 7
Chapter 233 — Ṣāḍguṇya (The Six Measures of Royal Policy) and Foreign Daṇḍa
न चाहमस्य शक्नोमि तत्रोपेक्षां समाश्रयेत् अवज्ञोपहतस्तत्र राज्ञा कार्यो रिपुर्भवेत्
na cāhamasya śaknomi tatropekṣāṃ samāśrayet avajñopahatastatra rājñā kāryo ripurbhavet
Về việc ấy, ta không thể lấy thái độ dửng dưng đối với người đó; kẻ bị tổn thương bởi sự khinh miệt thì ở đó sẽ trở thành kẻ thù, và nhà vua phải đối xử như đối với kẻ thù.
Lord Agni (instructing Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Court and administrative conduct: avoid humiliating stakeholders; treat the insulted party as a potential hostile actor and manage risk through appeasement, surveillance, or containment.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Avajñā-janita-vairābhāva (Enmity born of contempt)","lookup_keywords":["avajñā","uparodha","vaira","rājadharma","śatru-lakṣaṇa"],"quick_summary":"Contempt (avajñā) creates durable hostility; a king should not ignore a person wounded by insult, but classify and manage them as a potential enemy."}
Concept: Rājadharma requires psychological realism: social dishonor breeds enmity and must be governed, not ignored.
Application: Use respectful speech, reparative gestures, and calibrated deterrence to prevent grievance from turning into rebellion or sabotage.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma (Governance, Statecraft, and Royal Policy)
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A king in court observes a slighted noble/official whose face shows wounded pride; ministers counsel that contempt turns him into an enemy, prompting the king to adopt guarded policy.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style royal court scene, flat vibrant colors, ornate jewelry, the king on a throne with ministers, a humiliated courtier standing aside with tense posture, expressive eyes, palm-leaf manuscripts, traditional temple-mural composition","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting of a crowned king on a jeweled throne with gold-leaf work, ministers gesturing caution, a slighted noble with downcast yet angry gaze, rich textiles, architectural archway, devotional-like symmetry but political mood","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style instructional court tableau, fine linework, muted elegance, labels implied for 'avajñā' and 'vaira', king receiving counsel, emphasis on facial expressions and etiquette","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature durbar scene, detailed textiles and carpets, the king conferring with wazirs, a disgruntled noble at the margin, subtle psychological tension, naturalistic shading and architectural depth"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Darbari Kanada","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: cāhamasya = ca + aham + asya; tatropekṣām = tatra + upekṣām; avajñopahataḥ = avajñā + upahataḥ; ripurbhavet = ripuḥ + bhavet.
Related Themes: Agni Purana Rajadharma sections on amātya-nīti and śatru-vicāra; Agni Purana chapters on dūta (envoys) and sandhi-vigraha (peace/war policy)
FAQs
Rājanīti guidance: a person injured by contempt (avajñā) tends to turn hostile; therefore the king should not respond with mere neglect (upekṣā) and should manage him as a potential enemy.
It exemplifies the Purana’s inclusion of applied governance (rajadharma/rajanīti) alongside ritual and theology—offering actionable counsel on social psychology, courtly conduct, and political risk.
It implies that contempt and humiliation generate harmful reactions and conflict; a ruler’s dharmic duty is to prevent escalation through prudent, just handling rather than careless disregard.