Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 6
Determination of Boundary Disputes and Related Matters (सीमाविवादादिनिर्णयः)
मर्यादायाः प्रभेदेषु क्षेत्रस्य हरणे तथा मर्यादायाश् च दण्ड्याः स्युरधमोत्तममध्यमाः
maryādāyāḥ prabhedeṣu kṣetrasya haraṇe tathā maryādāyāś ca daṇḍyāḥ syuradhamottamamadhyamāḥ
সীমা-চিহ্নৰ বিকৃতি/পৰিবর্তন আৰু ক্ষেত্ৰ দখল/অতিক্ৰমণৰ ক্ষেত্ৰত অপৰাধীক অপৰাধৰ নীচ, মধ্যম বা উত্তম স্তৰ অনুসৰি দণ্ডিত কৰা উচিত।
Lord Agni (teaching Rajadharma/nyaya to the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Adjudicating boundary disputes and land-encroachment cases by grading the offense and assigning proportionate penalties.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Penalties for Boundary-Mark Disturbance and Field Encroachment","lookup_keywords":["maryada","kshetra-harana","simavivada","danda","adhama-madhyama-uttama"],"quick_summary":"Boundary tampering and field seizure are punishable offenses. The judge/king should grade the act (minor/medium/major) and impose a corresponding penalty."}
Concept: Nyaya through graded punishment (danda) to protect social order and property rights.
Application: Use proportionality in sentencing; distinguish negligence from deliberate fraud and large-scale harm.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma / Vyavahara (Civil & Penal Law: boundary disputes and land-rights)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A village boundary dispute: two farmers argue near boundary stones and a hedge; a royal judge with scribes assesses the offense grade and announces a fine.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style courtroom scene, earthy reds and ochres, village boundary stones (maryada), two disputants, a seated raja-judge with palm-leaf scribe, stylized trees and fields, flat decorative composition.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting of a dharmic king on a throne dispensing justice, gold-leaf highlights on crown and ornaments, boundary stones and field lines shown symbolically, attendants holding palm-leaf records.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting instructional tableau: labeled boundary markers, judge pointing to graded categories (adhama/madhyama/uttama), clean lines, soft colors, emphasis on procedure.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature of a land-court hearing, detailed field textures, boundary stones, officials with registers, expressive faces, fine architectural pavilion backdrop."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: स्युरधमोत्तममध्यमाः → स्युः + अधम-उत्तम-मध्यमाः; मर्यादायाश् च → मर्यादायाः + च (visarga sandhi).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 256 (Rajadharma/Vyavahara: land, boundaries, irrigation)
FAQs
It imparts legal-technical guidance in Rajadharma: boundary tampering (maryādā-bheda) and land encroachment (kṣetra-haraṇa) are punishable offences, and punishment must be graded by severity (low/medium/high).
Alongside theology and ritual, the Agni Purana preserves practical governance material—civil law on land-rights, boundary demarcation, and penal gradation—showing it functions as a compendium of statecraft and jurisprudence.
Protecting rightful boundaries and property supports dharma and social order; violating them is adharma that incurs both worldly punishment (daṇḍa) and negative karmic consequence for harming others’ livelihood.