Agni Purana

राष्ट्रपीडाकरो राजा नरके वसते चिरं ।। २२३.

A king who oppresses his realm dwells long in hell.

किं यज्ञैस्तपसा तस्य प्रजा यस्य न रक्षिताः । सुरक्षिताः प्रचजा यस्य स्वर्गस्तस्य गृहोपमः ।। २२३.

What use are sacrifices or austerities for one whose subjects are not protected? For him whose subjects are well protected, heaven is like his own home.

अरक्षिताः प्र्जा यस्य नरकं तस्य मन्दिरं । राजा षड्‌बागमादत्ते सुकृताद्‌दुष्कृतादपि ।। २२२.

For him whose subjects are unprotected, his palace is like hell; the king takes a sixth share from both good and evil deeds.

धर्म्मागमो रक्षणाच्च पापाप्नोत्यरक्षणात् । सुभगा विटभीतेव राजवल्लभतस्करैः ।। २२२.

By protecting, righteousness is attained; by failing to protect, sin is incurred. The fortunate woman, like a courtesan, is subject to the king, his favorites, and thieves.

निधिंद्विजात्तमः प्राप्य गृह्णीयात्सकलं तथा ।। २२२.

Having found a treasure, the best of twice-born should take it all accordingly.

चतुर्थमष्टमं भागं तथा षोडशमं द्विजः । वर्णकमेण दद्याच्च निधिं पात्रे तु धर्म्मतः ।। २२२.

A twice-born should give a fourth, an eighth, or a sixteenth part, according to caste, and bestow the treasure righteously to a worthy recipient.

अनृतन्तु वदन् दण्ड्यः७ सुवित्तस्यांशमष्टमं । प्रणष्टस्वामिकमृक्‌थं राजा त्र्यव्दं निधापयेत् ।। २२२.

One who speaks falsely is to be fined an eighth part of the wealth; if the owner of the lost property is not found, the king should keep it for three years.

अर्वाक्‌ त्र्यब्दाद्धरेत्‌स्वामी परेण नृपतिर्हरेत् । ममेदमितिया ब्रूयात् सोऽर्थयुक्तो यथाविधि ।। २२२.

If the owner claims it within three years, he should receive it; after that, the king shall take it. The claimant must declare, 'This is mine,' with proper justification.

सम्पाद्य रूपसङ्ख्यादोन् स्वामी तद्‌ द्रव्यमर्हति । बालदायादिकमृक्थं८ तावद्राजानुपालपेत् ।। २२२.

When the owner presents the form and count, he deserves the property; property belonging to minors and heirs should be protected by the king until then.

यावत्स्यात्स समावृत्तो यावद्वातीतशैशवः । बालपुत्रासु चैवं स्याद्रक्षणं निष्कुलासु च ।। २२२.

Until the minor comes of age or passes childhood, the king should protect the property of young sons and those without family.

पतिव्रतासु च स्त्रीषु विधबास्वतुरासु च । जीवन्तीनान्तु तासां ये संहरेयुः स्ववान्धवाः ।। २२२.

So also for women who are devoted wives, widows, or those without protectors; if their relatives seize their property while they live,

ताञ्‌छिष्याच्चौरदण्डेन धार्म्मिकः कृथिवीपतिः । सामान्यतो हृतञ्चौरैस्तद्वै दद्यात् स्वयं नृपः ।। २२२.

The righteous king should punish them with the penalty for theft; if property is taken by thieves, the king himself should restore it.

चौररक्षाधिकारिब्यो राजापि हृतमाप्नुयात् । अहृते यो हृतं ब्रूयान्निः सार्यो दण्ड्य एव सः ।। २२२.

Even the king may recover stolen property from those responsible for protection against theft; whoever falsely claims stolen property should be expelled and punished.

न तद्राज्ञा प्रदातव्यं गृहे यद्‌ गृहगैर्हृतं । स्राष्ट्रपण्यादादद्याद्राजा विंशतिमं द्विज ।। २२२.

A king must not accept in his house that which has been stolen by household thieves; but from goods of the realm, the king should take a twentieth part from a twice-born man.

शुल्कांशं परदेशाच्च क्षयव्ययप्रकाशकं । ज्ञात्वा सङ्कल्पयेच्छुल्कं लाभं वणिग्यथाप्नुयात् ।। २२२.

Knowing the share of tolls from foreign lands, which reveals loss and expenditure, he should determine the toll so that the merchant may gain profit.

