Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 34
Determination of Boundary Disputes and Related Matters (सीमाविवादादिनिर्णयः)
प्रव्रज्यावसितो राज्ञो दास आमरणान्तिकः वर्णानामानुलोम्येन दास्यं न प्रतिलोमतः
pravrajyāvasito rājño dāsa āmaraṇāntikaḥ varṇānāmānulomyena dāsyaṃ na pratilomataḥ
प्रव्रज्यायां अवसितः सन् राज्ञो दासः आमरणान्तिकः भवति। वर्णेषु दास्यं आनुलोम्येनैव विधीयते, न प्रतिलोमतः।
Lord Agni (in dialogue with sage Vasiṣṭha, Agni Purana’s standard narration frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Clarifying legal status of failed renunciants and regulating servitude rules across varna order for governance and social adjudication.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Servitude rules: king’s servant for failed renunciation; anuloma-only dāsya","lookup_keywords":["pravrajyā","avasita","rājñaḥ dāsa","āmaraṇāntika","anuloma"],"quick_summary":"A person who abandons or fails in renunciation may be bound as the king’s servant for life; servitude among varnas is permitted only in anuloma order, not in pratiloma reversal."}
Concept: Āśrama-dharma accountability and varna-order constraints: renunciation is not to be taken lightly; social roles are regulated to prevent disorder (pratiloma).
Application: Administrators and judges classify status and obligations based on āśrama conduct and accepted social order rules.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma / Dharma-shastra (Social Law: Varna, Service, and Legal Status)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A former ascetic, having failed in pravrajyā, stands before the king and is assigned lifelong royal service; a diagram-like depiction contrasts anuloma vs pratiloma service relations among varnas.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural; king in court assigning duty to a shaven-headed ex-renunciant; side panel with symbolic varna order ladder showing anuloma flow; restrained palette and formal poses.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style; king enthroned with gold halo; ex-ascetic receiving a service emblem; ornate border; small inset showing anuloma order as a gilded stepped motif.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style; instructional composition with labeled anuloma/pratiloma arrows among four varnas; central court scene of royal appointment; fine lines and clear didactic layout.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature; courtly scene with ex-ascetic in simple robe; officials recording decree; marginal schematic of social order; architectural depth and delicate detailing."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: pravrajyāvasito = pravrajyā-vasitaḥ; āmaraṇāntikaḥ = ā-maraṇa-antikaḥ; varṇānāmānulomyena = varṇānām + ānulomyena.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 256 (rājadharma; social status and penalties)
FAQs
It gives a dharma-shastra rule: a person whose renunciant path is terminated or obstructed is assigned royal servitude until death, and servitude is regulated by anuloma (direct-order) principles, not pratiloma (reverse-order).
Beyond myths and worship, the Agni Purana preserves governance and legal-social norms (rajadharma and varna regulations), showing its compendium-like coverage of polity, law, and social classification.
It frames failed or interrupted renunciation as carrying binding consequences—life-long obligation under royal authority—emphasizing accountability for vows and the karmic weight of abandoning prescribed disciplines.