Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 42
Mantra-śakti, Dūta-Carā (Envoys & Spies), Vyasana (Calamities), and the Sapta-Upāya of Nīti
स्कन्धावारनिवेशज्ञो निमित्तज्ञो रिपुं जयेत् स्कन्धावारस्य मध्ये तु सकोषं नृपतेर्गृहं
skandhāvāraniveśajño nimittajño ripuṃ jayet skandhāvārasya madhye tu sakoṣaṃ nṛpatergṛhaṃ
Ang bihasa sa paglalatag ng kampong militar at nakauunawa sa mga palatandaan ay magwawagi sa kaaway. Sa pinakasentro ng kampo ilagay ang tirahan ng hari, kasama ang kabang-yaman.
Lord Agni (instructing the sage Vasiṣṭha in encyclopedic topics, here on governance and military science)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dhanurveda","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Designing a secure, command-efficient military encampment with centralized command-and-control and protected treasury placement.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Skandhāvāra-niveśa: Central placement of king’s quarters and treasury","lookup_keywords":["skandhavara","nivesha","raja-griha","kosha","nimitta-jñana"],"quick_summary":"Victory is linked to competent camp-layout and omen-awareness. The king’s residence with the treasury should be placed at the camp’s center for protection and command stability."}
Concept: Practical knowledge (nīti + yuddha-vidyā) supports victory; centralization of authority and resources reduces vulnerability.
Application: Place command and treasury at the most defensible, controllable node; integrate intelligence/omens into operational planning.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma & Dhanurveda (Military encampment strategy / Skandhāvāra-niveśa)
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A fortified military camp laid out in concentric order, with the king’s residence and treasury pavilion at the exact center, officers consulting omen-signs before action.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, flat yet vivid colors, concentric army camp plan, central royal pavilion with treasury chests, commanders pointing to auspicious signs in the sky, stylized soldiers and banners, ornamental borders","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style with gold leaf highlights, central royal tent/palace with gilded treasury boxes, symmetrical camp rings, rich textiles, jewel-toned banners, iconic frontal king figure seated at center","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, fine linework and soft shading, diagrammatic yet narrative camp layout, central king’s quarters with treasury, advisers reading omens, labeled zones around the center","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, bird’s-eye view of an encampment with detailed tents, central durbar pavilion and treasury, officers with scrolls, subtle night-to-dawn sky showing omen motifs, intricate margins"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: स्कन्धावारनिवेशज्ञो→स्कन्धावारनिवेशज्ञः; निमित्तज्ञो→निमित्तज्ञः; नृपतेर्गृहं→नृपतेः गृहम्
Related Themes: Agni Purana 240.43; Agni Purana 240.44; Agni Purana 240.45; Agni Purana 240.46
FAQs
It teaches skandhāvāra-niveśa (technical planning of a military camp) and nimitta-jñāna (reading omens) as practical competencies for victory, and specifies the king’s central headquarters with the treasury.
Beyond theology, the Agni Purana preserves applied statecraft: logistics, security doctrine, and battlefield administration—showing Purāṇic literature functioning as a handbook for rajadharma and military organization.
By emphasizing nimitta (auspicious indicators) and orderly placement of the king and treasury, the verse frames righteous governance as harmonizing human action with dharma and cosmic order—reducing disorder (adharma) that leads to collective harm.