Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 33
Determination of Boundary Disputes and Related Matters (सीमाविवादादिनिर्णयः)
बलाद्दासीकृतश् चौरैर् विक्रीतश्चापि मुच्यते स्वामिप्राणप्रदो भक्तत्यागात्तन्निष्क्रयादपि
balāddāsīkṛtaś caurair vikrītaścāpi mucyate svāmiprāṇaprado bhaktatyāgāttanniṣkrayādapi
Celui que des voleurs ont, par la force, réduit en esclavage, et même celui qui a été vendu comme esclave, doit être affranchi. De même, l’esclave est libéré s’il sauve la vie de son maître, ou si le maître renonce à son droit par dévotion, et aussi par le paiement du prix de rachat fixé.
Lord Agni (teaching the sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s dharma/legal sections)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Defining lawful grounds for manumission and invalidating enslavement by coercion/theft; guiding courts and householders on emancipation and redemption.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Grounds for release from slavery (dāsya-mokṣa)","lookup_keywords":["dāsīkṛta","caura","vikrīta","svāmiprāṇaprada","niṣkraya"],"quick_summary":"A person enslaved by force or sold unlawfully must be freed; manumission also follows life-saving service to the master, voluntary renunciation by the master, or payment of the redemption price."}
Concept: Human dignity within social order: coercion voids bondage; merit and gratitude (life-saving act, devotion) can dissolve servitude; lawful redemption is recognized.
Application: Courts should annul forced enslavement, recognize manumission triggers, and enforce fair redemption terms.
Khanda Section: Rājadharma & Vyavahāra (Dharma-śāstra / Legal Remedies and Social Law)
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A dramatic rescue where a servant saves the master’s life, followed by a formal manumission: the master removes a bondage token and grants freedom; alternatively, a court frees one enslaved by thieves.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural; two-part scene: thieves dragging a captive; then royal court declaring release; master and freed person shown with calm, dharmic gestures; earthy reds and ochres.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore gold-work; central manumission moment: master bestowing a cloth of honor and breaking a symbolic chain; attendants and temple-like pillars; luminous gold highlights on legal scroll.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style; narrative sequence: (1) forced capture, (2) life-saving act, (3) redemption payment, (4) release; fine facial expressions emphasizing karuṇā and dharma.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature; detailed interior with master on carpeted dais; freed person receiving document; side vignette of rescue; rich textiles and precise gestures of legal declaration."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: balād dāsīkṛtaḥ = balāt + dāsīkṛtaḥ; cauraiḥ vikrītaḥ = cauraiḥ + vikrītaḥ; vikrītaścāpi = vikrītaḥ + ca + api; bhaktatyāgāt = bhakta-tyāgāt; tannişkrayādapi = tat-niṣkrayāt + api.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 256 (social law; servitude; remedies)
FAQs
It gives a legal rule (vyavahāra) for manumission: forced enslavement by thieves, sale into slavery, saving the master’s life, the master’s voluntary relinquishment, and payment of redemption (niṣkraya) are recognized grounds for release.
Beyond theology and ritual, it preserves practical jurisprudence—status, ownership claims, and lawful release—showing the Agni Purana’s coverage of governance and civil law alongside spiritual instruction.
It frames freedom as dharmically mandated when bondage is unjust (coercion/theft) and as meritorious when compassion or gratitude motivates release—linking social justice and ethical conduct with religious duty.