Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 18
Sahāya-sampattiḥ (Securing Support/Allies): Royal Appointments, Court Offices, Spies, and Personnel Ethics
दुष्टानप्यथ वादुष्टान् संश्रयेत प्रयत्नतः दुष्टं ज्ञात्वा विश्वसेन्न तद्वृत्तिं वर्तयेद्वशे
duṣṭānapyatha vāduṣṭān saṃśrayeta prayatnataḥ duṣṭaṃ jñātvā viśvasenna tadvṛttiṃ vartayedvaśe
即便对待恶人，亦可为某一目的而谨慎用之、暂作依凭；然而一旦识其为恶，便不可加以信任，也不可任由其行径支配自身。
Lord Agni (in instruction to sage Vasiṣṭha, within the Agni Purana’s rajadharma/nīti discourse)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Risk management in governance: tactical engagement with unreliable actors when necessary, without trust or moral capture; maintain independent standards and oversight.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Duṣṭa-vyavahāra: Use without trust (Controlled engagement with the wicked)","lookup_keywords":["duṣṭa","viśvāsa","saṃśraya","nīti","vaśa"],"quick_summary":"One may strategically deal with bad actors if required, but never trust them once known as wicked, and never let their conduct set your norms or control your decisions."}
Concept: Pragmatic engagement is permitted, but ethical and cognitive independence must be preserved; do not normalize adharma by imitation.
Application: Use strict controls: limited access, written terms, monitoring, redundancy, and clear boundaries when working with untrustworthy agents.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma (Niti-shastra / Governance and Statecraft)
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A king and minister consult privately while a known rogue/informant stands at a distance under watch; guards and scribes ensure controlled interaction, signaling ‘use but do not trust’.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: dim inner chamber, king and minister in counsel, guarded doorway, suspicious figure outside, strong contrasts and stylized expressions of caution.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: king with minister, gold-foil emphasizing authority and restraint, guarded informant depicted smaller, symbolic chain/lock motifs for controlled access.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: instructional governance scene—minister pointing to a protocol scroll, guards positioned, informant separated by a marked boundary line, precise narrative clarity.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: intimate council scene with layered space, watchful guards, wary expressions, detailed textiles; the rogue rendered with subtle visual cues of duplicity."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: दुष्टानपि = दुष्टान् + अपि; वादुष्टान् = वा + दुष्टान्; विश्वसेन्न = विश्वसेत् + न; तद्वृत्तिम् = तत् + वृत्तिम्; वर्तयेद्वशे = वर्तयेत् + वशे
Related Themes: Agni Purana 220 (nīti cautions; appointment and trust)
FAQs
This verse imparts nīti (practical statecraft/ethics): if interaction with bad actors becomes necessary, do so deliberately, but never extend trust or let their habits dictate your decisions.
Alongside rituals and theology, the Agni Purana preserves governance and policy guidance (rajadharma/nīti), offering actionable rules for social and political life—an example of its wide, encyclopedic scope.
Avoiding trust in the wicked and not imitating their conduct protects one’s dharma and prevents moral contamination (saṅga-doṣa), reducing the karmic risk of adopting harmful actions.