Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 77
वाक्पारुष्यादिप्रकरणम्
The Topic of Verbal Abuse and Related Offences
प्रथमं साहसं दद्याद्विक्रुष्टे द्विगुणं तथा अचौरञ्चौरे ऽभिवदन् दाप्यः पञ्चशतं दमं
prathamaṃ sāhasaṃ dadyādvikruṣṭe dviguṇaṃ tathā acaurañcaure 'bhivadan dāpyaḥ pañcaśataṃ damaṃ
For a first act of violence (sāhasa), one should pay the prescribed fine; if it is accompanied by loud outcry (vikruṣṭa), the fine is doubled. And one who calls a non-thief a thief must pay a fine of five hundred (pañcaśata) panas (dama).
Lord Agni (in dialogue, instructing sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Fine-scaling rules for violence (sāhasa) and for defamation/false accusation: doubling when accompanied by public outcry; imposing a fixed heavy fine for calling an innocent person a thief.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Scaling of sāhasa fines; penalty for false accusation of theft","lookup_keywords":["sahasa","vikrushta","dwiguna","achora","chora-abhivadana"],"quick_summary":"A first sāhasa offence draws the standard fine; if accompanied by loud outcry, the fine is doubled. False accusation—calling a non-thief a thief—incurs a five-hundred paṇa fine."}
Concept: Proportional punishment and protection of reputation: public disturbance aggravates violence; speech that falsely imputes crime is itself punishable harm.
Application: Court practice: record whether there was public outcry/witnessed disturbance; treat slanderous criminal accusations as a compensable offence with deterrent fines.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma / Vyavahara (Dandaniti and legal penalties)
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A street altercation causes a victim to cry out; officials note the disturbance and double the fine. Separately, a man publicly points and calls an innocent person ‘thief’; the court imposes a 500-paṇa fine.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, two scenes: crowded street with raised hands and loud outcry; then court with king and clerk tallying doubled fine; stylized crowd and strong outlines.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-accented court; coins stacked to signify 500 paṇas; accuser shown with accusatory gesture, innocent person with folded hands; ornate pillars and textiles.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional layout with clear visual markers: ‘standard fine’ vs ‘doubled fine’, and a separate panel for false accusation; fine linework and muted colors.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, lively bazaar quarrel with onlookers; then a refined court scene with detailed coinage and written record of the 500-paṇa penalty."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"judicial","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: दद्याद्विक्रुष्टे = दद्यात् विक्रुष्टे; अचौरञ्चौरे = अ-चौरम् चौरे; ऽभिवदन् = अभिवदन्.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 257 (sāhasa gradations; speech offences; fines in paṇas)
FAQs
This verse imparts vyavahāra-vidyā (legal procedure and penalties): graded fines for assault (sāhasa), enhanced punishment when public alarm is raised (vikruṣṭa), and a fixed fine for defamatory false accusation (calling a non-thief a thief).
Alongside ritual and theology, the Agni Purana preserves practical statecraft—rules of evidence-like conduct, proportional punishment, and deterrence against defamation—showing it functions as a compendium of governance and jurisprudence (rājadharma/dandanīti).
By penalizing violence and false accusation, the text reinforces dharma: harm to beings and unjust speech generate negative karma, while restitution through fines and restraint supports social order and personal moral accountability.