विंशांशं लाभमादद्याद्दण्डनीयस्ततोऽन्यया । स्त्रीणां प्रव्रजितानाञ्च९ तरशुल्कं विवर्जयेत् ।। २२२.

He should take a twentieth part of the profit; if there is a penalty, then more. But from women and ascetics, he should not take any crossing toll.

तरेषु दासदोषेण नष्टं दासास्तु दापयेत् । शूकधान्येषु षड्‌भागं शिम्बिधान्ये तथाष्टमं ।। २२२.

If something is lost due to the fault of servants at the crossing, the servants must make restitution; from grain in the husk, he should take a sixth part, and from pulse, an eighth part.

राजा वन्यार्थमादद्याद्देशकालानुरूपकं । पञ्चषङ्भागमादद्याद् राजा पशुहिरण्ययोः ।। २२२.

The king should take a share for forest produce, appropriate to place and time; from cattle and gold, the king should take a fifth or a sixth part.

गन्धौषधिरसानाञ्च भाण्डानां सर्वस्यास्ममयस्य च । पत्रशाकतृणानाञ्च वंशवैणवचर्म्मणं ।। २२२.

From perfumes, medicinal herbs, juices, all kinds of vessels, and all items made of stone, as well as leaves, vegetables, grasses, bamboo, flutes, and leather—

वैदलानाञ्च भाण्डानां सर्वस्याश्ममयस्य च । षड्‌भागमेव चादद्यान्मधुमांसस्य सर्षिपः ।। २२२.

And from wooden vessels, and all items made of stone, he should take a sixth part; likewise, from honey, meat, and mustard.

म्रियन्नपि न चादद्याद् ब्राह्मणेभ्यस्तथा करं । यस्य राज्ञस्तु विषये श्रोत्रियः सीदति क्षुधा ।। २२२.

Even if dying, he should not take tax from Brahmins; if a learned Brahmin suffers from hunger in the king’s domain—

तस्य सीदति तद्राष्ट्रं व्याधिदुर्भिक्षतस्तरैः । श्रुतं वृत्तन्तु विज्ञाय वृत्तिं तस्य प्रकल्पयेत् ।। २२२.

That kingdom declines due to disease, famine, and calamity; knowing this, the king should provide for his livelihood.

क्षेच्च सर्वतस्त्वेनं पिता पुत्रमिवौरसं । संरक्ष्यमाणो राज्ञा यः कुरुते धर्ममन्वहं ।। २२२.

He should protect him everywhere, as a father does his own son; one who is protected by the king and practices righteousness daily—

तेनायुर्वर्द्धते राज्ञो द्रविणं राष्ट्रमेव च । कर्म्म कुर्युर्न्नरेन्द्रस्य मासेनैकञ्च१० शिल्पिनः ।। २२२.

By him, the king’s life, wealth, and kingdom increase; artisans should perform their work for the king, one task each month.

राजधर्माः पुष्कर उवाच वक्ष्येऽन्तः पुरचिन्तां च धर्माद्याः पुरुषार्थकाः । अन्योन्यरक्षया तेषां सेवा कार्या स्त्रिया नृपैः ।। २२४.

Puṣkara said: I will now explain the concerns of the inner palace, and the duties that lead to the aims of life; among them, mutual protection and service by women must be ensured by kings.

धर्ममूलोऽर्थविटपस्तथा कर्म्मफलो महान् । त्रिवर्गपादपस्तत्र रक्षया फलभाग्‌ भवेत् ।। २२४.

Righteousness is the root, wealth is the trunk, and great is the fruit of action; in this tree of the three aims, by protection, one obtains a share of the fruit.

कामाधीनाः१ स्त्रियो राम तदर्थं रत्नसङ्‌ग्रहः । सेव्यास्ता नातिसेव्यास्च भूभुजा विषयैषिणा ।। २२४.

Women are subject to desire, O Rāma; for that reason, the collection of jewels is important. The king who seeks to enjoy his realm should serve them, but not excessively.

दुष्टान्याचरते४ या तु नाभिनन्दति तत्कथां। ऐक्यं द्विषद्भिर्व्रजति गर्वं वहति चोद्धता ।। २२४.

A wicked woman acts wrongly, does not welcome such talk, joins with enemies, and bears pride with arrogance.

चुम्बिता मार्ष्टि वदनं दत्तन्न बहु मन्यते । स्वपित्यादौ प्रसुप्तापि तथा पश्चाद्विबुध्यते ।। २२४.

When kissed, she wipes her face, does not value the food given to her, sleeps at the beginning and even after, and wakes only later.