Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 32
Determination of Boundary Disputes and Related Matters (सीमाविवादादिनिर्णयः)
देशं कालञ्च भोगञ्च ज्ञात्वा नष्टे बलाबलम् द्रव्याणां कुशला ब्रूयुर्यत्तद्दाप्यमसंशयम्
deśaṃ kālañca bhogañca jñātvā naṣṭe balābalam dravyāṇāṃ kuśalā brūyuryattaddāpyamasaṃśayam
ದೇಶ, ಕಾಲ ಮತ್ತು ಉಪಯೋಗವಿಧಾನವನ್ನು ತಿಳಿದು, ನಷ್ಟವಾದ ದ್ರವ್ಯದ ಪ್ರಕರಣದಲ್ಲಿ ಪಕ್ಷಗಳ ಬಲಾಬಲವನ್ನು ನಿರ್ಣಯಿಸಿ, ವಸ್ತುನಿಪುಣರು ಸಂಶಯವಿಲ್ಲದೆ ಎಷ್ಟು ಪರಿಹಾರ ಕೊಡಬೇಕೆಂದು ಹೇಳಬೇಕು।
Lord Agni (teaching sage Vashistha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Judicial assessment of compensation for lost/damaged goods by considering context (place, time, usage) and relative capacities of parties.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Determining compensation for lost property (naṣṭa-dravya) by contextual inquiry","lookup_keywords":["deśa","kāla","bhoga","naṣṭa","dāpya"],"quick_summary":"Experts should fix compensation for lost goods only after examining locality, time, manner of use, and the parties’ relative strength/weakness, ensuring a context-sensitive and just award."}
Concept: Nyāya through contextual reasoning: judgment must account for deśa-kāla-bhoga and practical realities, not mere abstraction.
Application: In disputes, gather situational facts and expert valuation before ordering restitution or damages.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma & Vyavahara (Governance, Law, and Judicial Procedure)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A courtroom scene where assessors examine a lost-goods dispute: they consult maps/seasonal markers (place and time), inspect sample goods, and advise the king on compensation.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style; raja seated in sabha, learned assessors pointing to symbols of place (village gate), time (sun/moon), and usage (tools); scribes recording compensation decision; dignified symmetry.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style with gold; king on throne, haloed; experts presenting weighed goods and a scroll listing deśa-kāla-bhoga factors; rich ornamentation emphasizing royal justice.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style; didactic composition: three panels showing deśa, kāla, bhoga inquiry; final panel with compensation amount declared; fine detailing of documents and measuring tools.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature court; qazi-like assessors and merchants; detailed textiles and goods; marginal notes in cartouches: deśa-kāla-bhoga; king receiving expert recommendation."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: kālañca = kālam + ca; bhogañca = bhogam + ca; brūyur yattad = brūyuḥ + yat + tat; dāpyamasaṃśayam = dāpyam + asaṃśayam.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 256 (judicial procedure; valuation of goods; compensation)
FAQs
It teaches a practical legal method: experts must assess jurisdiction (place), circumstances (time), and usage (bhoga) to determine liability and the exact compensable amount for lost property.
Beyond theology, it preserves applied rajadharma and vyavahara—procedures for adjudicating civil disputes and fixing damages—showing the Purana’s coverage of governance and jurisprudence.
By prescribing fair, context-based compensation, it supports dharmic justice—reducing harm, preventing unjust enrichment, and aligning social order with righteous conduct (dharma).