Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 4
वाक्पारुष्यादिप्रकरणम्
The Topic of Verbal Abuse and Related Offences
प्रातिलोम्यापवादेषु द्विगुणत्रिगुणा दमाः वर्णानामानुलोम्येन तस्मादेवार्धहानितः
prātilomyāpavādeṣu dviguṇatriguṇā damāḥ varṇānāmānulomyena tasmādevārdhahānitaḥ
પ્રાતિલોમ (ઉલટા ક્રમ) તથા અપવાદ/નિંદાના પ્રસંગોમાં (ઉચ્ચ) વર્ણો માટે દંડદ્રવ્ય દ્વિગુણ કે ત્રિગુણ થાય; પરંતુ અનુલોમ (યોગ્ય ક્રમ) માં તેથી દંડ અડધો ઘટે છે.
Lord Agni (in instruction to the sage Vasiṣṭha, in the Agni Purana’s dharma/vyavahāra discourse)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Determining fines for socially disruptive unions (pratiloma/anuloma) and for defamatory speech, with graded multipliers by varna.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Fines for Pratiloma/Anuloma and Defamation (Apavada)","lookup_keywords":["pratiloma","anuloma","apavada","dviguna-dama","triguna-dama"],"quick_summary":"Reverse-order unions and defamatory censure attract doubled or tripled fines (especially for higher varnas), while proper-order (anuloma) cases receive a halved penalty."}
Concept: Protection of varna-ashrama order through calibrated legal sanctions; speech-ethics (apavada) treated as a punishable social harm.
Application: In adjudication, classify the act (pratiloma vs anuloma; defamation) before computing the multiplier/mitigation.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma & Vyavahara (Dharma-shastra / Legal Penalties and Social Law)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A judge distinguishes two cases on a board: pratiloma and anuloma; a scribe marks doubled/tripled fines for one and half-fine for the other; a defamation complainant points to witnesses.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, two-panel composition: left shows pratiloma/apavada with larger coin stacks (double/triple), right shows anuloma with reduced stack, king-judge centered, stylized witnesses and gesture-based narration.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style with gold coin stacks prominently embossed, judge under a golden prabhavali-like arch, two labeled scenes (pratiloma/anuloma) as side medallions, rich ornamentation.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, didactic chart-like layout, neat inscriptions for dviguna/triguna/ardha, court figures rendered softly, emphasis on clarity of categories.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtroom with two petitioners, one accused of slander, fine ledgers showing multipliers, refined textiles and architectural perspective."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: prātilomyāpavādeṣu = prātilomya-apavādeṣu; dviguṇatriguṇā = dviguṇa-triguṇāḥ; varṇānāmānulomyena = varṇānām + ānulomyena; tasmādevārdhahānitaḥ = tasmāt + eva + ardha-hānitaḥ.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 257 (sections on vyavahara, fines, and social offences)
FAQs
It gives a legal rule (vyavahāra-vidhi) for assessing monetary fines (dama) in cases of pratiloma-related offenses and apavāda (censure/defamation), including when penalties are increased (double/triple) or reduced (half) based on anuloma vs pratiloma context.
Beyond mythology, the Agni Purana preserves dharma-shastra style governance material—how a ruler/judge should scale punishments—showing it functions as a compendium that includes jurisprudence (danda-nīti) alongside ritual, theology, and other sciences.
By prescribing proportional penalties for socially disruptive acts (reverse-order unions and harmful speech), the text frames justice as a means to restore dharma and reduce negative karma created by transgression, emphasizing social order as a religious duty.