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
ਹੇ ਬੁੱਧਿਮਾਨ! ਇਕੱਠੇ ਅਤੇ ਵਿਖਰੇ—ਦੋਹਾਂ ਦੀ ਰੱਖਿਆ ਤੇ ਉੱਨਤੀ ਲਈ ਅਧਿਪਤੀ ਸੰਧੀ, ਵਿਗ੍ਰਹ, ਯਾਨ, ਆਸਨ ਆਦਿ ਨੀਤੀ-ਉਪਾਅ ਸਿਖਾਉਂਦਾ ਹੈ; ਮੈਂ ਤੈਨੂੰ ਉਹ ਸਮਝਾਂਦਾ ਹਾਂ।
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.