Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 12
वाक्पारुष्यादिप्रकरणम्
The Topic of Verbal Abuse and Related Offences
विप्रपीडाकरं च्छेद्यमङ्गमब्राह्मणस्य तु उद्गूर्णे प्रथमो दण्डः संस्पर्शे तु तदर्धिकः
viprapīḍākaraṃ cchedyamaṅgamabrāhmaṇasya tu udgūrṇe prathamo daṇḍaḥ saṃsparśe tu tadardhikaḥ
For a non-Brahmin who harms a Brahmin, the offending limb is to be cut off. For merely raising the hand/weapon, the first-grade punishment applies; but for actual physical contact, the penalty is increased by an additional half.
Lord Agni (in discourse to sage Vasiṣṭha, in the Agni Purana’s dharma/daṇḍa section)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Penal code for assault on Brahmins: bodily mutilation for actual harm by non-Brahmins; graded escalation from threat/raising hand to contact.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Assault on a Brahmin—Limb-Cutting and Graduated Penalties","lookup_keywords":["vipra-pīḍā","aṅga-ccheda","udgūrṇa","saṃsparśa","daṇḍa-krama"],"quick_summary":"A non-Brahmin harming a Brahmin faces limb-cutting of the offending member; mere threatening gesture incurs first-grade punishment, while physical contact increases the penalty by half again."}
Weapon Type: Sword (implied for limb-cutting) / raised hand-weapon gesture
Concept: Daṇḍa as deterrence protecting sacred social functions; proportional escalation from intent/threat to contact to injury.
Application: Codify assault levels (gesture/contact/injury) with escalating sanctions to prevent violence and protect protected classes.
Khanda Section: Rājadharma & Vyavahāra (Dharmaśāstra / Legal Punishments and Social Law)
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A courtroom sentencing scene: a non-Brahmin offender, a Brahmin victim, and an executioner’s sword symbolizing aṅga-ccheda; side vignettes show raised-hand threat (udgūrṇa) versus actual touch (saṃsparśa) with different penalty marks.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, dramatic but formal: dharma-judge on seat, brahmin with sacred thread, offender restrained; symbolic sword for limb-cutting; two small inset scenes for udgūrṇa and saṃsparśa; strong reds and blacks.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-leaf throne and haloed brahmin; stylized sword and justice staff; inset compartments labeled ‘prathama-daṇḍa’ and ‘tad-ardhika’; ornate frame.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, instructional legal illustration: three-tier escalation (gesture, touch, harm) with clear iconography; court scribe recording; precise linework and muted palette.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, durbar justice scene with detailed faces; executioner holding sword as symbol; marginal mini-scenes showing threat and contact; architectural depth and textile detail."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: च्छेद्यमङ्गम् = छेद्यम् अङ्गम्; अङ्गमब्राह्मणस्य = अङ्गम् अ-ब्राह्मणस्य; व्यवहारानुसार ‘उद्गूर्णे’/‘संस्पर्शे’ सप्तमी-स्थितिः; तदर्धिकः = तद्-अर्धिकः.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 257 (daṇḍa-vidhi; assault gradations)
FAQs
It conveys daṇḍanīti (penal jurisprudence): graded punishments for threatening versus physically assaulting a Brahmin, including amputation of the offending limb for a non-Brahmin who harms a Brahmin.
Beyond theology and ritual, the Agni Purana preserves practical statecraft and legal norms—here, a rule of criminal liability and sentencing gradation (threat vs contact) within a dharmaśāstric framework.
The verse treats violence against a vipra as a grave adharma with heavy worldly punishment, implying severe karmic consequence and the need for strong deterrence to protect dharma and its custodians.