Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 51
Chapter 226 — राजधर्माः
Rājadharma: Royal Duties and Daṇḍanīti
शूद्रादीन् घातयेद्राजा पापान् विप्रान् प्रवासयेत् महापातकिनां वित्तं वरुणायोपपादयेत्
śūdrādīn ghātayedrājā pāpān viprān pravāsayet mahāpātakināṃ vittaṃ varuṇāyopapādayet
The king should put to death Śūdras and others of the non‑Brahmin classes who are guilty of grave wrongdoing; sinful Brahmins he should banish. The wealth of those who have committed major sins (mahāpātakas) he should dedicate as an offering to Varuṇa.
Lord Agni (in discourse to Sage Vasiṣṭha, in the standard Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"State punishment policy differentiated by varṇa/status and offense category; confiscation and ritual dedication of mahāpātaka wealth to Varuṇa as a purificatory/legal act.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Daṇḍa for grave offenders; dedication of mahāpātaka wealth to Varuṇa","lookup_keywords":["dandaniti","mahapataka","banishment","capital punishment","Varuna offering"],"quick_summary":"Grave offenders among non-Brahmin classes are prescribed capital punishment; sinful Brahmins are banished; wealth of major sinners is confiscated and ritually assigned to Varuṇa, integrating law with sacral purification."}
Weapon Type: Sword (implied in execution)
Concept: Daṇḍa sustains social order; punishment is also a ritual-moral purification when linked to divine guardians of ṛta (Varuṇa).
Application: Separate criminal penalties from personal vendetta; ensure confiscated assets are redirected to public/ritual trust to prevent re-corruption.
Khanda Section: Rājadharma / Daṇḍanīti (Royal law, punishment, governance)
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A king pronounces sentences: execution for grave criminals, exile for a sinful Brahmin, and a ritual dedication of confiscated wealth to Varuṇa at a waterside altar.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: king with attendants, two contrasting fates (guard leading exile; executioner with sword kept symbolic), and Varuṇa worship near water with conch and offerings, saturated colors and stylized waves","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: central king on throne; side vignette of Varuṇa receiving offerings with gold embellishment; confiscated coins rendered with gold leaf; formal symmetry","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: didactic triptych—sentence, exile procession, and Varuṇa offering at riverbank; fine linework, calm instructional clarity","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: palace court sentencing scene with detailed costumes; riverbank ritual with priests and offering trays; nuanced expressions and architectural depth"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: घातयेद्राजा = घातयेत् + राजा (त् + र → द्र). वरुणायोपपादयेत् = वरुणाय + उपपादयेत् (आ + उ → ओ).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 226 (Daṇḍanīti and prāyaścitta adjacency)
FAQs
It gives a daṇḍanīti rule: differentiated penalties (execution or exile) and a ritualized disposition of confiscated wealth—dedicating a mahāpātakin’s property as an offering to Varuṇa.
Beyond myth, the Agni Purāṇa preserves applied governance material—penal policy, social-legal distinctions, and ritual handling of tainted wealth—showing its coverage of dharmaśāstra-like statecraft alongside religious practice.
By removing the offender (execution/exile) and ritually transferring ‘polluted’ wealth to Varuṇa, the king is portrayed as restoring moral order (dharma) and reducing communal karmic contamination linked with mahāpātaka.