Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 27
Chapter 253 — व्यवहारकथनम्
The Account of Legal Procedure
आजीवन् स्वेच्छया दण्ड्यो दाप्यस्तच्चापि सोदयं याचितावाहितन्यासे निक्षेपेष्वप्ययं विधिः
ājīvan svecchayā daṇḍyo dāpyastaccāpi sodayaṃ yācitāvāhitanyāse nikṣepeṣvapyayaṃ vidhiḥ
Si alguien, estando aún con vida, voluntariamente (sin coacción) se apropia indebidamente de un depósito, debe ser castigado con una multa y además restituir ese bien con su incremento (interés/ganancia). Esta misma norma se aplica también al depósito solicitado (yācita-nyāsa), al depósito confiado (āvahita-nyāsa) y, en general, a los depósitos (nikṣepa).
Lord Agni (in discourse to Sage Vasiṣṭha, as is the dominant frame of the Agni Purana)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Rule for embezzlement of deposits: impose fine and compel restitution with increment (profit/interest); extends uniformly to yācita-nyāsa, āvahita-nyāsa, and nikṣepa categories.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Nyāsa/Nikṣepa Misappropriation: Fine + Restitution with Increment","lookup_keywords":["nikṣepa","nyāsa","yācita-nyāsa","āvahita-nyāsa","sodaya restitution"],"quick_summary":"Voluntary misappropriation of a deposit while the owner is alive entails danda (fine) and repayment with accrued increment; the same standard applies across deposit subtypes."}
Concept: Trust (viśvāsa) as a protected social good; breach triggers both punishment and restorative compensation including gains derived.
Application: For deposit disputes: classify deposit type; compute increment/profit (sodaya); order restitution plus fine to deter conversion.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma & Vyavahara (Dharma-shastra: civil/criminal law, deposits and pledges)
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: dharmya
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A custodian secretly uses entrusted coins; later, in court, he returns the principal plus additional profit while the judge imposes a fine; scribes record yācita and āvahita deposit types.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, moral narrative: custodian hiding coins, then public sabhā with judge, restitution pile showing extra coins (increment), strong gestures and clear storytelling","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, gold-accented coin heaps, formal judge on throne-like seat, offender offering restitution with added amount, rich ornamentation","mysore_prompt":"Mysore, didactic layout with labeled deposit categories (yācita/āvahita/nikṣepa), fine outlines, emphasis on accounting of increment","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed money bags and ledger, court scene with witnesses, offender presenting repayment with surplus, refined architectural backdrop"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ājīvan svecchayā = ājīvan + sva-icchayā; dāpyastaccāpi = dāpyaḥ + tat + ca + api; sodayaṃ = sa-udayam; yācitāvāhitanyāse = yācita-āvāhita-nyāse; nikṣepeṣvapy = nikṣepeṣu + api.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 253.25-26 (deposit and liability rules)
FAQs
It imparts vyavahāra-vidyā (practical jurisprudence): a depositor’s protection and the custodian’s liability—misappropriation requires punishment plus restitution with the accrued increment (udaya).
Beyond theology, the Agni Purana preserves dharmaśāstra-style civil law—defining categories of deposits (yācita-nyāsa, āvahita-nyāsa, nikṣepa) and prescribing penalties and repayment rules, showing its wide coverage of governance and social order.
Protecting entrusted property is treated as dharma; voluntary breach is adharma that incurs both worldly penalty (daṇḍa) and negative karma, while restitution (with udaya) is a corrective act supporting ethical purification and social trust.