Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 4
Chapter 253 — व्यवहारकथनम्
The Account of Legal Procedure
दीयमानं न गृह्णाति प्रयुक्तं यः स्वकन्धनम् मध्यस्थस्थापितं तत्स्याद्वर्धते न ततः परं
dīyamānaṃ na gṛhṇāti prayuktaṃ yaḥ svakandhanam madhyasthasthāpitaṃ tatsyādvardhate na tataḥ paraṃ
Wer das, was ordnungsgemäß gegeben wird, nicht annimmt und sein eigenes Vermögen nicht in Gebrauch setzt, dessen Besitz ist, als läge er in den Händen eines neutralen Verwahrers; er wächst darüber hinaus nicht.
Lord Agni (instructional narration to Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s didactic flow)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Guidance for householders and administrators on wealth-management: accept lawful receipts (wages, gifts, dues) and keep capital productively employed rather than idle, to prevent economic stagnation.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Idle Wealth as Neutral Deposit (Non-growth of Unused Capital)","lookup_keywords":["dana-grahana","nidhana","madhyastha","artha-vriddhi","vyavahara"],"quick_summary":"Lawful gains should be accepted and wealth should be put to use; otherwise it remains like money held by a neutral custodian—safe but non-increasing."}
Concept: Artha must be handled with discernment: refusing rightful receipt and leaving wealth idle results in no growth, akin to a trust held by an impartial custodian.
Application: In personal finance and governance: accept legitimate income, avoid false renunciation that harms dependents, and circulate capital through trade, agriculture, lending, or charity within dharma.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma & Vyavahara (Ethics of gifts, deposits, and legal conduct)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: artha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A householder refuses a lawful payment while his coins sit sealed with a neutral custodian; beside them, a ledger shows no increase over time.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, warm earthy palette, a dharmic householder and a neutral custodian holding a sealed money pouch, palm-leaf ledger, calm didactic mood, traditional ornaments and architecture backdrop","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-leaf accents on coin pouch and ledger, seated householder in silk, neutral custodian between giver and receiver, symbolic balance scale, ornate frame","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, fine linework, instructional tableau: giver offering coins, receiver declining, custodian storing wealth in a chest, clear labels on objects like 'nidhi' and 'vriddhi'","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed interior of a merchant’s office, accountant with ledger, custodian with sealed bag, subtle expression of refusal, precise textiles and architectural details"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: tatsyādvardhate → tat syāt vardhate; स्वकन्धनम् treated as sva-kandhanam (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); मध्यस्थस्थापितम् treated as madhyastha-sthāpitam.
Related Themes: Agni Purana Rajadharma/Vyavahara sections on dana, nidhis, and debt repayment (same khanda)
FAQs
It teaches vyavahāra-nīti: wealth should be either properly accepted when offered or responsibly employed; idle wealth is treated like a deposit with a neutral custodian and yields no growth.
Alongside ritual and theology, the Agni Purana includes practical governance and legal-ethical norms—here, principles of property handling, acceptance of lawful gifts, and the economic consequence of non-use.
Refusing rightful gifts and leaving resources unused is portrayed as sterile conduct: it blocks prosperity and the meritorious circulation of wealth, encouraging dharmic acceptance and responsible utilization.