Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 66

वाक्पारुष्यादिप्रकरणम्

The Topic of Verbal Abuse and Related Offences

Devanagari script

विषाग्निदां निजगुरुनिजापत्यप्रमापणीं विकर्णकरनासौष्ठीं कृत्वा गोभिः प्रमापयेत्

Transliteration

viṣāgnidāṃ nijagurunijāpatyapramāpaṇīṃ vikarṇakaranāsauṣṭhīṃ kṛtvā gobhiḥ pramāpayet

Translation

വിഷമോ അഗ്നിയോ പ്രയോഗിക്കുന്നവനെയും, സ്വന്തം ഗുരുവിനെയോ സ്വന്തം മകനെയോ/സന്താനത്തെയോ കൊല്ലുന്നവനെയും—ചെവി, കൈ, മൂക്ക്, അധരം എന്നിവ വികൃതമാക്കി, തുടർന്ന് ഗോവുകൾകൊണ്ട് (പശു/കാളയുടെ ചവിട്ടിൽ) വധിക്കണം।

Word by Word

• विष-अग्नि-दाम्: one who gives poison and fire (i.e., poisoner/arsonist)
• विष-अग्नि-दाम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विष (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + दा (धातु) → द (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्वपूर्वपद + तत्पुरुष (विषं च अग्निं च ददाति इति), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• निज-गुरु-निज-अपत्य-प्रमापणीम्: killer of her own teacher and her own child
• निज-गुरु-निज-अपत्य-प्रमापणीम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निज (प्रातिपदिक) + गुरु (प्रातिपदिक) + निज (प्रातिपदिक) + अपत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रमापणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (स्वगुरोः स्वापत्यस्य च प्रमापणी), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वि-कर्ण-कर-नास-औष्ठीम्: (making her) with mutilated ears, hands, nose, and lips
• वि-कर्ण-कर-नास-औष्ठीम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि (उपसर्ग) + कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक) + नास (प्रातिपदिक) + औष्ठी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (विकर्णा विकराः नासा औष्ठी च यस्याः/यस्याः), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having made (thus)
• कृत्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund), पूर्वक्रिया

• गोभिः: by cows
• गोभिः: करण (Karaṇa/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• प्रमापयेत्: should cause to be killed / should have killed
• प्रमापयेत्: कर्तृक्रिया (Action by agent/कर्तृ)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + माप्/मा (धातु) (causative)
• Form: णिच्-प्रेरण (Causative), विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Agni (instructing Vasiṣṭha in a rajadharma/danda context)

Vidya Category

Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Defines aggravated capital crimes (poisoning, arson, killing guru/child) and prescribes a two-step punishment: mutilation (ear/hand/nose/lip) followed by death by trampling with cattle.","sutra_style":true}

Encyclopedic Reference

Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Aggravated capital punishment: mutilation then death by cattle for poison/arson/guru- or child-killing","lookup_keywords":["visagni-da","guru-hatya","apatya-pramapana","vikarna-karanasa-austhi","gobhih-pramapana"],"quick_summary":"For poisoners, arsonists, and killers of one’s guru or child, the text prescribes disfigurement of ear/hand/nose/lip and then execution by cattle trampling."}

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Certain acts are mahāpātaka-like in social effect (betrayal of guru/offspring; covert killing by poison; destructive arson) and warrant exemplary danda.

Application: Governance identifies crimes that undermine trust and lineage/teaching institutions and applies maximal deterrence.

Khanda Section

Khanda Section: Rajadharma / Danda-niti (Penal law and punishments; expiations for grave crimes)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Visual Art Cues

Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A grim punitive tableau: proclamation of sentence for poison/arson/guru- or child-killing; depiction of disfigurement marks (ear/hand/nose/lip) and a herd of cattle driven to trample the condemned in an enclosed ground.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, symbolic depiction rather than graphic: condemned figure with stylized marks, officials and a herd of cattle in motion, judge holding decree, strong outlines, muted reds/browns, emphasis on moral warning.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, formalized scene with gold ornamentation on royal emblems, cattle rendered in rhythmic pattern, decree scroll naming 'viṣa' and 'agni', minimal gore, iconic composition.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional composition showing sequence (disfigurement indicators, then cattle execution ground), fine detailing of cattle and attendants, subdued palette, didactic clarity.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed herd movement, guards with staffs, enclosed execution yard, expressive faces, architectural backdrop, narrative realism with restraint."}

Audio Atmosphere

Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"severe","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: विषाग्निदां = विष-अग्नि-दाम्; निजगुरुनिजापत्यप्रमापणीं = निज-गुरु-निज-अपत्य-प्रमापणीम्; विकर्णकरनासौष्ठीं = वि-कर्ण-कर-नास-औष्ठीम्

Cross References

Related Themes: Agni Purana 257 (danda for arson, poisoning, and grave betrayals)

Characters & Entities

• Agni Purana
• guru (teacher)
• apatya (child)
• go (cattle)

FAQs

What technical or ritual knowledge (Vidya) is imparted in this verse?

It teaches danda-niti (penal procedure): specific corporal mutilations followed by capital execution for extreme offenses like poisoning/arson and killing one’s guru or child.

How does this verse contribute to the 'Encyclopedic' nature of the Agni Purana?

Beyond theology, the Agni Purana compiles statecraft and jurisprudence; this verse preserves a codified penal rule-set—showing its coverage of governance, crime classification, and sentencing.

What is the spiritual or karmic significance of this specific instruction?

These acts are treated as mahāpātaka-level harms (severe sin/crime) that rupture social and dharmic order; the prescribed punishment is framed as restoring dharma and deterring grave adharma.