Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 34
Determination of Boundary Disputes and Related Matters (सीमाविवादादिनिर्णयः)
प्रव्रज्यावसितो राज्ञो दास आमरणान्तिकः वर्णानामानुलोम्येन दास्यं न प्रतिलोमतः
pravrajyāvasito rājño dāsa āmaraṇāntikaḥ varṇānāmānulomyena dāsyaṃ na pratilomataḥ
من مُنع من سلوك طريق التجرّد (pravrajyā) أو أخفق فيه صار خادماً للملك، مقيّداً بالخدمة إلى حين الموت. وبين طبقات الـvarṇa لا تُشرَع العبودية إلا وفق الترتيب الموافق (anuloma)، لا وفق الترتيب المعكوس (pratiloma).
Lord Agni (in dialogue with sage Vasiṣṭha, Agni Purana’s standard narration frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Clarifying legal status of failed renunciants and regulating servitude rules across varna order for governance and social adjudication.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Servitude rules: king’s servant for failed renunciation; anuloma-only dāsya","lookup_keywords":["pravrajyā","avasita","rājñaḥ dāsa","āmaraṇāntika","anuloma"],"quick_summary":"A person who abandons or fails in renunciation may be bound as the king’s servant for life; servitude among varnas is permitted only in anuloma order, not in pratiloma reversal."}
Concept: Āśrama-dharma accountability and varna-order constraints: renunciation is not to be taken lightly; social roles are regulated to prevent disorder (pratiloma).
Application: Administrators and judges classify status and obligations based on āśrama conduct and accepted social order rules.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma / Dharma-shastra (Social Law: Varna, Service, and Legal Status)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A former ascetic, having failed in pravrajyā, stands before the king and is assigned lifelong royal service; a diagram-like depiction contrasts anuloma vs pratiloma service relations among varnas.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural; king in court assigning duty to a shaven-headed ex-renunciant; side panel with symbolic varna order ladder showing anuloma flow; restrained palette and formal poses.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style; king enthroned with gold halo; ex-ascetic receiving a service emblem; ornate border; small inset showing anuloma order as a gilded stepped motif.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style; instructional composition with labeled anuloma/pratiloma arrows among four varnas; central court scene of royal appointment; fine lines and clear didactic layout.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature; courtly scene with ex-ascetic in simple robe; officials recording decree; marginal schematic of social order; architectural depth and delicate detailing."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: pravrajyāvasito = pravrajyā-vasitaḥ; āmaraṇāntikaḥ = ā-maraṇa-antikaḥ; varṇānāmānulomyena = varṇānām + ānulomyena.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 256 (rājadharma; social status and penalties)
FAQs
It gives a dharma-shastra rule: a person whose renunciant path is terminated or obstructed is assigned royal servitude until death, and servitude is regulated by anuloma (direct-order) principles, not pratiloma (reverse-order).
Beyond myths and worship, the Agni Purana preserves governance and legal-social norms (rajadharma and varna regulations), showing its compendium-like coverage of polity, law, and social classification.
It frames failed or interrupted renunciation as carrying binding consequences—life-long obligation under royal authority—emphasizing accountability for vows and the karmic weight of abandoning prescribed disciplines.