Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 50
Chapter 226 — राजधर्माः
Rājadharma: Royal Duties and Daṇḍanīti
गुरुतल्पे भयः कार्यः सुरापाणे सुराध्वजः स्तेयेषु श्वपदं विद्याद् ब्रह्महत्याशिरः पुमान्
gurutalpe bhayaḥ kāryaḥ surāpāṇe surādhvajaḥ steyeṣu śvapadaṃ vidyād brahmahatyāśiraḥ pumān
गुरुतल्पगमने भयचिह्नं कार्यं, सुरापाने सुराध्वजः; स्तेयेषु श्वपदचिह्नं विद्यात्, ब्रह्महत्यायां शिरोवहः पुमान्।
Lord Agni (teaching sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s instructional dialogue)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Identification and social-legal marking of mahāpātakas (major sins) for deterrence and community recognition; outlines emblematic ‘marks’ associated with specific transgressions.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Emblems/marks associated with major sins (mahāpātaka)","lookup_keywords":["mahapataka","gurutalpa","surapana","steya","brahmahatya"],"quick_summary":"The verse lists emblematic marks for major transgressions—guru-bed violation, liquor-drinking, theft, and brahmin-slaying—serving as a dharmic taxonomy for stigma, warning, and expiation frameworks."}
Alamkara Type: Rupaka
Concept: Karma and social accountability: grave acts generate recognizable consequences and require expiation; dharma classifies transgressions to guide correction.
Application: Use clear ethical codes and graded sanctions; emphasize prevention and restitution/expiation pathways rather than concealment.
Khanda Section: Dharma-shastra / Prāyaścitta (Sin, expiation, and karmic consequences)
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Four emblematic figures representing major sins: one haunted by fear, one bearing a liquor-banner, one marked by a predatory beast, and one carrying a grim head-emblem of brahmahatyā.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: allegorical tableau of four sinners with symbolic emblems, dramatic eyes, flat vivid colors, stylized fear aura, banner motif, beast emblem, head-emblem rendered iconically","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: four-panel composition with ornate gold borders; each figure frontal with clear emblem (dhvaja, beast sign, head emblem), rich jewelry contrasted with ominous symbols","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: instructional allegory with labeled emblems, clean linework, subdued palette, emphasis on clarity of symbols and moral taxonomy","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: allegorical court-illustration style, four figures in separate niches with detailed textiles; emblems painted with fine naturalistic detail and calligraphic captions"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ब्रह्महत्याशिरः = ब्रह्महत्या + शिरः (आ + शि → आशि).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 226 (Prāyaścitta/mahāpātaka context)
FAQs
It enumerates the recognizable ‘signs/emblems’ associated with major sins (mahāpātakas)—guru-bed violation, liquor-drinking, theft, and brāhmaṇa-slaying—used in dharma/prāyaścitta contexts to diagnose moral fault and prescribe expiation.
Alongside ritual, cosmology, and polity, the Agni Purana also systematizes dharma-shastra material—classifying grave transgressions and their karmic markers—showing its wide-ranging, reference-like treatment of law and ethics.
The verse frames grave wrongdoing as carrying an unmistakable karmic stigma (liability and inner/outer affliction), urging recognition, restraint, and the pursuit of purification through appropriate expiation and moral repair.