Agni Purana — Ayurveda, Shloka 47
अश्ववाहनसारः
Aśvavāhana-sāra) — Essentials of Horses as Mounts (and Horse-Treatment
गतित्रये पियः पादमादत्ते नैव वाञ्छितः हत्वा तु यत्र दण्डेन ग्राह्यते गहनं हि तत्
gatitraye piyaḥ pādamādatte naiva vāñchitaḥ hatvā tu yatra daṇḍena grāhyate gahanaṃ hi tat
ત્રણ ગતિઓમાં (વિધિ-નિર્ણયમાં) અપરાધીને માત્ર ચોથો ભાગ મળે છે, ઇચ્છિત ફળ નહીં. પરંતુ જ્યાં હત્યા કર્યા પછી પણ દંડ દ્વારા જ વ્યવહાર કરવો પડે, તે પ્રકરણ ખરેખર ગહન છે।
Lord Agni (in discourse to sage Vasiṣṭha, within the Agni Purāṇa’s rājadharma material)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Guidance for adjudication and punishment: distinguishing standard legal ‘courses’ and highlighting the complexity of cases involving killing and subsequent punitive handling.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Complexity of punishment in homicide cases within tri-fold legal disposition","lookup_keywords":["rājadharma","daṇḍa","gati-traya","hata (killing)","vyavahāra (adjudication)"],"quick_summary":"Within the tri-fold modes of legal handling, outcomes may be partial and not as desired by the offender; homicide cases that still require punishment are especially difficult and demand careful judgment."}
Concept: Daṇḍa (punishment) must be applied with discernment; severe harms like killing create ‘gahana’ (deep/complex) cases requiring nuanced adjudication.
Application: For rulers/judges: avoid mechanical sentencing; investigate intent, circumstance, and applicable legal pathways before imposing daṇḍa.
Khanda Section: Rājadharma / Nīti-śāstra (Law, Punishment, and Governance)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A royal court: the king/judge with ministers deliberates a difficult homicide case; an accused stands guarded; scribes record; the mood is grave and analytical.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, stylized court with king on throne, ministers in rows, accused and guards, muted solemn palette, strong outlines, emphasis on deliberative gestures.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, king enthroned with gold halo-like arch, ministers flanking, symbolic scales/daṇḍa staff, rich reds and gold, formal symmetry.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore, detailed courtroom procedure: scribe with palm-leaf, judge pointing to legal text, calm faces, instructional clarity, soft shading.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, durbar scene with intricate carpets, attendants, qazi-like judge and king, accused presented, fine architectural details, subdued dramatic tension."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":null,"pace":"slow","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: पादमादत्ते = पादम् + आदत्ते; नैव = न + एव.
Related Themes: Agni Purana rājadharma/nīti sections on daṇḍa, vyavahāra, and gradations of offenses
FAQs
It imparts daṇḍa-nīti (penal jurisprudence): some offences—especially those involving killing—remain legally complex, and liability may still be established through prescribed punishment even when outcomes differ across procedural ‘paths’ (gati-traya).
Beyond theology, the Agni Purāṇa includes governance and legal doctrine. This verse exemplifies its dharma-legal content by discussing adjudication, proportional consequence (a ‘quarter-share’), and the difficulty of homicide cases—topics aligned with nīti and Dharmaśāstra.
It underscores that grave acts like killing carry heavy and intricate karmic-legal consequences; even when one seeks escape or advantage, accountability through daṇḍa (just punishment) remains a necessary corrective for social order and moral balance.