Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 51
Mantra-śakti, Dūta-Carā (Envoys & Spies), Vyasana (Calamities), and the Sapta-Upāya of Nīti
मिथो भेदश् च भेदज्ञैर् भेदश् च त्रिविधः स्मृतः बधो ऽर्थहरणं चैव परिक्लेशस्त्रिधा दमः
mitho bhedaś ca bhedajñair bhedaś ca trividhaḥ smṛtaḥ badho 'rthaharaṇaṃ caiva parikleśastridhā damaḥ
ผู้ชำนาญในวิธีการก่อความแตกแยกกล่าวว่า ‘เภทะ’ คือการทำให้ฝ่ายหนึ่งเป็นปฏิปักษ์ต่ออีกฝ่ายโดยอาศัยกันและกัน และจำแนกเป็นสามประการ อีกทั้ง ‘ทมะ’ (การปราบ/บังคับ) ก็มีสามประการ คือ การฆ่า การยึดทรัพย์ และการกลั่นแกล้งให้ทุกข์ร้อน
Lord Agni (instructing sage Vasiṣṭha in rajadharma/dandanīti topics typical of Agni Purana’s encyclopedic discourse)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Statecraft escalation ladder: understand bheda (divide-and-rule) and the three coercive penalties—capital punishment, confiscation, and harassment—used for deterrence and control.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Bheda and Trividha Dama (Coercive Restraint)","lookup_keywords":["bheda","dandanīti","artha-haraṇa","parikleśa","vadha"],"quick_summary":"Bheda is a deliberate technique of creating mutual division among opponents. Dama/daṇḍa is threefold—killing, confiscation, and affliction—marking graded coercion in governance."}
Weapon Type: Sword
Concept: Rāja-śāsana employs both psychological strategy (bheda) and material force (daṇḍa) in graded forms; power must be systematized to be effective.
Application: In governance/policy, prioritize nonviolent measures first; if coercion is used, define clear tiers (fines/confiscation, restrictions, severe penalties) with accountability to avoid arbitrariness.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma / Dandaniti (Governance, law, and punishment)
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A minister explains to the king how to split hostile factions and how punishments are graded: execution, confiscation, and punitive harassment; a court scene with symbolic implements of justice.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: stern king with daṇḍa (staff) and sword, minister pointing to three symbolic panels (gallows/sword, seized treasury, bound offender), intense reds and dark tones, dramatic expressions.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: king as dharma-rāja with gold-leaf throne, justice staff and sword, attendants holding confiscated goods, offenders shown at a distance, strong icon-like symmetry.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: instructional court painting with a clear three-tier punishment diagram on a scroll, minister teaching, restrained palette, emphasis on clarity and hierarchy.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: durbar with a strategist whispering counsel, rival chiefs separated into groups, a qazi/official recording confiscation, detailed architecture and subdued but tense mood."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: भेदश् = भेदः; भेदज्ञैर् = भेदज्ञैः; त्रिविधः; बधो ऽर्थहरणं = बधः + अर्थ-हरणम्; चैव = च + एव; परिक्लेशस्त्रिधा = परिक्लेशः + त्रिधा.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 240 (upāyas and daṇḍa discussion)
FAQs
It teaches dandanīti/statecraft terminology: bheda (sowing dissension) is a strategic tool described as threefold, and punitive restraint is classified into execution (badha), confiscation (arthaharaṇa), and affliction/harassment (parikleśa).
Beyond myth and devotion, it preserves a concise taxonomy of political measures and punishments—showing the Agni Purana’s coverage of practical governance (rajadharma) alongside religious instruction.
It frames coercion and punishment as structured instruments of rule; when applied within dharma (just governance), restraint and penalties are portrayed as means to uphold social order and limit adharma, affecting the ruler’s merit and accountability.