Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 30
Chapter 226 — राजधर्माः
Rājadharma: Royal Duties and Daṇḍanīti
अवनिष्ठीवतो दर्पाद् द्वावोष्ठौ छेदयेन्नृपः अपमूत्रयतो मेढ्रमपशब्दयतो गुदं
avaniṣṭhīvato darpād dvāvoṣṭhau chedayennṛpaḥ apamūtrayato meḍhramapaśabdayato gudaṃ
If someone, out of arrogance, spits upon the ground, the king should cut off his two lips; for one who urinates improperly (in a forbidden or public manner), he should cut off the penis; and for one who utters obscene, indecent words, he should cut off the anus.
Lord Agni (in discourse to Vasiṣṭha, in the Agni Purana’s instructional narration)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Catalogues exemplary corporal punishments for public indecency and arrogance-based misconduct; used to understand ancient notions of public hygiene, decorum, and deterrent penalties.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Corporal penalties for spitting, improper urination, and obscene speech","lookup_keywords":["avanisthivana","apamutra","apashabda","oshtha-chedana","medhra-chedana"],"quick_summary":"Spitting on the ground in arrogance is punished by cutting the lips; improper/public urination by cutting the penis; obscene speech by cutting the anus. The entry reflects a punitive linkage between the organ involved and the offence."}
Concept: Śauca (public cleanliness) and vāk-saṃyama (restraint of speech) enforced through daṇḍa; symbolic ‘organ-based’ retribution.
Application: In modern reading, treat as historical legal anthropology: how societies enforced hygiene and speech norms; contrast with non-violent corrective jurisprudence.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma / Dandaniti (Penal law and royal governance)
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Three vignettes: a man spitting arrogantly before others; another urinating in a forbidden place; another speaking obscenities—each shown before the king’s officers who enforce harsh penalties.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, triptych composition with bold outlines: arrogant spitter, public urination near a sacred boundary, obscene speaker in marketplace; king’s guards in traditional attire; intense raudra mood colors.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, segmented panels with gold borders: each offence depicted with symbolic emphasis on lips, genitals, and mouth/speech; king enthroned as moral authority; ornate gold work.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, didactic storyboard layout, clear labeling-like visual cues (without text), restrained palette, focus on civic rules and enforcement officers.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, bustling bazaar scenes with fine detail; officers apprehend offenders; architectural depth; discreet but clear depiction of the three offences in separate registers."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: dvāvoṣṭhau → dvau + oṣṭhau; chedayennṛpaḥ → chedayet + nṛpaḥ (t + n sandhi); meḍhramapaśabdayato → meḍhram + apaśabdayataḥ.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 226.31 (limb-for-limb logic)
FAQs
It gives dandanīti (royal penal discipline): specific corporal punishments prescribed for arrogant spitting, improper urination, and obscene/vulgar speech as public-order offenses.
Beyond myth and ritual, the Agni Purana also codifies practical governance—here, a concrete penal schedule—showing its coverage of law, administration, and social regulation alongside religious topics.
Such acts are treated as dharma-violations that pollute social space and degrade self-restraint; punishment functions as deterrence and as a corrective measure to restore order and reduce the karmic spread of adharmic behavior.