Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 7
वाक्पारुष्यादिप्रकरणम्
The Topic of Verbal Abuse and Related Offences
पतनीयकृते क्षेपे दण्डी मध्यमसाहसः उपपातकयुक्ते तु दाप्यः प्रथमसाहसं
patanīyakṛte kṣepe daṇḍī madhyamasāhasaḥ upapātakayukte tu dāpyaḥ prathamasāhasaṃ
ପତନୀୟ (ପତନକାରକ ଗୁରୁ ଅପରାଧ) ସମ୍ବନ୍ଧୀୟ କ୍ଷେପ/ଆକ୍ରମଣ ହେଲେ ଅପରାଧୀ ମଧ୍ୟମ-ସାହସ ଦଣ୍ଡରେ ଦଣ୍ଡିତ ହେବ; ଯଦି ଏହା ଉପପାତକ-ଯୁକ୍ତ ହୁଏ, ତେବେ ପ୍ରଥମ-ସାହସ ଦଣ୍ଡ ଦେବାକୁ ପଡିବ।
Lord Agni (in instruction to Sage Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purana dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Classifying assault/throwing (kṣepa) by its linkage to grave (patanīya) or secondary (upapātaka) transgressions and assigning the corresponding sāhasa fine grade.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Sāhasa Fine Grades for Assault Linked to Patanīya vs Upapātaka","lookup_keywords":["sahasa","madhyama-sahasa","prathama-sahasa","pataniya","upapataka"],"quick_summary":"When assault/throwing occurs in connection with a patanīya offence, the middle-grade sāhasa fine applies; when connected to an upapātaka, the first-grade sāhasa fine applies—penalty depends on the sin-category context."}
Weapon Type: Projectile/stone-throwing (kṣepa) as a form of assault
Concept: Adjudication integrates ethical gravity (patanīya/upapātaka) with legal penalty (sāhasa grades), aligning law with moral taxonomy.
Application: In sentencing, first determine the associated offence-category; then apply the correct sāhasa tier to standardize punishment.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma & Vyavahara (Danda-niti / Penal law)
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A public altercation where one person throws a stone; the scene transitions to a court where the judge points to two columns: patanīya → madhyama-sāhasa, upapātaka → prathama-sāhasa.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, narrative split: left shows kṣepa (stone thrown) with dynamic gestures, right shows court judgment with two labeled fine tiers, bold outlines and traditional palette.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, dramatic assault vignette framed by gold, central judge with gold-embossed tablets naming madhyama/prathama sāhasa, coin stacks and ornate borders.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional two-tier chart beside a restrained action scene, clear inscriptions for patanīya/upapātaka and corresponding fine grade, soft colors and precise lines.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, street scuffle with thrown object, then a refined courtroom inset with written decree, meticulous detail, expressive faces, and patterned margins."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: patanīyakṛte = patanīya-kṛte; madhyamasāhasaḥ = madhyama-sāhasaḥ; upapātakayukte = upapātaka-yukte; prathamasāhasaṃ = prathama-sāhasam.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 257 (danda-niti: sahasa gradations; sin categories)
FAQs
It teaches danda-niti (penal jurisprudence): how to assign graded sāhasa fines for an assault/throwing (kṣepa), depending on whether the case involves a patanīya-level transgression or an upapātaka-level offence.
Beyond ritual and theology, the Agni Purana preserves practical governance material—legal taxonomy of offences and calibrated monetary punishments—showing its coverage of vyavahāra (judicial procedure) and rājadharma (statecraft).
By grading punishments according to the moral-religious weight of the offence (patanīya vs. upapātaka), the verse links social order with karmic accountability, aiming at deterrence, restitution, and dharmic purification through lawful penalty.