Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 6
Chapter 226 — राजधर्माः
Rājadharma: Royal Duties and Daṇḍanīti
तत्प्रदातरि भापाले स दण्ड्यस्तावदेव तु यो यावद्विपरीतार्थं मिथ्या वा यो वदेत्तु तं
tatpradātari bhāpāle sa daṇḍyastāvadeva tu yo yāvadviparītārthaṃ mithyā vā yo vadettu taṃ
Before the judge/royal protector, if a person gives a statement whose meaning is inverted—contrary to the facts—or speaks falsely, then he should be punished to that very extent, proportionate to the harm caused.
Lord Agni (in discourse to Vasiṣṭha, Agni Purāṇa’s primary dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Guiding judicial assessment of perjury/false pleading: punishment proportional to the distortion and harm caused.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Penalty for inverted/false statement before the judge (proportional punishment)","lookup_keywords":["mithyā-vacana","viparīta-artha","bhūpāla (judge/king)","daṇḍa","proportionality"],"quick_summary":"In court, anyone who states facts in a reversed/contrary way or lies should be punished in proportion to the resulting injury—supporting calibrated, evidence-based sentencing."}
Concept: Daṇḍa must be yathā-doṣa (commensurate with fault) and anchored in satya to preserve rājya.
Application: Judges scale penalties to the magnitude of deception and the harm it would have caused if accepted.
Khanda Section: Rājadharma & Vyavahāra (Governance, Law, and Judicial Procedure)
Primary Rasa: samanya
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A judge (bhūpāla) seated with a court scribe; an accused speaker is shown with two speech-scrolls—one truthful, one inverted—while the judge indicates a measured penalty on a tally board.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, stylized court with the king-judge, a speaker with contrasting speech ribbons (truth vs inversion), scribe with palm-leaf, symbolic balance scale of justice, warm ochres and reds.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, enthroned judge with gold halo-like arch, ornate court, a balance scale and tally board indicating proportional punishment, gold leaf accents on regalia and judicial emblems.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, instructional courtroom: labeled elements 'viparīta-artha' and 'mithyā', judge pointing to a proportional scale, fine linework, subdued colors, emphasis on clarity of procedure.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, refined court interior, judge and qazī-like scribes (Indianized), accused presenting statement, marginal depiction of a scale showing proportionality, intricate textiles and architectural detail."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तत्प्रदातरि treated as तत्-प्रदातरि (tatpurusha); दण्ड्यस्तावदेव → दण्ड्यः तावत् एव; यावद्विपरीतार्थं → यावत् विपरीतार्थम्.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 226.5 (false theft-claim); Agni Purana 226.7 (false testimony and class-based penalties)
FAQs
It teaches a legal principle of vyavahāra: false or fact-inverting statements before the king/judge warrant daṇḍa (punishment) proportionate to the resulting harm.
Beyond theology, the Agni Purāṇa compiles practical statecraft and jurisprudence; this verse is a compact rule on courtroom truthfulness and calibrated penalties within rājadharma.
Truthful speech upholds dharma; lying in judicial settings is treated as a serious adharma that incurs both worldly punishment (daṇḍa) and negative karmic consequence due to harm inflicted on others and social order.