Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 31
Chapter 226 — राजधर्माः
Rājadharma: Royal Duties and Daṇḍanīti
उत्कृष्टासनसंस्थस्य नीचस्याधोनिकृन्तनं यो यदङ्गं च रुजयेत्तदङ्गन्तस्य कर्तयेत्
utkṛṣṭāsanasaṃsthasya nīcasyādhonikṛntanaṃ yo yadaṅgaṃ ca rujayettadaṅgantasya kartayet
Bagi pesalah rendah darjat yang duduk di atas tempat duduk yang lebih mulia, hukumannya ialah memotong bahagian bawah (di bawah). Dan sesiapa yang mencederakan sesuatu anggota, maka anggota itulah hendaklah dipotong daripadanya.
Lord Agni (in instruction to sage Vasiṣṭha, in the Agni Purana’s didactic discourse)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Defines proportional punishments for social transgression (inferior taking superior seat) and for bodily injury (retaliatory limb-cutting); aids reconstruction of daṇḍanīti principles and proportionality doctrines.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Proportional retribution: seat-transgression and limb-for-limb penalty","lookup_keywords":["utkrishta-asana","adhonikrintana","yad-anga-rujana","tad-anga-kartana","pratikara-danda"],"quick_summary":"A low-status person occupying a superior seat is punished by cutting the ‘lower part’; and for injuring a limb, the offender’s corresponding limb is cut. The verse codifies a strict proportionality rule in punitive justice."}
Concept: Daṇḍa as upholder of varṇa/āsana-maryādā (ranked social protocol) and ‘tādṛśa-pratikāra’ (like-for-like recompense).
Application: For governance studies: illustrates how symbolic status offences (seat) were treated as threats to order; for ethics: examine proportionality vs. cruelty and the role of social hierarchy.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma / Dandaniti (Judicial punishments and proportional retribution)
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A court scene: an inferior person sits on a high seat reserved for nobles; separately, a case of bodily injury where the judge orders corresponding retaliation.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, dramatic courtroom with tiered seats; offender shown seated on an elevated āsana; guards pull him down; second vignette shows injured limb and judge’s stern decree; strong narrative framing.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, gold-highlighted throne and elevated āsana; offender on the superior seat contrasted with nobles; symbolic emphasis on ‘lower part’ punishment through allegorical positioning; ornate court setting.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clear hierarchical seating diagram in the scene; judge and scribe; second panel shows limb-injury case with proportional verdict; refined lines and calm instructional layout.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, richly detailed durbar with carpeted dais; offender on the dais; attendants reacting; inset scene of injury adjudication; realistic expressions and architectural depth."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Kalyani","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: utkṛṣṭāsanasaṃsthasya → utkṛṣṭa + āsana + saṃsthasya; nīcasyādhonikṛntanaṃ → nīcasya + adhaḥ + nikṛntanam; yadaṅgaṃ → yat + aṅgam; rujayettadaṅgantasya → rujayet + tat + aṅgam + tasya.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 226.29 (yena aṅgena principle); Agni Purana 226.30 (organ-linked penalties)
FAQs
It imparts dandanīti (judicial science): proportional corporal penalties—amputation corresponding to the limb injured, and a specific penalty for a socially transgressive act (a low offender occupying a superior seat).
Beyond theology and ritual, the Agni Purana catalogs practical statecraft—criminal law and sentencing principles—showing it functions as a compendium of governance (rājadharma) alongside other disciplines.
It frames punishment as dharma-protecting retribution intended to restore social and moral order; by enforcing proportionate consequences, the king upholds dharma and limits further adharma in society.