Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 37
Chapter 226 — राजधर्माः
Rājadharma: Royal Duties and Daṇḍanīti
येन येन यथाङ्गेन स्तेनो नृषु विचेष्टते तत्तदेव हरेदस्य् प्रत्यादेशाय पार्थिवः
yena yena yathāṅgena steno nṛṣu viceṣṭate tattadeva haredasy pratyādeśāya pārthivaḥ
चोर मनुष्यों के बीच जिस-जिस अंग से और जिस प्रकार अपराध करता है, प्रतिशोधात्मक दण्ड के रूप में राजा उससे वही अंग काटकर ले।
Lord Agni (teaching royal law to the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Principle of retributive/lex talionis-style corporal punishment: the limb used in theft is targeted for punitive amputation.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Retributive limb-based punishment for theft","lookup_keywords":["pratyādeśa","aṅga-daṇḍa","stena","cheda","rāja-nyāya"],"quick_summary":"The king may impose a retributive punishment mirroring the thief’s act: the very limb used to commit the crime is taken as punitive recompense."}
Concept: Danda as deterrent and moral rebalancing through proportional retribution; the body becomes the site of legal accountability.
Application: In jurisprudence, align punishment with the modality of offense to maximize deterrence and perceived fairness (within the text’s normative framework).
Khanda Section: Rājadharma & Vyavahāra (Criminal Law and Royal Justice)
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Type: Samanya
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A stern king in court orders retributive punishment; the thief’s offending limb is indicated by guards, while scribes record the judgment; the scene emphasizes deterrence and royal authority.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, intense court scene with king’s commanding gesture, guards holding the thief, symbolic emphasis on the limb used, bold lines and dramatic color blocks","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting with gold accents on throne and regalia, king as embodiment of danda, attendants and scribe, restrained depiction of punishment through symbolic gesture rather than gore","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, instructional courtroom tableau showing the principle 'yena yena yathāṅgena', with clear pointing gestures and labeled limb focus, refined detailing","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, highly detailed court with expressive faces, guards restraining thief, king pronouncing sentence, symbolic representation of limb-based retribution, intricate architectural backdrop"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Darbari Kanada","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: yathā + aṅgena → yathāṅgena (अ + अ → आ, ङ्-आगम); tat tat eva → tattadeva (त् + त् → त्त; तत् + एव संधि); hared asya → haredasya (पदसन्धि/स्वर-सन्धि)
Related Themes: Agni Purana 226 (corporal punishments; theft adjudication)
FAQs
Daṇḍanīti in the sphere of vyavahāra: the rule of pratyādeśa (retributive penalty) where punishment mirrors the limb or mode used in the offence, to deter theft and protect social order.
It exemplifies the Agni Purana’s coverage of statecraft and jurisprudence—detailing practical criminal sanctions alongside its teachings on ritual, devotion, and other sciences.
By enforcing proportionate punishment, the king upholds dharma and restrains adharma; the offender’s harmful agency is curtailed, and society’s moral balance (dharma-saṃsthāpanā) is maintained.