Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 34
Chapter 255: दायविभागकथनम्
On the Division of Inheritance
दुर्भिक्षे धर्मकार्ये च व्याधौ संप्रतिरोधके गृहीतं स्त्रीधनं भर्ता न स्त्रिये दातुमर्हति
durbhikṣe dharmakārye ca vyādhau saṃpratirodhake gṛhītaṃ strīdhanaṃ bhartā na striye dātumarhati
दुर्भिक्षे धर्मकार्ये च व्याधौ संप्रतिरोधके, स्त्रीधनं गृहीत्वा भर्ता तदा स्त्रिये दातुं न अर्हति।
Lord Agni (traditional Agni Purana narration to sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Emergency exceptions governing temporary use of strīdhana by the husband during famine, obligatory rites, or urgent illness-management; informs household finance decisions and dispute resolution.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Rule","entry_title":"Emergency use of strīdhana by husband (durbhikṣa, dharmakārya, vyādhi)","lookup_keywords":["durbhikṣa","dharmakārya","vyādhi","strīdhana","āpaddharma"],"quick_summary":"In emergencies—famine, compulsory religious duty, or urgent illness—the husband may take strīdhana and is not bound to return it immediately. The rule frames an āpaddharma exception for household survival and duty."}
Concept: Āpaddharma: exceptional rules apply under crisis to protect life and sustain obligatory duties.
Application: Crisis governance in households: documenting emergency expenditures to prevent later disputes over strīdhana.
Khanda Section: Dharma-shastra / Strīdharma and Inheritance (Legal-Ethical Instructions)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A household in famine/illness: the husband uses stored jewelry/coins (strīdhana) to procure food, medicine, or fund a compulsory rite, while elders witness the necessity.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, dim household scene with famine motifs, wife’s jewelry box opened, healer preparing remedies, elders approving, earthy tones and compassionate expressions.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, central figures with gold-highlighted ornaments being offered for medicine/food, ritual items for dharmakārya at side, rich decorative borders.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clear instructional vignette: emergency triad (famine, rite, illness) shown in panels; careful linework, labeled objects (medicine bowl, grain, ritual fire).","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, domestic interior with detailed objects—jewelry, coins, physician’s kit—husband negotiating purchase, subtle realism and narrative sequencing."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: संप्रतिरोधके (saṃpratirodhake) treated as one word; दातुमर्हति → दातुम् अर्हति.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 255 (āpaddharma-like exceptions within vyavahāra/strīdhana rules)
FAQs
It states a dharma-legal exception: in urgent conditions (famine, compulsory religious duty, or immediate medical necessity), a husband may utilize strīdhana and is not required to return it to the wife at that juncture.
Alongside ritual and theology, the Agni Purana preserves practical dharma-shastra norms—here, rules about women’s separate property and emergency financial ethics—showing its coverage of social law and household governance.
It frames emergency spending as dharmically regulated: preserving life and fulfilling obligatory rites can justify exceptional use of property, aiming to prevent greater harm and uphold duty under crisis.