Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 12
Yātrā-Maṇḍala-Cintā and Rājya-Rakṣaṇa: Auspicious Travel Rules and the Twelve-King Mandala
स्वाम्यमात्यं तथा दुर्गं कोषो दण्डस्तथैव च मित्रञ्जनपदश् चैव राज्यं सप्ताङ्गमुच्यते
svāmyamātyaṃ tathā durgaṃ koṣo daṇḍastathaiva ca mitrañjanapadaś caiva rājyaṃ saptāṅgamucyate
Diz-se que o Estado (rājya) consiste em sete membros: o soberano (svāmin), o(s) ministro(s) (amātya), a fortaleza (durga), o tesouro (kośa), o poder coercivo/autoridade penal (daṇḍa), o aliado (mitra) e o território com o seu povo (janapada).
Lord Agni (in discourse to Sage Vasiṣṭha, as per the Agni Purāṇa’s predominant narration style)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Framework for assessing and strengthening a polity by auditing the seven state-limbs (saptāṅga): leadership, administration, fortification, finance, coercive capacity, alliances, and populace/territory.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Saptāṅga Rājya: Seven Limbs of the State","lookup_keywords":["saptanga rajya","svamin","amatya","durga kosha danda","mitra janapada"],"quick_summary":"Defines the classic seven-limbed model of the state, enabling systematic governance: strengthen each limb to stabilize sovereignty and ensure security and prosperity."}
Concept: The polity is an organism of interdependent limbs; imbalance in any limb weakens the whole.
Application: Create a governance checklist: vet ruler quality (svāmin), appoint competent ministers (amātya), maintain forts (durga), ensure revenue and reserves (kośa), enforce law and defense (daṇḍa), cultivate alliances (mitra), and protect/enable the people and land (janapada).
Khanda Section: Rajadharma (Governance and Statecraft)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A schematic ‘seven-limbed state’ diagram around a central king: minister, fort, treasury, army/justice (daṇḍa), ally, and the land/people, each shown as a labeled segment or vignette.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, central king icon with seven surrounding panels: minister with scroll, fort walls, treasury pots, danda as scepter/army, ally king handshake, fields and towns for janapada; flat iconic layout and warm tones","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central svāmin enthroned with gold halo, seven gilded medallions around depicting each limb (amatya, durga, kośa, daṇḍa, mitra, janapada), ornate borders and rich colors","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clear instructional mandala-like chart of seven limbs with fine labels, vignettes rendered delicately for didactic clarity, balanced composition","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtly allegory: king at center with ministers, fort in background, treasurer counting coins, soldiers and judge for danda, envoy with ally, peasants and landscape for janapada; meticulous detail and perspective"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kedar","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: स्वाम्यमात्यं = स्वामि + अमात्यम् (द्वन्द्व; संधि से ‘स्वाम्य-’). मित्रञ्जनपदः = मित्र + जनपदः (द्वन्द्व; ञ्-सन्धि). सप्ताङ्गम् = सप्त + अङ्गम् (स्वर-सन्धि).
Related Themes: Agni Purana rājadharma/governance discussions following 232.12 (contextual)
FAQs
It imparts rājadharma/nīti-śāstra knowledge: the technical definition of a polity as a seven-part system (saptāṅga), outlining the administrative, fiscal, military, diplomatic, and territorial pillars needed for governance.
By preserving a concise political-science framework (saptāṅga-rājya) alongside the Purāṇa’s ritual and theological material, it demonstrates the Agni Purāṇa’s coverage of practical disciplines such as governance, law-and-order (daṇḍa), fortification (durga), finance (kośa), and diplomacy (mitra).
By defining the state’s limbs, the verse supports dharmic kingship: just administration, disciplined use of daṇḍa, protection of subjects, and orderly governance are treated as righteous duties whose proper performance sustains social harmony and accrues merit for the ruler.