Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 4
Chapter 226 — राजधर्माः
Rājadharma: Royal Duties and Daṇḍanīti
ताम्रकैः कार्षिको राम प्रोक्तः कार्षापणो बुधैः पणानां द्वे शते सार्धं प्रथमः साहसः स्मृतः
tāmrakaiḥ kārṣiko rāma proktaḥ kārṣāpaṇo budhaiḥ paṇānāṃ dve śate sārdhaṃ prathamaḥ sāhasaḥ smṛtaḥ
O Rāma, the kārṣika—known among the learned as the kārṣāpaṇa—is defined in terms of copper coins; and two hundred and fifty paṇas are remembered as the first grade of sāhasa (penal fine).
Lord Agni (instructing, addressing the listener as 'Rāma')
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Defining coin units and mapping them to graded fines for administrative penalties and court judgments.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Kārṣika/Kārṣāpaṇa (coin unit) and first sāhasa fine (250 paṇas)","lookup_keywords":["kārṣika","kārṣāpaṇa","paṇa","sāhasa","tāmra (copper)"],"quick_summary":"Identifies the kārṣika (kārṣāpaṇa) as a copper-based coin unit and fixes the first-grade sāhasa fine at 250 paṇas for consistent penal assessment."}
Concept: Daṇḍa calibrated by known monetary units sustains social order and deters transgression.
Application: Courts and officials compute fines in paṇas using standardized coin definitions to avoid arbitrariness.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma & Vyavahara (Law, Administration, Weights-and-Measures, Fines)
Primary Rasa: samanya
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A courtroom/administrative hall: copper coins (kārṣāpaṇa) stacked; an official announces the first sāhasa fine as 250 paṇas; a scribe tallies amounts on a palm-leaf ledger.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, royal hall with a judge and accountant, copper coin stacks in the foreground, palm-leaf ledger with numerals, attendants listening, strong outlines and warm earthy palette.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, king/judge seated on throne with gold embellishments, coin stacks rendered with gold leaf accents despite copper theme, ornate pillars, scribe presenting a ledger marked '250 paṇa'.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clean instructional composition: labeled coin 'kārṣāpaṇa', a counting board, scribe writing 'prathama sāhasa = 250 paṇa', soft colors and fine detailing.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed fiscal scene: munshi counting copper coins, official reading an edict of fines, patterned carpets, precise depiction of coin stacks and written tally."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: No major sandhi beyond standard visarga/phonetic combinations; verse reads as definitional statements.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 226.3 (metrology basis for valuation); Agni Purana 226.5–226.7 (graded fines and false claims/testimony)
FAQs
It defines monetary terminology (kārṣika/kārṣāpaṇa measured via copper coinage) and specifies the first-grade sāhasa fine as 250 paṇas, useful for legal and administrative calculation.
Beyond theology, it preserves practical statecraft: standardized money units and graded fines—core tools for vyavahāra (jurisprudence) and royal administration.
By prescribing clear, graded penalties for wrongdoing, it supports dharma-based social order; fair punishment is treated as a means to restrain adharma and reduce harmful karmic consequences in society.