Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 2

Chapter 237 — Rāma’s Teaching on Nīti (रामोक्तनीतिः)

Devanagari script

राम उवाच न्यानेनार्जनमर्थस्य वर्धनं रक्षणं चरेत् सत्पात्रप्रतिपत्तिश् च राजवृत्तं चतुर्विधं

Transliteration

rāma uvāca nyānenārjanamarthasya vardhanaṃ rakṣaṇaṃ caret satpātrapratipattiś ca rājavṛttaṃ caturvidhaṃ

Translation

Rāma nói: Bằng phương tiện chính đáng, phải tạo lập của cải, làm cho tăng trưởng và gìn giữ; lại phải phân bổ cho những người xứng đáng thọ nhận. Hạnh kiểm đúng đắn của bậc vương giả có bốn phần.

Word by Word

• rāmaḥ: Rāma
• rāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• nyānena: by knowledge / by proper understanding
• nyānena: Karana (करण/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nyāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन)

• arjanam: acquisition
• arjanam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: arjana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• arthasya: of wealth / of purpose
• arthasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)

• vardhanam: increase
• vardhanam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vardhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• rakṣaṇam: protection
• rakṣaṇam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• caret: should practice / should do
• caret: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: car (धातु)
• Form: Optative/vidhiliṅ (विधिलिङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• satpātrapratipattiḥ: proper recognition/handling of worthy recipients
• satpātrapratipattiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sat (प्रातिपदिक) + pātra (प्रातिपदिक) + pratipatti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa ‘sat-pātra’ (worthy recipient) + ‘pratipatti’ (proper dealing/recognition)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable; conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• rājavṛttam: royal conduct / kingly duty
• rājavṛttam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक) + vṛtta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa ‘conduct/duty of a king’

• caturvidham: fourfold
• caturvidham: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catur (प्रातिपदिक) + vidha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); adjective qualifying ‘rājavṛttam’: ‘fourfold’

Speaker

Rama

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: Śānta

Secondary Rasa: Vīra

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: nyānenārjanamarthasya = nyānena + arjanam + arthasya; pratipattiś ca = pratipattiḥ + ca.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Rājadharma

FAQs

What technical or ritual knowledge (Vidya) is imparted in this verse?

It imparts rājadharma as a practical governance-vidyā: the fourfold management of state wealth—earn it lawfully, expand it, protect it, and distribute it to worthy recipients (satpātra).

How does this verse contribute to the 'Encyclopedic' nature of the Agni Purana?

Alongside ritual and theology, the Agni Purana also systematizes applied disciplines like polity and economics; this verse condenses treasury ethics and public-benefit distribution into a concise four-part framework.

What is the spiritual or karmic significance of this specific instruction?

Wealth gained and used through nyāya (justice) and given to satpātras is framed as dharmic artha—reducing wrongdoing in governance and generating merit through responsible stewardship and righteous giving.