Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 30
वाक्पारुष्यादिप्रकरणम्
The Topic of Verbal Abuse and Related Offences
शूद्रः प्रव्रजितानाञ्च दैवे पैत्र्ये च भोजकः प्ररोहिशाखिनामित्यादिर्विंशतेर्द्विगुणा दमा इत्य् अन्तः पाठः ख पुस्तके नास्ति अयुक्तं शपथं कुर्वन्नयोग्यो योग्यकर्मकृत्
śūdraḥ pravrajitānāñca daive paitrye ca bhojakaḥ prarohiśākhināmityādirviṃśaterdviguṇā damā ity antaḥ pāṭhaḥ kha pustake nāsti ayuktaṃ śapathaṃ kurvannayogyo yogyakarmakṛt
A Śūdra is one who provides the meal for renunciants, and also serves as the feeder in rites for the gods and for the ancestors. The intervening reading beginning with “prarohiśākhinām …” and ending with “the fines are double of twenty (dama)” is not found in the ‘kha’ manuscript. One who undertakes an improper oath—though unfit—is treated as fit with respect to that act, i.e., bound by the consequences of the oath.
Lord Agni (narrating the Agni Purana’s dharma and legal-material sections to the sage Vasiṣṭha in the standard frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Clarifies role-assignments and legal effect of oaths in adjudication: even an unqualified person who undertakes an improper oath becomes bound by its consequences; also notes a manuscript-variant passage.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Improper oath by an unfit person and its binding force (with manuscript note)","lookup_keywords":["śapatha","ayukta","anāyogya","vyavahāra","pāṭhabheda"],"quick_summary":"In legal procedure, an oath—even if improperly undertaken by an unqualified person—can still bind the actor to the consequences; the verse also preserves a textual-critical note about a missing internal passage in one manuscript."}
Concept: Karma-like accountability in juridical acts: voluntarily performing a juridical act (oath) entails responsibility even if procedurally improper.
Application: In dispute resolution, treat sworn statements as binding commitments; discourage casual or coerced oaths by emphasizing consequences.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma & Vyavahara (Dharmaśāstra / Legal Procedure and Social Duties)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A courtroom where an unqualified litigant nonetheless takes an oath before a sacred fire or deity-symbol, while the judge and scribes record; a side-note panel shows a palm-leaf manuscript with a missing passage marked.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, court with sacred fire at center, litigant raising hand in oath, judge seated, scribes with palm leaves; a small inset of manuscript leaf with a gap indicated, traditional flat composition","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold haloed sacred fire altar, ornate court arch, oath-taking gesture emphasized, palm-leaf manuscript with highlighted missing line in gold border, rich reds and greens","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, instructional legal scene: oath procedure shown stepwise, judge pointing to a written rule 'śapatha-bandha', inset showing 'kha pustake nāsti' as a marginal note","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, qazi-like judge, litigant swearing near a small fire brazier, clerks writing in ledgers, marginal depiction of a manuscript folio with lacuna, fine architectural detail"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: प्रव्रजितानाञ्च → प्रव्रजितानाम् + च; प्ररोहिशाखिनामित्यादिः → प्ररोहिशाखिनाम् + इति + आदिः; इत्य् अन्तः → इति + अन्तः; कुर्वन्नयोग्यः → कुर्वन् + अयोग्यः. Middle portion contains editorial note; analyzed as given tokens.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 257 (vyavahāra: śapatha/pramāṇa topics likely nearby)
FAQs
It specifies ritual/administrative roles in daiva and paitrya (ancestral) rites—especially the function of the bhojaka (meal-provider)—and states a procedural principle about śapatha (oath-taking): even an unfit person incurs binding consequences when undertaking an improper oath.
Alongside theology, the Agni Purana compiles practical dharma and vyavahāra material: social eligibility in rites, courtroom-like procedures (oaths), and even manuscript-variant notes about fines (dama), showing its broad, quasi-legal and ritual handbook character.
It underscores accountability: oath-taking is karmically and socially consequential, and improper oaths are not ‘void’ merely due to the taker’s ineligibility—misuse of sacred speech (śapatha) still produces binding results and potential demerit.