Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 60
Mantra-śakti, Dūta-Carā (Envoys & Spies), Vyasana (Calamities), and the Sapta-Upāya of Nīti
त्रिशक्तिर्देशकालज्ञो दण्डेनास्तं नयेदरीन् मैत्रीप्रधानं कल्याणबुद्धिं सान्त्वेन साधयेत्
triśaktirdeśakālajño daṇḍenāstaṃ nayedarīn maitrīpradhānaṃ kalyāṇabuddhiṃ sāntvena sādhayet
مَن أُوتي قوى الدولة الثلاث وعرف مقتضى المكان والزمان، فليُهلك الأعداء بالعقوبة. أمّا من كان يغلب عليه الودّ وحسن النية، فيُستمال بالسّاما (المصالحة).
Lord Agni (in instruction on rajadharma/rajanīti)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Executive decision-making: deploy the threefold state power with sensitivity to place/time; punish irreconcilable enemies, but win well-disposed persons through conciliation.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Triśakti, Deśa-Kāla, and Dual Track: Daṇḍa vs Sāntva","lookup_keywords":["triśakti","deśa-kāla","daṇḍa","sāntva","state power"],"quick_summary":"A ruler must know when and where to apply coercion; punishment ruins hostile enemies, while conciliation secures those inclined to friendship and welfare."}
Concept: Yukti (context-sensitive prudence): the same ruler must embody firmness and kindness according to deśa-kāla and the other’s disposition.
Application: Policy design: segment actors into hostile vs persuadable; align enforcement and outreach with local conditions and timing.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma (Governance, statecraft, and policy)
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A king in council holds symbols of authority (scepter/scroll), indicating threefold power; one side shows punishment of enemies, the other shows conciliatory meeting with a friendly-minded leader.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, split narrative: left—stern judgment scene with guards; right—peaceful dialogue with garlands; central king with composed face, bold outlines and traditional palette.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central enthroned king with gold embellishments, left panel shows punitive decree, right panel shows offering of friendship and honors, emphasizing balanced kingship.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional diptych: ‘daṇḍa’ scene with disciplined troops and legal order; ‘sāntva’ scene with negotiation and gifts; fine detailing and calm composition.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtly realism: king consulting ministers, a prisoner led away in one corner, and in another corner an allied chief welcomed; architectural depth and delicate shading."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":null,"pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: त्रिशक्तिर्देशकालज्ञो→त्रि-शक्तिः देश-काल-ज्ञः; दण्डेनास्तं→दण्डेन अस्तम्; नयेदरीन्→नयेत् अरीन्
Related Themes: Agni Purana 240 (daṇḍa and sāma; rajadharma instruments)
FAQs
This verse teaches rāja-nīti (statecraft): apply daṇḍa (coercive punishment) to hostile enemies when appropriate, but use sāntva (conciliation/persuasion) to secure allies or well-intentioned persons, guided by correct assessment of deśa (place) and kāla (time).
Alongside ritual and cosmological topics, the Agni Purana also preserves practical governance doctrine—strategy, diplomacy, and penal policy—showing its wide scope as a compendium that includes political science (rajanīti) within a Purāṇic framework.
It frames rulership as dharma-guided action: force is sanctioned against harmful aggression, while compassion and peaceful persuasion are upheld for the well-disposed—supporting righteous governance that reduces adharma and its karmic consequences.