Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 20
Chapter 253 — व्यवहारकथनम्
The Account of Legal Procedure
आधेः स्वीकरणात्सिद्धौरक्षमाणोप्यसारताम् यातश्चेदन्य आधेयो धनभाग् वा धनी भवेत्
ādheḥ svīkaraṇātsiddhaurakṣamāṇopyasāratām yātaścedanya ādheyo dhanabhāg vā dhanī bhavet
إذا قُبل الرهن على وجهه وثبت، ثم تدهورت قيمة العين المرهونة مع كونها محفوظة، جاز أخذ عينٍ أخرى رهناً؛ أو استحقّ الدائن نصيبًا من مال المدين، أو صار مالكًا بقدر ذلك النصيب.
Lord Agni (instructing the sage Vasiṣṭha in dharma-śāstra style legal procedure)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Guidance for creditors and courts when pledged collateral depreciates despite due care: substitution of collateral or conversion into wealth-share/ownership rights.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Depreciation of Pledged Article and Substitution/Conversion of Security","lookup_keywords":["pledge depreciation","substitute collateral","creditor share","ownership by default","adhi siddha"],"quick_summary":"If a duly accepted pledge loses value even while protected, the creditor may take another pledge, or obtain a share in the debtor’s wealth, potentially becoming owner to that extent."}
Concept: Fair balancing of risk between debtor and creditor when value changes without fault.
Application: In secured lending disputes, assess due care; if depreciation is unavoidable, allow substitution or proportional conversion of claim into assets/ownership.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma & Vyavahara (Law of debts, pledges, and surety)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A pledged item (e.g., cattle or jewelry) shown aging/losing luster while kept safely; the judge orders replacement collateral, or marks a proportional share in the debtor’s granary/coins as creditor’s entitlement.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: two-panel narrative—safe custody of pledge, then visible depreciation; judge gestures to a second pledge being offered; granary and coin symbols denote wealth-share, bold outlines and traditional palette","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: gold-highlighted pledge objects (jewels/cattle ornaments) with a contrasting dulled version; judge’s decree scroll; debtor offering substitute pledge; decorative gold borders around wealth-share symbols","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: didactic composition with labels—'old pledge' and 'new pledge'; proportional division of coins to show 'dhana-bhaga'; refined linework and calm court setting","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: realistic rendering of jewelry losing sheen, careful depiction of scales and account books; court clerk records substitution; granary scene indicating creditor’s share"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: स्वीकरणात्सिद्धौ = स्वीकरणात् + सिद्धौ; रक्षमाणोपि = रक्षमाणः + अपि; यातश्चेत् = यातः + चेत्.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 253.19-23 (pledge rules cluster)
FAQs
It imparts vyavahāra-vidyā (practical civil law): if pledged collateral loses value despite due care, the creditor may demand substitute collateral or claim an equivalent financial entitlement.
Beyond mythology, the Agni Purana preserves applied jurisprudence—rules for pledges, collateral risk, and creditor rights—showing its coverage of governance and civil administration.
By prescribing fair rules when loss occurs without negligence, it supports dharma in economic conduct—reducing unjust enrichment and aligning transactions with righteous restraint.