Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 1
Ṣāḍguṇya — The Six Measures of Foreign Policy
with Rāja-maṇḍala Theory
इत्य् आग्नेये महापुराणे राजधर्मो नाम अष्टत्रिंशदधिकद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः अथोनचत्वारिंशदधिकद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः षाड्गुण्यं राम उवाच मण्डलं चिन्तयेत् मुख्यं राजा द्वादशराजकं अरिर्मित्रमरेर्मित्रं मित्रमित्रमतः परं
ity āgneye mahāpurāṇe rājadharmo nāma aṣṭatriṃśadadhikadviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ athonacatvāriṃśadadhikadviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ ṣāḍguṇyaṃ rāma uvāca maṇḍalaṃ cintayet mukhyaṃ rājā dvādaśarājakaṃ arirmitramarermitraṃ mitramitramataḥ paraṃ
So heißt im Agni-Mahāpurāṇa das zweihundertachtunddreißigste Kapitel „Rājadharma (Pflichten der Könige)“. Nun beginnt das zweihundertneununddreißigste Kapitel „Ṣāḍguṇya (die sechs Maßnahmen der Außenpolitik)“. Rāma sprach: Der König soll vor allem den königlichen Kreis (rāja-maṇḍala) bedenken, der aus zwölf Königen besteht: dem Feind; dem Verbündeten des Feindes; dem Verbündeten des Verbündeten des Feindes; dem Verbündeten; dem Verbündeten des Verbündeten; und den darüber hinaus in Folge stehenden.
Rāma (as the instructing voice in this chapter on statecraft)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Diplomatic mapping via maṇḍala theory: identify the twelve-king circle to choose alliances, neutrality, or hostility under ṣāḍguṇya policy.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Rāja-maṇḍala of twelve kings (dvādaśa-rājaka) in ṣāḍguṇya context","lookup_keywords":["ṣāḍguṇya","rāja-maṇḍala","dvādaśa-rājaka","ari (enemy)","mitra (ally)"],"quick_summary":"Foreign policy begins by mapping the twelvefold political circle—enemy, allies of enemy, one’s ally and its allies—so the king can select the appropriate diplomatic measure."}
Concept: Political knowledge is a structured science: relations are intelligible through ordered categories (maṇḍala) enabling right action (nīti).
Application: Draft a ‘mandala map’ of neighboring powers and second-order allies before choosing peace, war, alliance, or neutrality.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma (Statecraft, Diplomacy, and Governance)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Rāma instructs on statecraft: a diagram-like royal circle showing enemy and ally chains around the would-be conqueror, as a teaching scene transitioning between chapters.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: Rāma as teacher-king gesturing to a circular mandala diagram with labeled kings; attendants hold palm-leaf manuscripts; warm earthy palette, bold outlines, temple mural symmetry.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: Rāma with ornate crown and gold halo, pointing to a gilded circular mandala chart; rich gold embossing on the diagram and throne; deep reds and greens.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: didactic composition with a clean mandala wheel, twelve nodes around the central king; fine lines, soft colors, minimal gold; manuscript-illustration feel.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: scholarly court with Rāma explaining a painted mandala chart to ministers; precise geometry, calligraphic labels, architectural depth and patterned carpets."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: इति+आग्नेये→इत्याग्नेये; द्विशततमः+अध्यायः→द्विशततमोऽध्यायः; (अथ+ऊन+चत्वारिंशत्)→अथोनचत्वारिंशत्; अरिः+मित्रम्→अरिर्मित्रम्; अरेः+मित्रम्→अरेर्मित्रम्
Related Themes: Agni Purana 239 (Ṣāḍguṇya); Agni Purana 238 (Rājadharma foundations)
FAQs
It imparts political science (rāja-nīti): the rāja-maṇḍala model and the ṣāḍguṇya framework, guiding a king to map enemies and allies in a structured twelvefold geopolitical circle.
By shifting from religious narration to practical governance, it shows the Agni Purana’s encyclopedic range—preserving a technical doctrine of diplomacy (mandala theory) alongside theology and ritual.
Right governance is treated as dharma: a king who understands alliances and avoids reckless conflict protects subjects, upholds order, and accrues merit through just and prudent rule.