Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 24
Chapter 253 — व्यवहारकथनम्
The Account of Legal Procedure
यदा तु द्विगुणीभूतमृणमाधौ तदा खलु मोच्यश्चाधिस्तदुत्पाद्य प्रविष्टे द्विगुणे धने
yadā tu dviguṇībhūtamṛṇamādhau tadā khalu mocyaścādhistadutpādya praviṣṭe dviguṇe dhane
Mais lorsque, dans le cas d’un gage/hypothèque, la dette est devenue double, alors le bien gagé doit assurément être libéré ; après en avoir perçu les fruits, le détenteur du gage est tenu pour satisfait lorsque la valeur reçue atteint le double du principal (c’est‑à‑dire l’équivalent de deux fois la dette).
Lord Agni (in instruction to Sage Vasiṣṭha, as the typical Agni Purana discourse frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Rule for mortgage/pledge (ādhi) redemption: once the creditor has realized yield equivalent to twice the principal, the pledged property must be released; prevents perpetual bondage of collateral.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Ādhi (Pledge/Mortgage) Release on Doubling of Debt","lookup_keywords":["ādhi","ṛṇa-dviguṇa","bandhaka","pledge redemption","vyavahāra"],"quick_summary":"In a pledge/mortgage, the pledge-holder may enjoy the produce, but when the realized value reaches twice the principal, the collateral must be returned/released."}
Concept: Limitation of creditor’s enjoyment; proportionality and prevention of exploitation in secured debt.
Application: Drafting/deciding mortgage disputes: compute principal and realized usufruct; order release when the statutory threshold is met.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma / Vyavahara (Debt, pledge, and civil procedure)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: dharmya
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A village court scene: a creditor returning pledged land/ornament after accounting shows the yield equals twice the principal; scribes tally amounts on palm-leaf records.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, earthy reds and ochres, stylized village sabhā with dharmic judge, creditor presenting collateral back, palm-leaf ledger, calm symmetrical composition","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style with gold leaf highlights, formal court tableau, ornate jewelry as pledge, shining balance scales, rich textiles, frontal figures","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, fine linework, instructional accounting scene with clear depiction of principal and doubled yield, labeled objects, restrained palette","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed ledger and coins, court officials seated on carpets, creditor and debtor exchanging pledge, architectural pavilion background"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: dviguṇībhūtamṛṇamādhau = dviguṇībhūta + mṛṇam + ādhau; mocyaścādhis- = mocyaḥ + ca + ādhiḥ; ādhistadutpādya = ādhiḥ + tat + utpādya; praviṣṭe dviguṇe dhane taken as locative context.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 253 (Vyavahāra: debts, pledges, deposits); Agni Purana 254 (Divya-pramāṇa—transition)
FAQs
It gives a technical rule of vyavahāra (civil law): in a pledge/mortgage (ādhi), once the creditor’s recovery reaches twice the principal (through yield or receipts), the pledged property should be released.
Beyond theology, the Agni Purana preserves practical governance material—loan, pledge, and repayment limits—showing it functions as a compendium of dharma, polity, and juridical norms.
By limiting exploitation in debt and requiring release of the pledge after fair recovery, it aligns economic conduct with dharma, reducing unjust gain and the karmic burden of oppression.