Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 30
वाक्पारुष्यादिप्रकरणम्
The Topic of Verbal Abuse and Related Offences
शूद्रः प्रव्रजितानाञ्च दैवे पैत्र्ये च भोजकः प्ररोहिशाखिनामित्यादिर्विंशतेर्द्विगुणा दमा इत्य् अन्तः पाठः ख पुस्तके नास्ति अयुक्तं शपथं कुर्वन्नयोग्यो योग्यकर्मकृत्
śūdraḥ pravrajitānāñca daive paitrye ca bhojakaḥ prarohiśākhināmityādirviṃśaterdviguṇā damā ity antaḥ pāṭhaḥ kha pustake nāsti ayuktaṃ śapathaṃ kurvannayogyo yogyakarmakṛt
シュードラ（Śūdra）は出家遁世者に食を施す者であり、また神々および祖霊のための儀礼において施食を司る者でもある。なお「prarohiśākhinām …」に始まり「罰金は二十（dama）の倍」と終わる挿入句は、‘kha’写本には見えない。不適切な誓いを、資格なき者が立てたとしても、その行為に関しては資格あるものと見なされ、誓いの結果に拘束される。
Lord Agni (narrating the Agni Purana’s dharma and legal-material sections to the sage Vasiṣṭha in the standard frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Clarifies role-assignments and legal effect of oaths in adjudication: even an unqualified person who undertakes an improper oath becomes bound by its consequences; also notes a manuscript-variant passage.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Improper oath by an unfit person and its binding force (with manuscript note)","lookup_keywords":["śapatha","ayukta","anāyogya","vyavahāra","pāṭhabheda"],"quick_summary":"In legal procedure, an oath—even if improperly undertaken by an unqualified person—can still bind the actor to the consequences; the verse also preserves a textual-critical note about a missing internal passage in one manuscript."}
Concept: Karma-like accountability in juridical acts: voluntarily performing a juridical act (oath) entails responsibility even if procedurally improper.
Application: In dispute resolution, treat sworn statements as binding commitments; discourage casual or coerced oaths by emphasizing consequences.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma & Vyavahara (Dharmaśāstra / Legal Procedure and Social Duties)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A courtroom where an unqualified litigant nonetheless takes an oath before a sacred fire or deity-symbol, while the judge and scribes record; a side-note panel shows a palm-leaf manuscript with a missing passage marked.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, court with sacred fire at center, litigant raising hand in oath, judge seated, scribes with palm leaves; a small inset of manuscript leaf with a gap indicated, traditional flat composition","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold haloed sacred fire altar, ornate court arch, oath-taking gesture emphasized, palm-leaf manuscript with highlighted missing line in gold border, rich reds and greens","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, instructional legal scene: oath procedure shown stepwise, judge pointing to a written rule 'śapatha-bandha', inset showing 'kha pustake nāsti' as a marginal note","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, qazi-like judge, litigant swearing near a small fire brazier, clerks writing in ledgers, marginal depiction of a manuscript folio with lacuna, fine architectural detail"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: प्रव्रजितानाञ्च → प्रव्रजितानाम् + च; प्ररोहिशाखिनामित्यादिः → प्ररोहिशाखिनाम् + इति + आदिः; इत्य् अन्तः → इति + अन्तः; कुर्वन्नयोग्यः → कुर्वन् + अयोग्यः. Middle portion contains editorial note; analyzed as given tokens.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 257 (vyavahāra: śapatha/pramāṇa topics likely nearby)
FAQs
It specifies ritual/administrative roles in daiva and paitrya (ancestral) rites—especially the function of the bhojaka (meal-provider)—and states a procedural principle about śapatha (oath-taking): even an unfit person incurs binding consequences when undertaking an improper oath.
Alongside theology, the Agni Purana compiles practical dharma and vyavahāra material: social eligibility in rites, courtroom-like procedures (oaths), and even manuscript-variant notes about fines (dama), showing its broad, quasi-legal and ritual handbook character.
It underscores accountability: oath-taking is karmically and socially consequential, and improper oaths are not ‘void’ merely due to the taker’s ineligibility—misuse of sacred speech (śapatha) still produces binding results and potential demerit.