Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 58
Chapter 226 — राजधर्माः
Rājadharma: Royal Duties and Daṇḍanīti
राजा पृथक् पृथक् कुर्याद्दण्डमुत्तमसाहसं द्रव्याणां दूषको यश् च प्रतिच्छन्दकविक्रयी
rājā pṛthak pṛthak kuryāddaṇḍamuttamasāhasaṃ dravyāṇāṃ dūṣako yaś ca praticchandakavikrayī
राजा पृथक् पृथक् प्रकरणे द्रव्यदूषकं प्रतिच्छन्दकविक्रयिणं च उत्तमसाहसदण्डेन दण्डयेत्।
Lord Agni (in instruction to sage Vasiṣṭha, Agni Purana’s standard dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Consumer protection and market regulation: punish adulteration and counterfeiting with case-specific, high-grade sāhasa fines to deter fraud and protect public trust.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Highest sāhasa penalty for adulteration and counterfeit sale","lookup_keywords":["sāhasa-daṇḍa","adulteration (dūṣaka)","counterfeit sale (praticchandaka)","market fraud","rājadaṇḍa"],"quick_summary":"Adulterating goods or selling counterfeit items is treated as a grave economic offence; the king should impose the highest sāhasa fine, assessed separately per case."}
Concept: Rājadharma protects society by punishing economic deceit that harms many indirectly.
Application: Codify inspection, weights-and-measures audits, and graded fines; treat repeat offences as aggravated.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma (Danda-niti and Vyavahara / Criminal Law)
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A royal court where the king judges a merchant accused of adulterating goods and another selling counterfeit wares; officials display tampered goods and false items as evidence.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style, raja on throne with parasol, court officials holding bowls of adulterated grain and counterfeit cloth, bold flat colors, ornate jewelry, strict judicial mood.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, king in jeweled court with gold-leaf arch, merchants presenting goods, emphasis on opulence contrasted with wrongdoing, stylized faces, rich reds and greens.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, detailed administrative scene: scribes recording fines, inspectors examining goods, balanced composition, soft shading, instructional clarity.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, market-fraud trial: precise textiles, scales, and goods, king and qazi-like assessors, fine linework, documentary realism."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: kuryād + daṇḍam → kuryāddaṇḍam; daṇḍam + uttama-sāhasam → daṇḍamuttamasāhasam; yaḥ + ca → yaś ca.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 226 (Vyavahāra/Daṇḍanīti section); Agni Purana Rajadharma passages on fines and sāhasa gradations
FAQs
It imparts danda-niti (juridical governance): the king must apply the highest graded legal penalty (uttama-sāhasa) to adulterators of commodities and sellers of counterfeit goods.
Beyond theology, the Agni Purana codifies practical statecraft—commercial regulation, fraud control, and graded punishments—showing its coverage of jurisprudence and public administration alongside ritual and spiritual topics.
Adulteration and counterfeiting are treated as grave adharma that harms many; enforcing strict punishment protects social trust (dharma) and reduces collective harm, aligning royal duty with karmic responsibility for public welfare.