Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 4
Chapter 226 — राजधर्माः
Rājadharma: Royal Duties and Daṇḍanīti
ताम्रकैः कार्षिको राम प्रोक्तः कार्षापणो बुधैः पणानां द्वे शते सार्धं प्रथमः साहसः स्मृतः
tāmrakaiḥ kārṣiko rāma proktaḥ kārṣāpaṇo budhaiḥ paṇānāṃ dve śate sārdhaṃ prathamaḥ sāhasaḥ smṛtaḥ
हे राम, तांब्याच्या नाण्यांवरून ‘कार्षिक’ सांगितला असून तोच विद्वानांमध्ये ‘कार्षापण’ म्हणून प्रसिद्ध आहे. आणि अडीचशे पणांचा दंड हा प्रथम साहस मानला आहे.
Lord Agni (instructing, addressing the listener as 'Rāma')
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Defining coin units and mapping them to graded fines for administrative penalties and court judgments.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Kārṣika/Kārṣāpaṇa (coin unit) and first sāhasa fine (250 paṇas)","lookup_keywords":["kārṣika","kārṣāpaṇa","paṇa","sāhasa","tāmra (copper)"],"quick_summary":"Identifies the kārṣika (kārṣāpaṇa) as a copper-based coin unit and fixes the first-grade sāhasa fine at 250 paṇas for consistent penal assessment."}
Concept: Daṇḍa calibrated by known monetary units sustains social order and deters transgression.
Application: Courts and officials compute fines in paṇas using standardized coin definitions to avoid arbitrariness.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma & Vyavahara (Law, Administration, Weights-and-Measures, Fines)
Primary Rasa: samanya
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A courtroom/administrative hall: copper coins (kārṣāpaṇa) stacked; an official announces the first sāhasa fine as 250 paṇas; a scribe tallies amounts on a palm-leaf ledger.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, royal hall with a judge and accountant, copper coin stacks in the foreground, palm-leaf ledger with numerals, attendants listening, strong outlines and warm earthy palette.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, king/judge seated on throne with gold embellishments, coin stacks rendered with gold leaf accents despite copper theme, ornate pillars, scribe presenting a ledger marked '250 paṇa'.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clean instructional composition: labeled coin 'kārṣāpaṇa', a counting board, scribe writing 'prathama sāhasa = 250 paṇa', soft colors and fine detailing.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed fiscal scene: munshi counting copper coins, official reading an edict of fines, patterned carpets, precise depiction of coin stacks and written tally."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: No major sandhi beyond standard visarga/phonetic combinations; verse reads as definitional statements.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 226.3 (metrology basis for valuation); Agni Purana 226.5–226.7 (graded fines and false claims/testimony)
FAQs
It defines monetary terminology (kārṣika/kārṣāpaṇa measured via copper coinage) and specifies the first-grade sāhasa fine as 250 paṇas, useful for legal and administrative calculation.
Beyond theology, it preserves practical statecraft: standardized money units and graded fines—core tools for vyavahāra (jurisprudence) and royal administration.
By prescribing clear, graded penalties for wrongdoing, it supports dharma-based social order; fair punishment is treated as a means to restrain adharma and reduce harmful karmic consequences in society.