Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 12
Yātrā-Maṇḍala-Cintā and Rājya-Rakṣaṇa: Auspicious Travel Rules and the Twelve-King Mandala
स्वाम्यमात्यं तथा दुर्गं कोषो दण्डस्तथैव च मित्रञ्जनपदश् चैव राज्यं सप्ताङ्गमुच्यते
svāmyamātyaṃ tathā durgaṃ koṣo daṇḍastathaiva ca mitrañjanapadaś caiva rājyaṃ saptāṅgamucyate
On dit que l’État (rājya) se compose de sept membres : le souverain (svāmin), le(s) ministre(s) (amātya), la forteresse (durga), le trésor (kośa), le pouvoir coercitif ou l’autorité pénale (daṇḍa), l’allié (mitra) et le territoire avec son peuple (janapada).
Lord Agni (in discourse to Sage Vasiṣṭha, as per the Agni Purāṇa’s predominant narration style)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Framework for assessing and strengthening a polity by auditing the seven state-limbs (saptāṅga): leadership, administration, fortification, finance, coercive capacity, alliances, and populace/territory.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Saptāṅga Rājya: Seven Limbs of the State","lookup_keywords":["saptanga rajya","svamin","amatya","durga kosha danda","mitra janapada"],"quick_summary":"Defines the classic seven-limbed model of the state, enabling systematic governance: strengthen each limb to stabilize sovereignty and ensure security and prosperity."}
Concept: The polity is an organism of interdependent limbs; imbalance in any limb weakens the whole.
Application: Create a governance checklist: vet ruler quality (svāmin), appoint competent ministers (amātya), maintain forts (durga), ensure revenue and reserves (kośa), enforce law and defense (daṇḍa), cultivate alliances (mitra), and protect/enable the people and land (janapada).
Khanda Section: Rajadharma (Governance and Statecraft)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A schematic ‘seven-limbed state’ diagram around a central king: minister, fort, treasury, army/justice (daṇḍa), ally, and the land/people, each shown as a labeled segment or vignette.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, central king icon with seven surrounding panels: minister with scroll, fort walls, treasury pots, danda as scepter/army, ally king handshake, fields and towns for janapada; flat iconic layout and warm tones","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central svāmin enthroned with gold halo, seven gilded medallions around depicting each limb (amatya, durga, kośa, daṇḍa, mitra, janapada), ornate borders and rich colors","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clear instructional mandala-like chart of seven limbs with fine labels, vignettes rendered delicately for didactic clarity, balanced composition","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtly allegory: king at center with ministers, fort in background, treasurer counting coins, soldiers and judge for danda, envoy with ally, peasants and landscape for janapada; meticulous detail and perspective"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kedar","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: स्वाम्यमात्यं = स्वामि + अमात्यम् (द्वन्द्व; संधि से ‘स्वाम्य-’). मित्रञ्जनपदः = मित्र + जनपदः (द्वन्द्व; ञ्-सन्धि). सप्ताङ्गम् = सप्त + अङ्गम् (स्वर-सन्धि).
Related Themes: Agni Purana rājadharma/governance discussions following 232.12 (contextual)
FAQs
It imparts rājadharma/nīti-śāstra knowledge: the technical definition of a polity as a seven-part system (saptāṅga), outlining the administrative, fiscal, military, diplomatic, and territorial pillars needed for governance.
By preserving a concise political-science framework (saptāṅga-rājya) alongside the Purāṇa’s ritual and theological material, it demonstrates the Agni Purāṇa’s coverage of practical disciplines such as governance, law-and-order (daṇḍa), fortification (durga), finance (kośa), and diplomacy (mitra).
By defining the state’s limbs, the verse supports dharmic kingship: just administration, disciplined use of daṇḍa, protection of subjects, and orderly governance are treated as righteous duties whose proper performance sustains social harmony and accrues merit for the ruler.