Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 4
वाक्पारुष्यादिप्रकरणम्
The Topic of Verbal Abuse and Related Offences
प्रातिलोम्यापवादेषु द्विगुणत्रिगुणा दमाः वर्णानामानुलोम्येन तस्मादेवार्धहानितः
prātilomyāpavādeṣu dviguṇatriguṇā damāḥ varṇānāmānulomyena tasmādevārdhahānitaḥ
Bei pratiloma (Verbindungen in umgekehrter Ordnung) und bei verleumderischer Schmähung werden die Geldstrafen für die höheren Varṇas verdoppelt oder verdreifacht; bei anuloma (in der rechten Ordnung) wird die Strafe daher um die Hälfte gemindert.
Lord Agni (in instruction to the sage Vasiṣṭha, in the Agni Purana’s dharma/vyavahāra discourse)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Determining fines for socially disruptive unions (pratiloma/anuloma) and for defamatory speech, with graded multipliers by varna.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Fines for Pratiloma/Anuloma and Defamation (Apavada)","lookup_keywords":["pratiloma","anuloma","apavada","dviguna-dama","triguna-dama"],"quick_summary":"Reverse-order unions and defamatory censure attract doubled or tripled fines (especially for higher varnas), while proper-order (anuloma) cases receive a halved penalty."}
Concept: Protection of varna-ashrama order through calibrated legal sanctions; speech-ethics (apavada) treated as a punishable social harm.
Application: In adjudication, classify the act (pratiloma vs anuloma; defamation) before computing the multiplier/mitigation.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma & Vyavahara (Dharma-shastra / Legal Penalties and Social Law)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A judge distinguishes two cases on a board: pratiloma and anuloma; a scribe marks doubled/tripled fines for one and half-fine for the other; a defamation complainant points to witnesses.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, two-panel composition: left shows pratiloma/apavada with larger coin stacks (double/triple), right shows anuloma with reduced stack, king-judge centered, stylized witnesses and gesture-based narration.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style with gold coin stacks prominently embossed, judge under a golden prabhavali-like arch, two labeled scenes (pratiloma/anuloma) as side medallions, rich ornamentation.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, didactic chart-like layout, neat inscriptions for dviguna/triguna/ardha, court figures rendered softly, emphasis on clarity of categories.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtroom with two petitioners, one accused of slander, fine ledgers showing multipliers, refined textiles and architectural perspective."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: prātilomyāpavādeṣu = prātilomya-apavādeṣu; dviguṇatriguṇā = dviguṇa-triguṇāḥ; varṇānāmānulomyena = varṇānām + ānulomyena; tasmādevārdhahānitaḥ = tasmāt + eva + ardha-hānitaḥ.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 257 (sections on vyavahara, fines, and social offences)
FAQs
It gives a legal rule (vyavahāra-vidhi) for assessing monetary fines (dama) in cases of pratiloma-related offenses and apavāda (censure/defamation), including when penalties are increased (double/triple) or reduced (half) based on anuloma vs pratiloma context.
Beyond mythology, the Agni Purana preserves dharma-shastra style governance material—how a ruler/judge should scale punishments—showing it functions as a compendium that includes jurisprudence (danda-nīti) alongside ritual, theology, and other sciences.
By prescribing proportional penalties for socially disruptive acts (reverse-order unions and harmful speech), the text frames justice as a means to restore dharma and reduce negative karma created by transgression, emphasizing social order as a religious duty.