Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 1
Chapter 233 — Ṣāḍguṇya (The Six Measures of Royal Policy) and Foreign Daṇḍa
इत्य् आग्नेये महाओपुराणे यात्रामण्डलचिन्तादिर्नाम द्वात्रिंशदधिकद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः अथ त्रयस्त्रिंशदधिकद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः षाड्गुण्यं पुष्कर उवाच सामभेदौ मया प्रोक्तौ दानदण्डौ तथैव च दण्डः स्वदेशे कथितः परदेशे व्रवीमि ते
ity āgneye mahāopurāṇe yātrāmaṇḍalacintādirnāma dvātriṃśadadhikadviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ atha trayastriṃśadadhikadviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ ṣāḍguṇyaṃ puṣkara uvāca sāmabhedau mayā proktau dānadaṇḍau tathaiva ca daṇḍaḥ svadeśe kathitaḥ paradeśe vravīmi te
Thus, in the Agni Mahāpurāṇa, the two-hundred-and-thirty-second chapter entitled “Reflections on the Campaign, the Circle of States, and related matters” concludes. Now begins the two-hundred-and-thirty-third chapter, on “Ṣāḍguṇya”—the six measures of policy. Puṣkara said: “I have explained conciliation (sāma) and division (bheda), and likewise gift (dāna) and punishment (daṇḍa). Punishment within one’s own realm has been described; I shall now tell you of policy in relation to foreign realms.”
Puṣkara
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Samanya","practical_application":"Curricular framing for ṣāḍguṇya (six foreign-policy measures) and the extension of daṇḍa-policy from internal governance to external/foreign contexts.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Transition to Ṣāḍguṇya: from internal daṇḍa to foreign policy","lookup_keywords":["ṣāḍguṇya","sāma","bheda","dāna","daṇḍa","paradeśa-nīti"],"quick_summary":"The text closes the campaign-and-mandala chapter and opens the ṣāḍguṇya chapter, recapping four upāyas and announcing a focus on daṇḍa as applied to foreign realms. It functions as a table-of-contents style bridge."}
Concept: Systematization of policy knowledge: upāyas and ṣāḍguṇya are taught as a structured science of governance.
Application: Use a structured decision-framework: distinguish internal enforcement from external strategy; choose among policy ‘modes’ (peace, war, posture, alliance, dual policy) based on capability and context.
Khanda Section: Rājadharma / Nīti-śāstra (Ṣāḍguṇya and foreign policy)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A sage-teacher Puṣkara addresses a student, pointing to a palm-leaf manuscript heading ‘Ṣāḍguṇya’; behind them are symbolic panels for sāma, bheda, dāna, daṇḍa and a map indicating foreign realms.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, guru Puṣkara seated with palm-leaf text, student attentive, symbolic icons for four upāyas arranged like a mandala, temple-mural palette and stylization","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, teacher with ornate seat and gold embellishments, manuscript with highlighted title, four policy symbols (speech, split, gift, rod) in medallions, rich gold work","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional classroom scene, clear manuscript headings, diagram of ṣāḍguṇya framework, fine lines and soft colors","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, scholarly setting with books and scrolls, teacher lecturing, attendants holding manuscripts, marginal illustrations of policy measures, delicate detailing"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Hamsadhwani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: इति+आग्नेये→इत्याग्नेये; चिन्तादिः+नाम→चिन्तादिर्नाम; द्विशततमः+अध्यायः→द्विशततमोऽध्यायः; ब्रवीमि is read for IAST ‘vravīmi’ (scribal/orthographic variant).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 232 (Yātrā-maṇḍala-cintā: campaign planning, mandala); Agni Purana 233 (Ṣāḍguṇya: six measures of policy; continuation)
FAQs
It introduces nīti-vidyā (statecraft) via ṣāḍguṇya and frames the practical tools of diplomacy—sāma (conciliation), bheda (dissension), dāna (inducement), and daṇḍa (coercion)—shifting focus from internal punishment to foreign-policy application.
By moving from campaign/maṇḍala analysis to ṣāḍguṇya doctrine, it shows the Agni Purana’s coverage of political science alongside religious and ritual topics, preserving a compact manual of classical Indian diplomacy and governance.
In purāṇic rājadharma, correct use of daṇḍa and diplomacy is part of a king’s duty (dharma); just governance preserves social order and reduces adharma, generating merit through protection of subjects and restraint in coercion.