Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 19
वाक्पारुष्यादिप्रकरणम्
The Topic of Verbal Abuse and Related Offences
दुःखमुत्पादयेद्यस्तु स समुत्थानजं व्ययम् द्वाविंशतिपणामिति ख दाप्यो दण्डञ्च यो यस्मिन् कलहे समुदाहृतः
duḥkhamutpādayedyastu sa samutthānajaṃ vyayam dvāviṃśatipaṇāmiti kha dāpyo daṇḍañca yo yasmin kalahe samudāhṛtaḥ
যে অন্যের দুঃখ উৎপন্ন করে, সে সেই ঘটনার ফলে সৃষ্ট ব্যয় পরিশোধ করবে। তার জরিমানা বাইশ পণ বলা হয়েছে, এবং যে যে কলহ-প্রকরণে যেমন দণ্ড নির্দিষ্ট, তেমনই প্রয়োগ হবে।
Lord Agni (in dialogue, instructing sage Vasiṣṭha on rajadharma/vyavahāra)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Assessing compensation for harm: charging the offender for consequential expenses plus a fixed fine (22 paṇas) in specified quarrel-cases.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Formula","entry_title":"Samutthana-vyaya + 22-paṇa fine for causing suffering","lookup_keywords":["duhkha-utpadana","samutthana-vyaya","dvavimshati-pana","kalaha","vyavahara"],"quick_summary":"The wrongdoer must pay the victim’s incident-related expenses (medical/repair/other costs) and additionally a standard fine of twenty-two paṇas as prescribed for the quarrel category."}
Concept: Nyaya through making the victim whole (expense-compensation) plus danda for deterrence.
Application: In adjudication, separate compensatory damages (actual expenses) from punitive fines (fixed paṇa amount) to ensure fairness.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma / Vyavahara (Ancient Indian law: fines, disputes, and judicial penalties)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A dispute scene where an injured party presents a list of expenses; the judge orders the offender to pay both the expenses and a 22-paṇa fine.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, village quarrel brought to court, injured person with bandaged arm, scribe tallying expenses, judge indicating two payments, stylized figures and bold outlines.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, gold-highlighted court, two coin piles shown: 'vyaya' and '22 paṇa', ornate jewelry, frontal composition with decorative arch.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, instructional layout: expense ledger, coin count of 22, judge’s hand gesture dividing compensation and fine, soft colors and clarity.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, meticulous accounting scene with scroll/ledger, coins arranged in counted stacks, expressive but restrained courtroom drama."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"didactic","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: दुःखमुत्पादयेत् = दुःखम् + उत्पादयेत्; उत्पादयेद्यः = उत्पादयेत् + यः; द्वाविंशतिपणाम् (पाठ) → द्वाविंशतिपणान् (अर्थानुसार दाप्यः कर्म); दण्डञ्च = दण्डम् + च.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 257 (graded fines and vyavahara rules)
FAQs
It imparts vyavahāra-vidyā (judicial procedure): the offender who causes distress must reimburse incident-related costs and pay a fixed fine of twenty-two paṇas as daṇḍa.
Beyond theology, the Agni Purana preserves practical statecraft—codified monetary penalties, compensation principles, and dispute categories—showing its coverage of governance and legal administration.
By enforcing compensation and punishment for inflicted suffering, the text aligns social justice with dharma, discouraging harm (hiṃsā) and promoting accountability that mitigates negative karma through restitution.