Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 16
Chapter 233 — Ṣāḍguṇya (The Six Measures of Royal Policy) and Foreign Daṇḍa
छिन्नानि रिपुशीर्षाणि प्रासादाग्रेषु दर्शयेत् षाड्गुण्यं सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि तद्वरौ सन्धिविग्रहौ
chinnāni ripuśīrṣāṇi prāsādāgreṣu darśayet ṣāḍguṇyaṃ sampravakṣyāmi tadvarau sandhivigrahau
当将所斩敌首陈列于宫殿之巅（以为震慑）。今我将详说“六策”（ṣāḍguṇya，治国六种方略）；其中最为首要的两项是 sandhi（结盟/和约）与 vigraha（敌对/战争）。
Lord Agni (instructing a sage interlocutor, traditionally Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Deterrence through punitive display and systematic policy-making via ṣāḍguṇya, prioritizing when to pursue alliance versus war.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Ṣāḍguṇya with Sandhi–Vigraha Foremost; Deterrent Display of Enemy Heads","lookup_keywords":["ṣāḍguṇya","sandhi","vigraha","ripu-śīrṣa","daṇḍa-nīti"],"quick_summary":"Statecraft rests on six policies (ṣāḍguṇya); among them, alliance and war are primary levers. Harsh deterrent displays are cited as instruments of daṇḍa to prevent further aggression."}
Concept: Daṇḍa-nīti: protection of the realm may require severity; yet policy must be governed by structured counsel (ṣāḍguṇya), not impulse.
Application: Use a formal policy framework to decide between conciliation and conflict; employ deterrence to reduce future violence.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma / Niti-shastra (Statecraft: Sandhi–Vigraha and Shadgunya)
Primary Rasa: Raudra
Secondary Rasa: Vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"On palace rooftops, severed enemy heads are displayed as a grim warning while ministers present a scroll/board explaining the sixfold policy, highlighting sandhi and vigraha.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, fortified palace with parapets, symbolic deterrent display (stylized, non-gory), king seated with ministers, palm-leaf manuscript of ṣāḍguṇya, strong lines and earthy palette","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, royal court scene with gold-embossed palace architecture, ministers indicating a gilded manuscript listing ṣāḍguṇya, deterrent trophies shown symbolically on battlements, rich ornamentation","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional court tableau: king, minister pointing to a six-item policy diagram with sandhi and vigraha emphasized, palace roofline in background with symbolic deterrent markers","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, court strategists in discussion with a policy chart, palace terrace visible with warning display rendered discreetly, intricate textiles and architectural detail"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: prāsādāgreṣu = prāsāda-agreṣu; sandhivigrahau = sandhi + vigrahau (dvandva).
Related Themes: Agni Purana Rajadharma/ Nīti sections on ṣāḍguṇya and sandhi-vigraha; Agni Purana discussions of daṇḍa and rāja-dharma
FAQs
It imparts rāja-nīti (statecraft), introducing ṣāḍguṇya (sixfold foreign policy) and identifying sandhi (treaty) and vigraha (war/hostility) as key strategic options, alongside a deterrent practice of publicly displaying defeated enemies’ heads.
By shifting from religious narration into practical governance doctrine, it shows the Agni Purana’s broad scope—preserving a compact diplomatic framework (ṣāḍguṇya) comparable to classical nīti literature, thus functioning as a handbook of political and administrative knowledge.
The verse prioritizes protection of the realm (rāja-dharma) as a duty; its karmic emphasis is that maintaining order and deterring violence against subjects is a kingly obligation, though the harsh deterrent described is framed as pragmatic nīti rather than a devotional rite.