Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 79
वाक्पारुष्यादिप्रकरणम्
The Topic of Verbal Abuse and Related Offences
तन्मन्त्रस्य च भेत्तारं छित्त्वा जिह्वां प्रवासयेत् राजयानासनारोढुर्दण्डो मध्यमसाहसः
tanmantrasya ca bhettāraṃ chittvā jihvāṃ pravāsayet rājayānāsanāroḍhurdaṇḍo madhyamasāhasaḥ
អ្នកដែលបង្ហាញអាថ៌កំបាំងនៃមន្តនោះ—ត្រូវកាត់អណ្តាត ហើយបណ្តេញចេញទៅនិរទេស។ ចំពោះអ្នកដែលឡើងលើយាន-អាសនៈរាជ (ដោយគ្មានអនុញ្ញាត) ទណ្ឌកម្មគឺពិន័យជាប្រាក់ប្រភេទ «សាហសៈមធ្យម» (កម្រិតមធ្យមនៃបទល្មើសដោយកម្លាំង)។
Lord Agni (in instruction to the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"State security and protocol enforcement: punish disclosure of confidential counsel/mantra; penalize unauthorized use of royal conveyance/seat with graded fines.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Punishment for divulging secret counsel; fine for unauthorized mounting of royal conveyance","lookup_keywords":["mantra-bheda","raja-rahasya","jihva-ccheda","pravasa","madhyama-sahasa"],"quick_summary":"Breach of state secrecy is treated as a severe offense with corporal punishment and banishment; violating royal protocol (mounting the king’s vehicle/seat) incurs a middle-grade sāhasa fine."}
Concept: Rāja-rahasya-rakṣaṇa (protection of royal secrets) as a pillar of governance; maryādā (protocol) safeguards sovereignty.
Application: Implement strict confidentiality rules for counsel and clear penalties for breaches; codify royal property/protocol violations under graded fines.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma & Danda-niti (Governance, Law, and Punishments)
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A court scene showing a secret-leaker being sentenced (symbolic tongue-cutting and exile order) and another offender being fined for climbing onto the royal palanquin/seat.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural narrative panel: king with ministers, a guard restraining a whispering courtier (secret-leaker), another figure stepping onto a royal palanquin, bold outlines and flat color fields.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore court composition with gold-leaf palanquin and throne, offender touching the royal seat, treasurer presenting fine tablets, ornate jewelry and halos for royal figures.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting emphasizing procedure: scribe reading charges of mantra-bheda, king gesturing banishment, separate vignette of unauthorized mounting of royal vehicle, delicate shading and clean lines.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature with detailed palanquin, guards, and clerks; the accused leaker confronted by ministers; fine being assessed with coin bags, architectural depth and patterned carpets."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"stern","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तन्मन्त्रस्य = तत् + मन्त्रस्य; राजयानासनारोढुर् = राज-यान-आसन-आरोढुः (visarga→r before d).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 257 (graded sāhasa and punishments)
FAQs
It lays down danda-niti: (1) strict enforcement of mantra-secrecy by penal measures, and (2) a graded legal penalty (madhyama-sāhasa fine) for violating royal protocol by mounting the king’s conveyance/seat without authorization.
Beyond theology, it preserves a digest of practical jurisprudence—punishments, categories of offenses (sāhasa), and courtly/royal-security protocol—showing the Purana’s coverage of governance and law alongside ritual and doctrine.
It treats betrayal of sacred trust (mantra-bheda) and disrespect of royal authority as heavy adharma, implying severe karmic fault; the prescribed danda is framed as social purification—deterring harm and restoring dharmic order.