Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 9
Sahāya-sampattiḥ (Securing Support/Allies): Royal Appointments, Court Offices, Spies, and Personnel Ethics
वृद्धश्चान्तःपुराध्यक्षः पञ्चाशद्वार्षिकाःस्त्रियः सप्तत्यव्दास्तु पुरुषाश् चरेयुः सर्वकर्मसु
vṛddhaścāntaḥpurādhyakṣaḥ pañcāśadvārṣikāḥstriyaḥ saptatyavdāstu puruṣāś careyuḥ sarvakarmasu
内宫之总管当以年长者为宜。五十岁以上之妇女与七十岁以上之男子，应受雇在其中往来行走，办理一切事务。
Lord Agni (teaching royal policy and household regulation to sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Palace security and internal administration: staffing the antahpura (inner palace) with age-qualified, low-risk personnel to reduce intrigue, coercion, and impropriety while ensuring continuity of service.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Antaḥpura-sthāpanā: Age-qualified staffing of the inner palace","lookup_keywords":["antaḥpura","palace superintendent","age qualification","women fifty","men seventy"],"quick_summary":"The inner palace should be supervised by an elderly officer; women 50+ and men 70+ are preferred for internal movement and duties, minimizing security and ethical risks."}
Concept: Role-appropriateness (yogyatā) and safeguarding of vulnerable/private spaces through disciplined appointment.
Application: Design HR rules for sensitive zones (residences, treasuries, confidential offices): prefer vetted, stable personnel and clear eligibility criteria.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma (Royal administration, palace governance, and civic regulations)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Inside the royal inner palace: an elderly superintendent overseeing orderly attendants; mature women and very elderly men moving calmly with lamps, keys, and ledgers, emphasizing discretion and security.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style, antaḥpura interior with warm ochres and greens, elderly palace superintendent seated with palm-leaf register, mature women attendants carrying trays and lamps, very elderly male attendants with keys, serene disciplined mood, flat decorative patterns","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gilded palace interior, elderly superintendent with ornate seat, attendants of advanced age in rich textiles, gold leaf highlights on pillars and lamps, emphasis on auspicious order and restraint","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, detailed court interior with labeled roles (superintendent, attendants), soft shading, emphasis on administrative calm, attendants carrying documents and household items, instructional composition","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, intimate palace chamber with precise textiles, elderly supervisor reviewing staff, mature women attendants in orderly line, very old men with keys and bundles, fine architectural detailing and subdued palette"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shri","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: वृद्धश्च = वृद्धः + च; पञ्चाशद्वार्षिकाःस्त्रियः = पञ्चाशद्वार्षिकाः + स्त्रियः; सप्तत्यव्दास्तु = सप्तत्यब्दाः + तु; पुरुषाश् चरेयुः = पुरुषाः + चरेयुः; सर्वकर्मसु = सर्व + कर्मसु (कर्मन्-शब्द).
Related Themes: Agni Purana Rajadharma sections on palace officers and guards; Agni Purana Nīti passages on appointment and testing of servants
FAQs
It imparts administrative governance (rajadharma) guidance: appoint an elderly inner-palace superintendent and restrict routine inner-palace movement/work to older women (50+) and older men (70+) for propriety and security.
Beyond theology, it records practical statecraft—staffing norms, internal security, and household administration—showing the text’s wide coverage of governance alongside ritual, cosmology, and other sciences.
By prescribing disciplined, dharma-aligned management of the royal household, it aims to prevent misconduct and social disorder, supporting righteous rule (dharma) and thereby the king’s merit and stability of the realm.