Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 36
वाक्पारुष्यादिप्रकरणम्
The Topic of Verbal Abuse and Related Offences
भिषङ्मिथ्याचरन् दाप्यस्तिर्यक्षु प्रथमं दमम् मानुषे मध्यमं राजमानुषेषूत्तमन्तथा
bhiṣaṅmithyācaran dāpyastiryakṣu prathamaṃ damam mānuṣe madhyamaṃ rājamānuṣeṣūttamantathā
A physician who practices deceitfully (treating falsely or fraudulently) shall be made to pay a fine: the lowest fine in cases involving animals, the middle fine in cases involving humans, and likewise the highest fine in cases involving the king’s men (royal personnel).
Lord Agni (in instruction to sage Vasiṣṭha, within the Agni Purana’s rajadharma discourse)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Ayurveda","practical_application":"Establishes legal accountability for fraudulent medical practice with fines graded by the victim category (animals, humans, royal personnel), guiding state oversight of physicians.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Penalties for deceitful medical practice (bhiṣak-mithyācāra)","lookup_keywords":["bhiṣak","mithyācāra","daṇḍa-traya (first/middle/high)","tiryak (animals)","rāja-mānuṣa"],"quick_summary":"A physician who treats deceitfully is fined—lowest for harm involving animals, middle for humans, and highest for royal personnel—making medical ethics enforceable by law."}
Concept: Ahimsa and satya in professional duty: healing arts must not become a means of deceit; state enforces dharma through graded daṇḍa.
Application: Codify malpractice penalties; prioritize protection of vulnerable patients and state functionaries; deter fraudulent practitioners.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma & Vyavahara (Law, ethics, and punishments)
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A physician examining a patient while a royal officer investigates deceit; parallel vignettes show treatment of an animal, a human, and a royal guard, with fines graded accordingly.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, triptych composition: veterinarian scene, human clinic scene, royal infirmary scene; physician with medicine bowl; officer with palm-leaf record; bold colors and stylized faces.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, central physician with gold-highlighted medical bowl and herbs, patient on cot, royal attendant present, inscriptions indicating graded fines, ornate gold borders.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional medical-legal tableau: physician, patient, officer, and ledger; three small panels for animal/human/royal personnel; delicate lines and clear gestures.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed clinic interior with jars and herbs, physician taking pulse, officer questioning, royal guard in background, fine textiles and architectural detail."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: bhiṣaṅmithyācaran → bhiṣak mithyā caran; dāpyastiryakṣu → dāpyaḥ tiryakṣu; rājamānuṣeṣūttamam → rāja-mānuṣeṣu uttamam; (damam after madhyamam/uttamam is understood by ellipsis).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 257 (professional misconduct and fines); Agni Purana (Ayurveda-related passages elsewhere: materia medica/therapy summaries)
FAQs
It gives a legal-ethical rule for medical practice: fraudulent or deceitful treatment by a physician is punishable by graded monetary fines depending on whether harm concerns animals, humans, or royal personnel.
Beyond theology, it preserves practical statecraft and jurisprudence—linking healthcare conduct (bhiṣak-dharma) with danda-niti (penal policy), showing the Purana’s coverage of governance, law, and professional ethics.
By deterring deceit in healing and protecting vulnerable beings, it upholds dharma; truthful medical conduct is treated as a moral duty, while fraud accrues demerit and warrants correction through punishment.