Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 8

Chapter 238 — राजधर्माः (Rājadharmāḥ) | Duties of Kings

Devanagari script

प्रवृत्तान्ववेक्षी च सन्धिविग्रहतत्त्ववित् गूढमन्त्रप्रचारज्ञो देशकालविभागवित्

Transliteration

pravṛttānvavekṣī ca sandhivigrahatattvavit gūḍhamantrapracārajño deśakālavibhāgavit

Translation

ಅವನು ನಡೆಯುತ್ತಿರುವ ಕಾರ್ಯಗಳನ್ನು ಸದಾ ಪರಿಶೀಲಿಸುವವನು, ಸಂಧಿ ಮತ್ತು ವಿಗ್ರಹದ ತತ್ತ್ವಗಳನ್ನು ತಿಳಿದವನು, ಗುಪ್ತ ಮಂತ್ರಣೆಯ ಪ್ರಯೋಗ ಹಾಗೂ ಪ್ರಸಾರವನ್ನು ಅರಿತವನು, ಮತ್ತು ದೇಶ-ಕಾಲದ ಯುಕ್ತ ವಿಭಾಗವನ್ನು ನಿರ್ಣಯಿಸುವಲ್ಲಿ ನಿಪುಣನಾಗಿರಬೇಕು।

Word by Word

• प्रवृत्तान्: those who are active/engaged
• प्रवृत्तान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pravṛtta (कृदन्त; √vṛt धातु, क्त; उपसर्ग प्र-)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; ‘प्रवृत्त’ = engaged/active persons (object of अवेक्षी)

• अन्ववेक्षी: overseer / one who keeps watch
• अन्ववेक्षी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anvavekṣin (प्रातिपदिक; √īkṣ धातु से -in प्रत्यय, उपसर्ग अनु+अव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक—निरीक्षक/पर्यवेक्षक

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• सन्धि-विग्रह-तत्त्व-वित्: knower of the principles of alliance and hostility
• सन्धि-विग्रह-तत्त्व-वित्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sandhi (प्रातिपदिक) + vigraha (प्रातिपदिक) + tattva (प्रातिपदिक) + vit (प्रातिपदिक; √vid धातु से ‘वित्’ = knowing)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (सन्धि-विग्रहयोः तत्त्वं वेत्ति)

• गूढ-मन्त्र-प्रचार-ज्ञः: knowing the spread/use of secret counsel (espionage)
• गूढ-मन्त्र-प्रचार-ज्ञः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gūḍha (प्रातिपदिक) + mantra (प्रातिपदिक) + pracāra (प्रातिपदिक) + jña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः; विशेषण (leader)

• देश-काल-विभाग-वित्: knower of the division/assessment of place and time
• देश-काल-विभाग-वित्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deśa (प्रातिपदिक) + kāla (प्रातिपदिक) + vibhāga (प्रातिपदिक) + vit (प्रातिपदिक; √vid)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (देशकालयोः विभागं वेत्ति)

Speaker

Lord Agni (in instruction to the sage Vasiṣṭha, within the Agni Purana’s rajadharma discourse)

Vidya Category

Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Executive governance and diplomacy: continuous oversight, alliance/war policy analysis, secure handling of confidential counsel, and situational decision-making by place and time.","sutra_style":true}

Encyclopedic Reference

Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Rāja-sevaka/Amātya-kauśala (Oversight, diplomacy, secrecy, spatio-temporal judgment)","lookup_keywords":["sandhi","vigraha","gūḍhamantra","deśa-kāla","anvavekṣī"],"quick_summary":"A capable state officer monitors ongoing affairs, knows the principles of alliance and hostility, manages confidential counsel securely, and decides actions by correctly reading place and time."}

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Pragmatic wisdom (nīti) as context-sensitive: correct action depends on deśa (terrain/polity) and kāla (timing/season/opportunity), safeguarded by secrecy.

Application: Create governance SOPs: monitoring dashboards, diplomatic playbooks (sandhi/vigraha), classified-communication discipline, and scenario planning by terrain and timing.

Khanda Section

Khanda Section: Rajadharma-Niti (Statecraft, diplomacy, and governance)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Visual Art Cues

Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A minister or chief officer overseeing reports, weighing alliance vs war, whispering confidential counsel, and pointing to maps and calendars to decide by place and time.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style, minister with palm-leaf dossiers, spies and messengers, map-like backdrop, symbolic sun/moon for kāla, fort and river for deśa, bold outlines and saturated colors.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central counselor with ornate throne-side seat, gold work on borders, miniature map and treaty scrolls, attendants holding sealed messages, emphasis on secrecy.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional tableau: council chamber with map, seasonal wheel, sealed documents, clear gestures indicating sandhi/vigraha decision, fine detailing and soft palette.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, diplomatic council with envoys, treaty parchment, guarded whispering, detailed carpets and architecture, a map and astrolabe/calendar elements indicating deśa-kāla."}

Audio Atmosphere

Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: प्रवृत्तान्ववेक्षी = प्रवृत्तान् + अन्ववेक्षी (न् + अ → न्व); अन्ये पदाः समास-रूपाणि।

Cross References

Related Themes: Agni Purana Rajadharma/Nīti sections on sandhi-vigraha, mantragupti, and dūta/spycraft themes (within 238 and nearby)

Characters & Entities

• Sandhi (alliance/treaty)
• Vigraha (war/conflict)
• Mantra (state counsel)

FAQs

What technical or practical knowledge is imparted in this verse?

It lists core competencies for a state functionary: monitoring active operations, mastering treaty-versus-war policy (sandhi–vigraha), handling confidential counsel (gūḍha-mantra) in practice, and choosing actions according to territory and timing (deśa–kāla).

How does this verse contribute to the encyclopedic nature of the Agni Purana?

Alongside ritual and theological material, the Agni Purana preserves niti/rajadharma guidance—practical governance tools such as diplomacy, war-policy analysis, secrecy, and strategic timing—showing its coverage of both sacred and administrative sciences.

What is the spiritual or karmic significance of this instruction?

By promoting disciplined, ethical, and context-aware governance, the verse supports dharma in public life—reducing harm from rash conflict and fostering orderly rule, which is traditionally seen as merit-bearing for rulers and their ministers.