Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 3

Sahāya-sampattiḥ (Securing Support/Allies): Royal Appointments, Court Offices, Spies, and Personnel Ethics

Devanagari script

ताम्बूलधारी ना स्त्री वा भक्तः क्लेशसहप्रियः सान्धिविग्रहिकः कार्यः षाड्गुण्यादिविशारदः

Transliteration

tāmbūladhārī nā strī vā bhaktaḥ kleśasahapriyaḥ sāndhivigrahikaḥ kāryaḥ ṣāḍguṇyādiviśāradaḥ

Translation

The minister in charge of peace and war (sandhi-vigrahika) should be a man—not a woman—loyal, fond of enduring hardships, and one who habitually bears tāmbūla (betel); he should be appointed as sandhi-vigrahika, being well-versed in the sixfold policy (ṣāḍguṇya) and related strategic principles.

Word by Word

• tāmbūla-dhārī: bearing betel (tāmbūla)
• tāmbūla-dhārī: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tāmbūla + dhārī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (“betel-bearer/one who carries betel”)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• strī: a woman
• strī: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: strī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय (disjunctive: “or”)

• bhaktaḥ: devoted; loyal
• bhaktaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; “devoted/loyal” (also ‘fed’, but here ‘devoted’)

• kleśa-saha-priyaḥ: one who endures hardship willingly
• kleśa-saha-priyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kleśa + saha + priya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (“fond of enduring hardship / who likes to bear troubles”)

• sāndhi-vigrahikaḥ: minister in charge of peace and war
• sāndhi-vigrahikaḥ: Karma (कर्म/Object complement of ‘to be made’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāndhi + vigrahika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (sandhi and vigraha: peace and war) + -ika (agent noun): “officer of peace-and-war (diplomacy)”

• kāryaḥ: should be appointed
• kāryaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया/necessity predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √kṛ (कृ धातु) + ya (य)
• Form: कृदन्त-गेरुण्डिव (gerundive of obligation), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; “to be appointed/should be made”

• ṣāḍguṇya-ādi-viśāradaḥ: skilled in the six measures (ṣāḍguṇya) and related matters
• ṣāḍguṇya-ādi-viśāradaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣāḍguṇya + ādi + viśārada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (“skilled in ṣāḍguṇya etc.”)

Speaker

Lord Agni

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: No major sandhi; nā = na (negation) in context. ṣāḍguṇyādi = ṣāḍguṇya + ādi (etc.).

Characters & Entities

• Ṣāḍguṇya
• Sandhi
• Vigraha

FAQs

What technical or ritual knowledge (Vidya) is imparted in this verse?

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.

How does this verse contribute to the 'Encyclopedic' nature of the Agni Purana?

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.

What is the spiritual or karmic significance of this specific instruction?

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.