Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 4
Chapter 233 — Ṣāḍguṇya (The Six Measures of Royal Policy) and Foreign Daṇḍa
दण्डप्रणयणं प्रोक्तमुपेक्षां शृणु भार्गव यदा मन्यते नृपती रणे न मम विग्रहः
daṇḍapraṇayaṇaṃ proktamupekṣāṃ śṛṇu bhārgava yadā manyate nṛpatī raṇe na mama vigrahaḥ
ការប្រើប្រាស់ទណ្ឌកម្ម (នយោបាយបង្ខិតបង្ខំ) បានពន្យល់រួចហើយ; ឥឡូវសូមស្តាប់ ឱ ភារគវៈ អំពី «ការមិនអើពើ/ការមិនចូលរួមដោយយុទ្ធសាស្ត្រ»—នៅពេលស្តេចគិតក្នុងបរិបទសង្គ្រាមថា «មិនមានការប្រកួតប្រជែងណាដែលសមគួរជាមួយខ្ញុំទេ»។
Lord Agni
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Philosophy","practical_application":"Teaches the policy of upekṣā (strategic non-engagement) after explaining daṇḍa: when the king judges a war not worth undertaking, he refrains and conserves strength.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Upekṣā (Strategic Neglect/Non-engagement) as a Nīti Option","lookup_keywords":["upekṣā","daṇḍa-praṇayana","raṇa","vigrāha","nṛpati"],"quick_summary":"After coercion is defined, upekṣā is introduced: a ruler may deliberately avoid conflict when he assesses no meaningful contest or benefit in engaging."}
Concept: Discernment (viveka) in action: not every provocation warrants response; power includes the capacity to refrain.
Application: Decision-making heuristic: engage only when objectives, capability, and payoff align; otherwise practice deliberate non-response while maintaining readiness.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma (Governance, diplomacy, and statecraft)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A king in council, calm and composed, dismisses calls for war; a battlefield scene fades in the background as a mere possibility, while scribes record the policy of upekṣā.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: serene king with raised palm in a gesture of restraint; ministers with weapons lowered; faint background of armies as stylized silhouettes; emphasis on calm facial expressions and compositional balance.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: central king with gold arch, hand in abhaya-like restraint; ministers holding treaty scrolls and war drums set aside; rich ornamentation, symbolic calm.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: instructional court scene with a decision board showing 'daṇḍa' then 'upekṣā'; soft colors, precise lines, minimal background conflict imagery.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: detailed durbar; one minister points to a battlefield map, the king gestures refusal; background shows distant troops encamped but inactive, refined architectural setting."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: proktam + upekṣām → proktam upekṣām (often written proktamupekṣām); prakṛta reading ‘nṛpatī’ normalized to nominative nṛpatiḥ for syntax.
Related Themes: Agni Purana Rajadharma discussions of upāyas and diplomatic options; Agni Purana passages on kingly counsel and assessment of strength
FAQs
It imparts daṇḍanīti (political science of coercion and governance), specifically defining upekṣā as a deliberate policy of non-engagement when the king assesses that conflict (vigraha) is not to be undertaken.
Beyond theology, the Agni Purana systematizes practical governance—punishment, diplomacy, and war-postures—showing it functions as a compendium of statecraft alongside ritual and spiritual topics.
By endorsing restraint and measured policy (upekṣā) rather than needless violence (vigraha), it supports dharmic kingship—minimizing adharma and the karmic burden that arises from unjust or unnecessary warfare.