Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 25

Chapter 253 — व्यवहारकथनम्

The Account of Legal Procedure

Devanagari script

व्यसनस्थमनाख्याय हस्ते ऽन्यस्य यदर्पयेत् द्रव्यं तदौपनिधिकं प्रतिदेयं तथैव तत्

Transliteration

vyasanasthamanākhyāya haste 'nyasya yadarpayet dravyaṃ tadaupanidhikaṃ pratideyaṃ tathaiva tat

Translation

Wenn jemand in Not, ohne Einzelheiten zu nennen, Vermögen in die Hand eines anderen gibt, gilt dieses als aupanidhika (versiegeltes/unerklärtes Depositum) und ist genau im selben Zustand zurückzugeben.

Word by Word

• vyasana-stham: one who is in distress
• vyasana-stham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vyasana + stha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (vyasane sthitaḥ); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Accusative singular), कर्मणि प्रयुक्तम्

• anākhyāya: without telling
• anākhyāya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: an + ākhyā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘without informing’

• haste: in the hand
• haste: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hasta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन (Locative singular)

• anyasya: of another (person)
• anyasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचन (Genitive singular)

• yat: which/that (thing)
• yat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• arpayet: should hand over
• arpayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: arp (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष एकवचन; ‘should deposit/hand over’

• dravyaṃ: property/valuable
• dravyaṃ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dravya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (here: object/apposition)

• tat: that
• tat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• aupanidhikam: (is) a deposit (entrusted property)
• aupanidhikam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aupanidhika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; ‘relating to deposit (upanidhi)’

• pratideyam: to be returned
• pratideyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prati + dā (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त-यत्/तव्यत्-अर्थ (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘to be returned’

• tathā: thus
• tathā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (in that manner)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (emphasis: just/indeed)

• tat: that (property)
• tat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (Nominative singular)

Speaker

Lord Agni (in discourse to Vashistha, traditional Agni Purana dialogue frame)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: vyasanasthamanākhyāya = vyasana-stham + anākhyāya; haste 'nyasya = haste + anyasya; yadarpayet = yat + arpayet; tadaupanidhikaṃ = tat + aupanidhikam; tathaiva = tathā + eva.

FAQs

What technical or ritual knowledge (Vidya) is imparted in this verse?

It defines the legal category of an aupanidhika (undisclosed/secret deposit) and states the practical rule: such entrusted property must be returned exactly as received.

How does this verse contribute to the 'Encyclopedic' nature of the Agni Purana?

Beyond theology and ritual, the Agni Purana preserves dharma-shastra style civil law—here, rules of deposit/bailment and restitution—showing its coverage of governance and jurisprudence.

What is the spiritual or karmic significance of this specific instruction?

Upholding trust by returning entrusted goods intact is treated as dharma; violating it incurs moral fault, while faithful restitution supports social order and personal merit.