Agni Purana — Kosha, Shloka 2
Chapter 365 — क्षत्रविट्शूद्रवर्गाः
The Classes of Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas, and Śūdras
चक्रवर्ती सार्वभौमो नृपो ऽन्यो मण्डलेश्वरः मन्त्री धीसचिवो ऽमात्यो महामात्राः प्रधानकाः
cakravartī sārvabhaumo nṛpo 'nyo maṇḍaleśvaraḥ mantrī dhīsacivo 'mātyo mahāmātrāḥ pradhānakāḥ
L’empereur universel est appelé cakravartin ; le souverain suprême, sārvabhauma ; et un autre type de roi, maṇḍaleśvara, seigneur d’une région. Le conseiller est le mantrin ; le secrétaire avisé, le dhī-saciva ; l’officier exécutif, l’amātya ; et les principaux hauts fonctionnaires sont les mahāmātras ainsi que les ministres principaux.
Lord Agni
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Standardizes political titles (cakravartin, sārvabhauma, maṇḍaleśvara) and ministerial designations for governance, protocol, and documentation.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Royal and ministerial titles: Cakravartin to Mahāmātra","lookup_keywords":["cakravartin","sārvabhauma","maṇḍaleśvara","mantrin","amātya"],"quick_summary":"Gives a compact nomenclature of sovereign grades and key administrative offices, useful for court hierarchy and state organization."}
Concept: Polity requires clear gradation of sovereignty and defined ministerial functions to prevent confusion of authority.
Application: Draft court protocols and administrative manuals using consistent titles and role definitions.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma (Governance and Polity)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A royal court diagram-like scene showing three tiers of kings (cakravartin, sārvabhauma, maṇḍaleśvara) and a council line of officials (mantrin, dhī-saciva, amātya, mahāmātra).","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style, stylized court assembly with labeled officials seated in rows, central throne, attendants holding palm-leaf records, clear hierarchical spacing, bright reds/ochres/greens, traditional ornamentation","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, gold-embellished court scene with the king and ministers, ornate throne, officials holding scrolls and seals, symmetrical composition, heavy jewelry and gilded borders","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clean instructional composition: council of ministers with distinct attire for mantrin/dhī-saciva/amātya/mahāmātra, subtle captions on a scroll motif, soft shading and fine outlines","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, durbar scene with meticulous faces and textiles, scribes and secretaries with documents, ranked nobles, architectural depth, refined palette"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: nṛpo 'nyo→nṛpaḥ anyaḥ; dhīsacivo→dhī-sacivaḥ; 'mātyo→amātyaḥ.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Rajadharma chapters on ministers and council; Agni Purana: sections on kingship qualities and governance
FAQs
This verse imparts technical political vocabulary (rajavidya/rajadharma): it classifies types of rulers (cakravartin, sārvabhauma, maṇḍaleśvara) and identifies key court offices (mantrin, dhī-saciva, amātya, mahāmātra, pradhāna) used in state administration.
By functioning like a lexicon of governance, it preserves administrative classifications and bureaucratic titles alongside the Purana’s many other domains (ritual, temple practice, medicine, warfare, poetics), showing the Agni Purana’s encyclopedic compilation of practical knowledge.
In Rajadharma framing, correct understanding of ranks and duties supports righteous governance (dharma) and social order; a king who appoints and consults proper ministers and officers is portrayed as accruing merit through just rule and protection of subjects.