Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 27
Chapter 168 — महापातकादिकथनम्
Exposition of Great Sins and Related Topics
निक्षेपस्यापहरणं नराश्वरजतस्य च भूमिवज्रमणीनाञ्च रुक्मस्तेयसमं स्मृतं
nikṣepasyāpaharaṇaṃ narāśvarajatasya ca bhūmivajramaṇīnāñca rukmasteyasamaṃ smṛtaṃ
নিক্ষেপ (অৰ্পিত ধন) অপহৰণ, মানুহ, ঘোঁৰা বা ৰূপা চুৰি, আৰু ভূমি, হীৰা আৰু মণি চুৰি—এই সকলোকে সোণ চুৰিৰ সমান বুলি স্মৃতিত কোৱা হৈছে।
Lord Agni (instructional narration in Rajadharma/Vyavahara section, traditionally addressed to sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Legal classification of theft and breach of trust: treating misappropriation of deposits and theft of high-value persons/animals/metals/land/gems as equivalent to gold theft, guiding sentencing and expiation.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Thefts equivalent to rūkma-steya (gold theft)","lookup_keywords":["nikṣepa-apaharaṇa","steya","rūkma","maṇi-vajra","bhūmi-haraṇa"],"quick_summary":"Misappropriating entrusted deposits and stealing a person, horse, silver, land, diamonds, or gems are treated as equal in gravity to stealing gold, indicating heightened legal and moral severity."}
Concept: Property and trust (nikṣepa) are dharmic bonds; violating them—especially regarding high-value assets and persons—constitutes severe adharma comparable to gold theft.
Application: In governance and personal dealings, enforce strict accountability for custodianship, contracts, and protection of vulnerable persons and key economic assets.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma & Vyavahara (Dharma-shastra: theft, property, and legal classifications)
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A juridical scene showing a deposit being entrusted and then stolen; alongside, symbolic depictions of stolen horse, silver, land deed/field boundary, and a casket of diamonds and gems—marked as ‘equal to gold theft’.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, narrative panels: merchant entrusting a sealed deposit, thief absconding, horse led away, boundary stones moved, gem casket opened; bold outlines, moral warning tone.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central scales of justice with gold as reference, surrounding icons: sealed deposit box, horse, silver ingots, land plot, diamond and gem casket; rich gold leaf and ornamental framing.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clear legal-instruction tableau: scribe recording nikṣepa, judge indicating equivalence to rūkma-steya, neatly rendered objects for each theft category.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, bazaar and court combined: deposit transaction in a shop, theft in an alley, land boundary dispute in fields, jewel theft in a chamber; intricate detail and refined palette."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: nikṣepasyāpaharaṇaṃ → nikṣepasya apaharaṇam; bhūmivajramaṇīnāñca → bhūmi-vajra-maṇīnām ca; rukmasteyasamaṃ → rukma-steya-samam.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 168 (vyavahāra/theft classifications and equivalence rules)
FAQs
It gives a legal-technical classification: misappropriating an entrusted deposit (nikṣepa) and stealing high-value persons/animals/metals/land/gems are treated at the same severity level as gold-theft (rukma-steya) for purposes of adjudication and punishment.
Beyond theology, the Agni Purana preserves practical governance material—property law and criminal gradations—showing how rulers and courts should categorize offenses involving deposits, precious materials, and immovable property.
By equating these acts with gold-theft, the text signals heavy adharma and grave karmic consequence for breaching trust (deposit) and for stealing valuable beings or resources, urging restraint and righteous conduct under rajadharma.