Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 39
Determination of Boundary Disputes and Related Matters (सीमाविवादादिनिर्णयः)
कर्तव्यं वचनं सर्वैः समूहहितवादिभिः यस्तत्र विपरीतः स्यात्स दाप्यः प्रथमं दमम्
kartavyaṃ vacanaṃ sarvaiḥ samūhahitavādibhiḥ yastatra viparītaḥ syātsa dāpyaḥ prathamaṃ damam
O conselho de todos os que falam pelo bem da coletividade deve ser seguido. Quem, nesse assunto, agir em sentido contrário deve, primeiro, ser compelido a pagar uma multa.
Lord Agni (in discourse to the sage Vashistha, in the Rajadharma/niti portion)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Civic administration: prioritize counsel aimed at collective welfare; penalize those who obstruct or act against community-benefit decisions—starting with monetary fines.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Primacy of community-welfare counsel and first-stage fine for contravention","lookup_keywords":["samuhahita","counsel","fine","civic order","niti"],"quick_summary":"Decisions aligned with community welfare should be followed by all. Those who act contrary are first punished with a fine, establishing graded enforcement for civic discipline."}
Concept: Hita (welfare) as a dharmic criterion for policy; graded punishment begins with fines to correct behavior without excessive cruelty.
Application: Governance principle: adopt public-interest recommendations; enforce compliance proportionately, starting with financial penalties.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma / Niti-shastra (Governance, civic order, legal penalties)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A council of community representatives speaks for the common good; the king orders adherence; a dissenting actor is assessed a fine by scribes.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: semicircle of elders and citizens; king listening; a scribe with palm-leaf ledger; symbolic coin payment; warm interior with lamps, bold contours.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: king and council with gold accents; the ‘fine’ shown as a small heap of coins with gold leaf; decorative pillars and rich textiles.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: instructional court tableau; council pointing to a public works plan; dissenting person presented; scribe calculating ‘dama’; fine linework and clarity.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: diwān with petitioners; detailed ledger writing; coin purse exchanged as fine; architectural depth and patterned carpets."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: yastatra → yaḥ tatra; syātsa → syāt sa.
Related Themes: Agni Purana Rajadharma guidance on sabha, ministers, and danda gradation (contextual)
FAQs
It teaches a governance principle (niti): communal welfare counsel (samūha-hita-vacana) should be implemented, and the first corrective measure for violation is a monetary fine (dama).
Beyond theology, the Agni Purana preserves practical statecraft and legal norms—how assemblies function, how public-interest advice is enforced, and how graded penalties begin with a fine.
Upholding community-benefiting counsel supports dharma and social harmony; refusing it is treated as a breach requiring expiation through danda (here, the mild first step of dama), restoring order and merit.