Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 5
Ṣāḍguṇya — The Six Measures of Foreign Policy
with Rāja-maṇḍala Theory
अनुग्रहे संहतानां व्यस्तानां च बुधे प्रभुः सन्धिञ्च विग्रहं यानमासानदि वदामि ते
anugrahe saṃhatānāṃ vyastānāṃ ca budhe prabhuḥ sandhiñca vigrahaṃ yānamāsānadi vadāmi te
ឱ បណ្ឌិតា! ដើម្បីការពារ និងលើកកម្ពស់ទាំងអ្នកដែលរួបរួម និងអ្នកដែលបែកបាក់ ព្រះអធិបតីបានបង្រៀន។ ខ្ញុំនឹងពន្យល់ដល់អ្នកអំពី សន្ធិ (កិច្ចព្រមព្រៀង), វិគ្រះ (សត្រូវភាព/សង្គ្រាម), យាន (ការដំណើរយុទ្ធ), អាសន (ការស្ថិតនៅទីតាំង), និងវិធាននយោបាយផ្សេងៗទៀត។
Lord Agni (instructing the sage, traditionally Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Framework of ṣāḍguṇya (six measures of policy): decide among treaty, war, march, staying put, dual policy, and seeking shelter based on relative strength and political cohesion.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Ṣāḍguṇya: Sandhi–Vigraha–Yāna–Āsana–Dvaidhibhāva (and the remaining measure)","lookup_keywords":["ṣāḍguṇya","sandhi","vigraha","yāna","āsana"],"quick_summary":"The verse introduces the classic policy-options of kingship—treaty, hostility, expedition, and remaining stationed—used to protect and advance the state amid united or dispersed powers."}
Concept: Rational enumeration of political measures (guṇas) for safeguarding prosperity and security.
Application: Create a decision matrix: relative power, season, treasury, allies, enemy cohesion → select sandhi/vigraha/yāna/āsana/dvaidhibhāva/saṃśraya.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma / Niti-shastra (Statecraft: Sandhi–Vigraha–Yana–Asana–Dvaidhibhava)
Primary Rasa: niti
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A teacher-minister instructs a prince using a board showing the six policy measures; icons depict treaty scroll, crossed swords, marching army, seated camp, dual-faced envoy, and refuge at a fort.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, guru-minister and young prince in palace veranda, six emblems arranged in a circle, bright reds and greens, stylized armies and scrolls, didactic posture","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style with gold work, prince receiving instruction, six policy emblems in gold medallions around them, ornate pillars and throne, rich jewel tones","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clean instructional layout, labeled emblems for sandhi/vigraha/yāna/āsana/dvaidhibhāva/saṃśraya, minister pointing with stylus, calm scholarly ambience","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, court tutor presenting an illustrated folio of six measures to a young heir, detailed textiles, small vignettes of treaty signing, battle, march, encampment, double policy envoy, and refuge"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: सन्धिञ्च→सन्धिम् च; यानमासानदि→यानम् आसनादि (म-आ सन्धि); आसनादि = आसन+आदि
Related Themes: Agni Purana Rajadharma chapters enumerating ṣāḍguṇya and upāyas (sāma-dāna-bheda-daṇḍa)
FAQs
This verse introduces rāja-nīti (statecraft), specifically the policy-terms sandhi (treaty), vigraha (war/hostility), yāna (campaign), and āsana (strategic staying/encampment), which are practical tools for managing inter-kingdom relations.
By shifting from purely religious topics to formal political science vocabulary, it shows the Agni Purana’s encyclopedic scope—preserving a compact manual of diplomacy and strategy alongside ritual, theology, and other disciplines.
Right governance—choosing peace or war appropriately for the welfare of subjects—supports dharma; a ruler’s ethical use of these measures is treated as dharmic duty that sustains social order and reduces collective harm.