Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 6
Chapter 226 — राजधर्माः
Rājadharma: Royal Duties and Daṇḍanīti
तत्प्रदातरि भापाले स दण्ड्यस्तावदेव तु यो यावद्विपरीतार्थं मिथ्या वा यो वदेत्तु तं
tatpradātari bhāpāle sa daṇḍyastāvadeva tu yo yāvadviparītārthaṃ mithyā vā yo vadettu taṃ
裁判官／王の護持者の前において、事実に反して意味を転倒させた供述をなす者、あるいは虚言を吐く者は、その程度に応じて（生じさせた害に比例して）処罰されるべきである。
Lord Agni (in discourse to Vasiṣṭha, Agni Purāṇa’s primary dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Guiding judicial assessment of perjury/false pleading: punishment proportional to the distortion and harm caused.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Penalty for inverted/false statement before the judge (proportional punishment)","lookup_keywords":["mithyā-vacana","viparīta-artha","bhūpāla (judge/king)","daṇḍa","proportionality"],"quick_summary":"In court, anyone who states facts in a reversed/contrary way or lies should be punished in proportion to the resulting injury—supporting calibrated, evidence-based sentencing."}
Concept: Daṇḍa must be yathā-doṣa (commensurate with fault) and anchored in satya to preserve rājya.
Application: Judges scale penalties to the magnitude of deception and the harm it would have caused if accepted.
Khanda Section: Rājadharma & Vyavahāra (Governance, Law, and Judicial Procedure)
Primary Rasa: samanya
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A judge (bhūpāla) seated with a court scribe; an accused speaker is shown with two speech-scrolls—one truthful, one inverted—while the judge indicates a measured penalty on a tally board.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, stylized court with the king-judge, a speaker with contrasting speech ribbons (truth vs inversion), scribe with palm-leaf, symbolic balance scale of justice, warm ochres and reds.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, enthroned judge with gold halo-like arch, ornate court, a balance scale and tally board indicating proportional punishment, gold leaf accents on regalia and judicial emblems.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, instructional courtroom: labeled elements 'viparīta-artha' and 'mithyā', judge pointing to a proportional scale, fine linework, subdued colors, emphasis on clarity of procedure.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, refined court interior, judge and qazī-like scribes (Indianized), accused presenting statement, marginal depiction of a scale showing proportionality, intricate textiles and architectural detail."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तत्प्रदातरि treated as तत्-प्रदातरि (tatpurusha); दण्ड्यस्तावदेव → दण्ड्यः तावत् एव; यावद्विपरीतार्थं → यावत् विपरीतार्थम्.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 226.5 (false theft-claim); Agni Purana 226.7 (false testimony and class-based penalties)
FAQs
It teaches a legal principle of vyavahāra: false or fact-inverting statements before the king/judge warrant daṇḍa (punishment) proportionate to the resulting harm.
Beyond theology, the Agni Purāṇa compiles practical statecraft and jurisprudence; this verse is a compact rule on courtroom truthfulness and calibrated penalties within rājadharma.
Truthful speech upholds dharma; lying in judicial settings is treated as a serious adharma that incurs both worldly punishment (daṇḍa) and negative karmic consequence due to harm inflicted on others and social order.