Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 26
Chapter 226 — राजधर्माः
Rājadharma: Royal Duties and Daṇḍanīti
धर्मोपदेशं विप्राणां शूद्रः कुर्वंश् च दण्डभाक् श्रुतदेशादिवितथी दाप्यो द्विगुणसाहसं
dharmopadeśaṃ viprāṇāṃ śūdraḥ kurvaṃś ca daṇḍabhāk śrutadeśādivitathī dāpyo dviguṇasāhasaṃ
Un śūdra qui dispense un enseignement du dharma aux brāhmaṇa devient passible de châtiment ; et celui qui prétend faussement à un savoir (d’autorité), à un lieu d’étude et autres choses semblables devra payer une amende égale au double de la peine de sāhasa.
Lord Agni (narrating dharma and legal rules in the Agni Purana’s discourse)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Vyakarana","practical_application":"Regulates social-legal boundaries of religious instruction and punishes fraudulent claims of learning/credentials; applicable to disputes over teaching authority and misrepresentation.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Punishment for unauthorized dharma-instruction and false claims of learning","lookup_keywords":["dharma-upadeśa","śūdra","śruta-deśa","mithyā-vāda","dviguṇa-sāhasa"],"quick_summary":"States that a śūdra instructing brāhmaṇas in dharma is punishable; and anyone falsely claiming learning, place of study, etc., must pay double the sāhasa fine—aimed at preventing credential fraud and preserving teaching norms."}
Concept: Adhikāra (eligibility/authority) in transmitting dharma; satya (truthfulness) regarding learning and lineage.
Application: In governance: verify claims of śruta/adhyayanadeśa (study-place/teacher lineage); penalize misrepresentation with dviguṇa-sāhasa; treat unauthorized dharma-upadeśa as a punishable offence.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma / Vyavahara (Dharmaśāstra—social and legal injunctions, penalties)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A dispute over teaching authority: a person claims scholarly credentials; elders/judge examine witnesses and manuscripts; the verdict imposes double sāhasa fine for false claims.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, assembly of brāhmaṇa elders with palm-leaf manuscripts, a defendant gesturing as if teaching, a judge indicating punishment, symbolic coin stacks doubled, warm earthy palette","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, gold-leaf highlights on manuscripts and coin stacks, seated elders in a semicircle, defendant with anxious posture, inscription-like emphasis on 'dviguṇa' via two identical coin piles","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, instructional scene: verification of credentials with a manuscript, teacher’s seat (vyāsapīṭha) shown, judge pointing to doubled fine, refined detailing","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, scholarly court with books/palm leaves, witnesses presenting testimony, meticulous depiction of doubled coin payment, subtle facial expressions of scrutiny"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: dharma+upadeśam → dharmopadeśam; kurvan+ca → kurvaṃś ca (n→ṃś before c); daṇḍa+bhāk → daṇḍabhāk; śruta+deśa+ādi+vitathī (compound); dviguṇa+sāhasam → dviguṇasāhasaṃ
Related Themes: Agni Purana 226 (sāhasa gradations; offences involving speech and social transgression)
FAQs
This verse imparts legal-technical knowledge: rules of social-legal conduct (vyavahāra) and the penal category called sāhasa, including when a doubled fine is imposed for false claims of learning or credentials.
Beyond ritual and theology, the Agni Purana preserves governance and jurisprudence—defining offenses, who is punishable, and how fines are computed (e.g., double sāhasa). This reflects its wide-ranging, compendious treatment of statecraft and social order.
The verse frames misrepresentation of learning and improper instruction as adharma that disrupts social-religious order; the prescribed punishment functions as expiation through deterrence and restitution, aiming to reduce karmic harm caused by false authority and disorder.