Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 3
Sahāya-sampattiḥ (Securing Support/Allies): Royal Appointments, Court Offices, Spies, and Personnel Ethics
ताम्बूलधारी ना स्त्री वा भक्तः क्लेशसहप्रियः सान्धिविग्रहिकः कार्यः षाड्गुण्यादिविशारदः
tāmbūladhārī nā strī vā bhaktaḥ kleśasahapriyaḥ sāndhivigrahikaḥ kāryaḥ ṣāḍguṇyādiviśāradaḥ
ينبغي أن يكون وزير السِّلم والحرب (sandhi-vigrahika) رجلًا—لا امرأة—مخلصًا وفيًّا، محبًّا لاحتمال الشدائد، معتادًا حمل التامبولا (tāmbūla، ورق الفوفل/البتل). ويُعيَّن sandhi-vigrahika وهو خبير بالسياسة السداسية (ṣāḍguṇya) وما يتصل بها من أصول التدبير.
Lord Agni
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Appointment criteria for the sandhi-vigrahika (minister handling peace/war): loyalty, hardship tolerance, constant readiness, and mastery of ṣāḍguṇya strategy for diplomacy and conflict management.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Sandhi-Vigrahika: Minister of Peace and War (Ṣāḍguṇya Expert)","lookup_keywords":["sandhi-vigraha","ṣāḍguṇya","mantrin","diplomacy","tāmbūla"],"quick_summary":"Specifies the profile of the peace-and-war minister: a loyal, hardship-enduring male official, marked as ever-ready (tāmbūla-dhārī), and trained in the sixfold foreign policy. Practical use: selecting and training strategic leadership for alliances and hostilities."}
Concept: State survival depends on disciplined strategic reasoning (ṣāḍguṇya) embodied in a dedicated office.
Application: Institutionalize foreign policy: appoint a specialist minister to continuously evaluate when to make peace, wage war, march, remain quiet, seek shelter, or pursue dual policy.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma / Niti-shastra (Statecraft and Diplomacy)
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A strategic minister in council, holding a policy scroll with six headings (ṣāḍguṇya), while messengers and maps indicate ongoing peace/war decisions; betel pouch signifies constant readiness.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: minister seated beside the king, holding palm-leaf manuscript with six policy terms, attendants with message scrolls, stylized map motifs, composed vigilant expressions, bold outlines.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: minister with gold-highlighted manuscript and ornate betel box, king in profile listening, rich gold borders, ceremonial court setting emphasizing authority and strategy.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: didactic scene—sixfold policy shown as a neat panel/scroll, minister pointing to items while advising, soft colors, fine linework, clarity of instructional content.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: detailed council chamber with maps and dispatches, minister presenting a document with six measures, subtle gestures, realistic textiles and architectural depth."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Khamaj","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: No major sandhi; nā = na (negation) in context. ṣāḍguṇyādi = ṣāḍguṇya + ādi (etc.).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 220 (nīti and ministerial qualifications)
FAQs
It imparts niti-vidya (political science): qualifications for appointing a sandhi-vigrahika (diplomatic/foreign-affairs officer) who is trained in ṣāḍguṇya—the six classical measures of interstate policy.
Beyond theology, the Agni Purana also codifies practical governance—ministerial selection, diplomacy, and war/peace management—showing its broad coverage of statecraft alongside ritual, dharma, and other sciences.
By prescribing competent, disciplined officials for peace and war, the text aligns kingship with dharma: right policy reduces needless harm, stabilizes society, and supports righteous order (dharma), which is treated as a merit-bearing duty of rule.