Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 34
Chapter 255: दायविभागकथनम्
On the Division of Inheritance
दुर्भिक्षे धर्मकार्ये च व्याधौ संप्रतिरोधके गृहीतं स्त्रीधनं भर्ता न स्त्रिये दातुमर्हति
durbhikṣe dharmakārye ca vyādhau saṃpratirodhake gṛhītaṃ strīdhanaṃ bhartā na striye dātumarhati
ਕਾਲ, ਧਰਮ-ਕਾਰਜ ਜਾਂ ਐਸੀ ਬਿਮਾਰੀ ਜਿਸ ਵਿੱਚ ਤੁਰੰਤ ਉਪਾਅ ਲੋੜੀਂਦਾ ਹੋਵੇ—ਜੇ ਪਤੀ ਸਤ੍ਰੀਧਨ ਲੈ ਲਏ, ਤਾਂ ਉਸ ਵੇਲੇ ਉਸ ਨੂੰ ਇਸਤ੍ਰੀ ਨੂੰ ਵਾਪਸ ਦੇਣ ਦੀ ਬਾਧਤਾ ਨਹੀਂ।
Lord Agni (traditional Agni Purana narration to sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Emergency exceptions governing temporary use of strīdhana by the husband during famine, obligatory rites, or urgent illness-management; informs household finance decisions and dispute resolution.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Rule","entry_title":"Emergency use of strīdhana by husband (durbhikṣa, dharmakārya, vyādhi)","lookup_keywords":["durbhikṣa","dharmakārya","vyādhi","strīdhana","āpaddharma"],"quick_summary":"In emergencies—famine, compulsory religious duty, or urgent illness—the husband may take strīdhana and is not bound to return it immediately. The rule frames an āpaddharma exception for household survival and duty."}
Concept: Āpaddharma: exceptional rules apply under crisis to protect life and sustain obligatory duties.
Application: Crisis governance in households: documenting emergency expenditures to prevent later disputes over strīdhana.
Khanda Section: Dharma-shastra / Strīdharma and Inheritance (Legal-Ethical Instructions)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A household in famine/illness: the husband uses stored jewelry/coins (strīdhana) to procure food, medicine, or fund a compulsory rite, while elders witness the necessity.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, dim household scene with famine motifs, wife’s jewelry box opened, healer preparing remedies, elders approving, earthy tones and compassionate expressions.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central figures with gold-highlighted ornaments being offered for medicine/food, ritual items for dharmakārya at side, rich decorative borders.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clear instructional vignette: emergency triad (famine, rite, illness) shown in panels; careful linework, labeled objects (medicine bowl, grain, ritual fire).","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, domestic interior with detailed objects—jewelry, coins, physician’s kit—husband negotiating purchase, subtle realism and narrative sequencing."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: संप्रतिरोधके (saṃpratirodhake) treated as one word; दातुमर्हति → दातुम् अर्हति.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 255 (āpaddharma-like exceptions within vyavahāra/strīdhana rules)
FAQs
It states a dharma-legal exception: in urgent conditions (famine, compulsory religious duty, or immediate medical necessity), a husband may utilize strīdhana and is not required to return it to the wife at that juncture.
Alongside ritual and theology, the Agni Purana preserves practical dharma-shastra norms—here, rules about women’s separate property and emergency financial ethics—showing its coverage of social law and household governance.
It frames emergency spending as dharmically regulated: preserving life and fulfilling obligatory rites can justify exceptional use of property, aiming to prevent greater harm and uphold duty under crisis.