Agni Purana — Ayurveda, Shloka 29
अश्ववाहनसारः
Aśvavāhana-sāra) — Essentials of Horses as Mounts (and Horse-Treatment
प्रोक्तमाश्वसनं सामभेदो ऽश्वेन नियोज्यते कषादिताड्नं दण्डो दानं कालसहिष्णुता
proktamāśvasanaṃ sāmabhedo 'śvena niyojyate kaṣāditāḍnaṃ daṇḍo dānaṃ kālasahiṣṇutā
宥和（sāma）が第一の方策として説かれる。説得と離間（sāma と bheda）は使者を通じて用いるべきである。鞭による打擲と処罰の加行はダンダ（daṇḍa）であり、贈与はダーナ（dāna）である。また、時機を待って忍耐することは、時に関する堪忍である。
Lord Agni (instructing Sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Statecraft decision-making: apply upāyas—conciliation, persuasion, division via envoy; then punishment/force, gifts, and strategic patience—according to context and timing.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Upāyas of polity: sāma, bheda, daṇḍa, dāna, and kāla-sahiṣṇutā","lookup_keywords":["āśvāsana","sāma","bheda","daṇḍa","dāna"],"quick_summary":"Presents a graded toolkit for pacification and diplomacy: begin with conciliation, use persuasion and division through an envoy, employ punishment or gifts as needed, and practice time-based patience."}
Weapon Type: Whip (kaśā) and punitive force (daṇḍa) implied
Concept: Right governance uses proportionate means and correct timing; coercion is a later resort after conciliatory measures.
Application: Policy protocol: attempt dialogue (āśvāsana/sāma), deploy envoy for negotiation and strategic splitting (bheda), then calibrated sanctions (daṇḍa) or incentives (dāna), while waiting for favorable time (kāla) when required.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma / Niti-shastra (Statecraft, diplomacy, and methods of pacification)
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A king in council with ministers; an envoy prepared to depart; scenes of conciliation, strategic division, punishment, gift-giving, and waiting for the right moment represented as a sequence.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, royal court with ministers in semicircle, envoy holding staff/seal, five-panel narrative of upāyas around the central king, bold flat colors and ornate borders","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, king enthroned with gold-leaf ornaments, envoy and gift trays, symbolic whip and scroll for daṇḍa and sāma, rich jewel tones, formal symmetry","mysore_prompt":"Mysore, instructional court diagram: labeled upāyas in compartments, king and envoy rendered with fine lines, emphasis on clarity and sequence, subdued elegance","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed durbar scene, envoy receiving instructions, separate vignettes of negotiation, bribery/gifts, punishment, and strategic waiting, intricate textiles and architecture"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"authoritative","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: प्रोक्तमाश्वसनम् = प्रोक्तम् + आश्वसनम् (म् + आ → माश्); सामभेदोऽश्वेन = सामभेदः + अश्वेन (अः + अ → ओऽ)।
Related Themes: Agni Purana: rājadharma/nīti sections on dūta (envoy), daṇḍanīti, and sāma-dāna-bheda-daṇḍa (contextual)
FAQs
It teaches practical niti (statecraft): using conciliation and strategic division via an envoy, followed by coercive measures (whip/penalty), gifts, and patient timing as political instruments.
Beyond theology, the Agni Purana codifies governance tools—diplomacy, intelligence via envoys, coercion, and incentives—showing its wide coverage of law and political administration.
By prioritizing conciliation and measured action, it implies dharmic rulership: force and punishment are regulated and time-bound, aiming to minimize harm while sustaining social order.