Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 8
Chapter 226 — राजधर्माः
Rājadharma: Royal Duties and Daṇḍanīti
विवासयेद्ब्राह्मणन्तु भोज्यो विधिर् न हीरतः निक्षेपस्य समं मूल्यं दण्ड्यो निक्षेपभुक् तथा
vivāsayedbrāhmaṇantu bhojyo vidhir na hīrataḥ nikṣepasya samaṃ mūlyaṃ daṇḍyo nikṣepabhuk tathā
ব্রাহ্মণের ক্ষেত্রে দণ্ড হবে নির্বাসন; তাঁর জন্য দেহদণ্ড বিধেয় নয়। যে ব্যক্তি নিক্ষেপ (জমা বস্তু) ভোগ করে বা আত্মসাৎ করে, তাকে সেই নিক্ষেপের মূল্যের সমান জরিমানা দিতে হবে।
Lord Agni (teaching traditional rajadharma/vyavahara norms)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Judicial sentencing rules: differentiated punishment for varna-status and valuation-based fines for breach of trust (deposit misappropriation).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Punishment for Brāhmaṇa offenders; fine for misappropriating a deposit (nikṣepa)","lookup_keywords":["nikṣepa","daṇḍa","vivāsana","brāhmaṇa","vyavahāra"],"quick_summary":"For a Brāhmaṇa, the penal norm is banishment rather than corporal punishment. Misappropriating a deposit is punished by a fine equal to the deposit’s value."}
Concept: Daṇḍanīti balances social order with graded penalties; breach of trust (nikṣepa-bhoga) is treated as a measurable wrong requiring restitution-like fine.
Application: In adjudication, apply status-based sentencing norms where the text prescribes, and compute fines by objective valuation of the misappropriated deposit.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma & Vyavahara (Dharma-shastra / Legal Procedure)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A royal court scene: the king on a throne with sabhā members; a litigant accuses another of consuming a deposited item; scribes tally the deposit’s value; the judgment of banishment for a Brāhmaṇa is pronounced.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, flat yet vivid colors, ornate court pavilion, king with parasol, dharma-judges seated, a sealed deposit bundle shown, gesture of banishment indicated by attendants pointing outward, traditional jewelry and textiles, symmetrical composition","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-leaf throne and arch, richly ornamented king, stylized court figures, a deposit casket with gems, inscription-like panel showing 'nikṣepa', emphasis on regal authority and dharma, warm reds and greens","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, fine linework, muted palette, detailed accounting scene with palm-leaf ledger, court clerk weighing value, calm didactic mood, balanced spacing, delicate facial expressions","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed durbar with carpets, attendants, and scribes, realistic gestures, a litigant presenting a deposit pouch, the accused confronted, marginal floral motifs, precise architectural perspective"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: विवासयेद् + ब्राह्मणम् + तु → विवासयेद्ब्राह्मणन्तु; विधिः + न → विधिर् न; निक्षेपभुक् (समास) = निक्षेपस्य भुक्।
Related Themes: Agni Purana 226 (Vyavahāra: nikṣepa/stealing/fines)
FAQs
It teaches vyavahāra-vidyā (legal procedure): how courts should penalize misappropriation of a deposit, including a status-specific penalty rule for Brāhmaṇas (banishment rather than corporal punishment).
Beyond myth and worship, it preserves practical jurisprudence—property law, court-imposed fines, and graded punishments—showing the Purana’s coverage of governance and civil administration.
Protecting entrusted property is framed as dharma; violating a deposit is a serious ethical breach, and rightful punishment/fine supports social order and reduces the offender’s karmic liability through lawful restitution.