Agni Purana — Kosha, Shloka 25
Adhyāya 361 — अव्ययवर्गः
Avyaya-vargaḥ) — The Section on Indeclinables (Colophon/Closure
पैशून्यं साहसं द्रोह ईर्ष्यासूयार्थदूषणम् वाग्दण्डश् चैव पारुष्यं क्रोधजो ऽपि गणो ऽष्टकः
paiśūnyaṃ sāhasaṃ droha īrṣyāsūyārthadūṣaṇam vāgdaṇḍaś caiva pāruṣyaṃ krodhajo 'pi gaṇo 'ṣṭakaḥ
Злословие; безрассудное насилие; вероломство; зависть; злобное принижение; коварное искажение чужого намерения; словесное нападение; и грубость речи — таков восьмеричный набор пороков, возникающих из гнева (кродха).
Lord Agni (teaching to Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s instructional dialogue style)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Use the eight anger-born faults as a behavioral audit for leadership and governance; design penalties, counseling, and training to prevent escalation into violence, factionalism, and injustice.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Krodhaja-doṣāḥ (Faults born of anger)","lookup_keywords":["krodhaja doṣa","paiśūnya","sāhasa","droha","vākdaṇḍa pāruṣya"],"quick_summary":"An eightfold taxonomy of anger-driven misconduct (backbiting, rash violence, treachery, envy, verbal cruelty) used to diagnose and correct destructive social and political behavior."}
Concept: Krodha corrupts judgment and speech, producing social harm (paiśūnya, pāruṣya) and political betrayal (droha); dharma requires mastery over anger.
Application: Institute norms: truthful and gentle speech, due process before punishment, conflict mediation, and accountability for treachery and slander.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma (Ethics of conduct; classification of vices/inner enemies)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A moral instruction scene: a teacher-minister shows eight anger-born faults to a king; surrounding vignettes depict backbiting, rash assault, treachery, envy, spiteful disparagement, twisting motives, verbal punishment, and harsh speech.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, king and minister in profile, palm-leaf manuscript; eight small panels with expressive faces showing gossip, quarrel, betrayal handshake, jealous glare, accusatory pointing; bold outlines, earthy reds and greens.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore gold-work painting, central royal court with a 'krodhaja aśṭaka' scroll; gilded frame; inset roundels of quarrel and harsh speech; ornate jewelry and halos.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style instructional composition with labeled scenes; emphasis on facial expressions of anger and restraint; fine brushwork, muted elegance.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature court with marginal scenes: whispering courtiers, sudden sword-draw, secret letter of betrayal, heated argument; intricate architecture and textiles."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: वाग्दण्डश् → वाग्दण्डः (visarga before ca); चैव → च + एव; ऽपि → अपि; ऽष्टकः → अष्टकः.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Rajadharma discussions on daṇḍa (punishment) and ministerial ethics; Agni Purana: Mokṣadharma passages on krodha-tyāga (abandoning anger)
FAQs
It provides an ethical taxonomy: an eightfold list of anger-born faults (krodhaja-doṣas) used for self-discipline and governance-oriented conduct (Rajadharma).
Beyond ritual and mythology, the Agni Purana systematizes practical knowledge—here, moral psychology and civic ethics—by classifying specific behavioral vices (speech harms, betrayal, envy) into a structured list.
By identifying anger’s concrete outputs (slander, verbal cruelty, treachery), the verse directs restraint of speech and intent, reducing harmful karma and supporting purification through disciplined conduct.