Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 47
वाक्पारुष्यादिप्रकरणम्
The Topic of Verbal Abuse and Related Offences
अन्यहस्ते च विक्रीतं दुष्टं वा दुष्टवद्यदि विक्रीनीते दमस्तत्र तन्मूल्यादद्विगुणो भवेत्
anyahaste ca vikrītaṃ duṣṭaṃ vā duṣṭavadyadi vikrīnīte damastatra tanmūlyādadviguṇo bhavet
যদি কেউ অন্যের সম্পত্তি বিক্রি করে, বা দোষযুক্ত পণ্য বিক্রি করে, কিংবা নির্দোষকে দোষযুক্ত বলে বিক্রি করে, তবে তার দণ্ড হবে সেই পণ্যের মূল্যের দ্বিগুণ।
Lord Agni (in discourse to sage Vasiṣṭha, as the Agni Purāṇa’s primary narrator)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Fraud deterrence in sales: selling another’s property or misrepresenting defects triggers a fine of double the item’s value.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Formula","entry_title":"Double Fine for Selling Another’s Property or Defective Goods","lookup_keywords":["theft by sale","paradravya sale","defective goods","fraud","double fine"],"quick_summary":"Selling what belongs to someone else, or selling defective goods (or falsely presenting as defective), is punished by a fine equal to twice the item’s value—creating a clear deterrent against market fraud."}
Concept: Protection of property and truth in exchange: adharma in trade (fraud, misrepresentation) warrants proportionate punishment to restore trust.
Application: Verify title/ownership before purchase; require witnesses/receipts; inspect goods and record defects to prevent disputes and penalties.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma / Vyavahara (Dharmaśāstra: civil and criminal jurisprudence, contracts and sales)
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: vira
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A fraudulent seller offers another person’s goods or hides defects; the rightful owner appears; the judge orders a double-value fine, with coins counted and recorded by a clerk.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: tense market confrontation—owner pointing to his goods, seller caught, judge indicating ‘double fine’; bold outlines, expressive hand gestures, limited but rich colors.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting: courtroom with gold-leaf on coin piles and royal insignia; clerk tallying ‘2x’ on a palm-leaf; moral clarity emphasized through symmetrical composition.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore instructional painting: three labeled figures—seller, owner, buyer—plus judge; a clear depiction of ‘double value’ as two stacks of coins equal to the item’s value.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: detailed bazaar fraud scene with onlookers, then adjudication; meticulous rendering of goods, coinage, and written decree; architectural backdrop."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Shri","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: अन्यहस्ते = अन्य + हस्ते; तन्मूल्यादद्विगुणो = तत्-मूल्यात् + अ-द्विगुणः (तन्मूल्यात् + अद्विगुणः); दुष्टवद्यदि = दुष्टवत् + यदि
Related Themes: Agni Purana 257 (penalties and remedies in sales)
FAQs
It gives a legal rule of vyavahāra (jurisprudence): selling another’s property or engaging in deceptive sale involving defects incurs a fine set at double the item’s value.
Beyond theology, the Agni Purāṇa preserves practical statecraft—market ethics, fraud control, and quantified penalties—showing its coverage of civil law alongside ritual and spiritual topics.
By prescribing punishment for dishonest trade, it frames commercial integrity as dharma; avoiding fraud reduces harmful karma and supports social order (ṛta/dharma) upheld by righteous governance.