Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 51
Mantra-śakti, Dūta-Carā (Envoys & Spies), Vyasana (Calamities), and the Sapta-Upāya of Nīti
मिथो भेदश् च भेदज्ञैर् भेदश् च त्रिविधः स्मृतः बधो ऽर्थहरणं चैव परिक्लेशस्त्रिधा दमः
mitho bhedaś ca bhedajñair bhedaś ca trividhaḥ smṛtaḥ badho 'rthaharaṇaṃ caiva parikleśastridhā damaḥ
يُصرّح العارفون بعلم إثارة الشقاق بأن «bheda» (إحداث الفرقة) يكون على وجهٍ متبادل، أي يُجعل بعضُهم ضدَّ بعض، ويُذكَر أنه ثلاثيّ الأنواع. وكذلك «الدَّما» (القهر/الكبح القسري) ثلاثيّ: القتل، ومصادرة المال، والإيذاء بالمضايقة أو الإعنات.
Lord Agni (instructing sage Vasiṣṭha in rajadharma/dandanīti topics typical of Agni Purana’s encyclopedic discourse)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Statecraft escalation ladder: understand bheda (divide-and-rule) and the three coercive penalties—capital punishment, confiscation, and harassment—used for deterrence and control.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Bheda and Trividha Dama (Coercive Restraint)","lookup_keywords":["bheda","dandanīti","artha-haraṇa","parikleśa","vadha"],"quick_summary":"Bheda is a deliberate technique of creating mutual division among opponents. Dama/daṇḍa is threefold—killing, confiscation, and affliction—marking graded coercion in governance."}
Weapon Type: Sword
Concept: Rāja-śāsana employs both psychological strategy (bheda) and material force (daṇḍa) in graded forms; power must be systematized to be effective.
Application: In governance/policy, prioritize nonviolent measures first; if coercion is used, define clear tiers (fines/confiscation, restrictions, severe penalties) with accountability to avoid arbitrariness.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma / Dandaniti (Governance, law, and punishment)
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A minister explains to the king how to split hostile factions and how punishments are graded: execution, confiscation, and punitive harassment; a court scene with symbolic implements of justice.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: stern king with daṇḍa (staff) and sword, minister pointing to three symbolic panels (gallows/sword, seized treasury, bound offender), intense reds and dark tones, dramatic expressions.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: king as dharma-rāja with gold-leaf throne, justice staff and sword, attendants holding confiscated goods, offenders shown at a distance, strong icon-like symmetry.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: instructional court painting with a clear three-tier punishment diagram on a scroll, minister teaching, restrained palette, emphasis on clarity and hierarchy.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: durbar with a strategist whispering counsel, rival chiefs separated into groups, a qazi/official recording confiscation, detailed architecture and subdued but tense mood."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: भेदश् = भेदः; भेदज्ञैर् = भेदज्ञैः; त्रिविधः; बधो ऽर्थहरणं = बधः + अर्थ-हरणम्; चैव = च + एव; परिक्लेशस्त्रिधा = परिक्लेशः + त्रिधा.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 240 (upāyas and daṇḍa discussion)
FAQs
It teaches dandanīti/statecraft terminology: bheda (sowing dissension) is a strategic tool described as threefold, and punitive restraint is classified into execution (badha), confiscation (arthaharaṇa), and affliction/harassment (parikleśa).
Beyond myth and devotion, it preserves a concise taxonomy of political measures and punishments—showing the Agni Purana’s coverage of practical governance (rajadharma) alongside religious instruction.
It frames coercion and punishment as structured instruments of rule; when applied within dharma (just governance), restraint and penalties are portrayed as means to uphold social order and limit adharma, affecting the ruler’s merit and accountability.