Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 37
वाक्पारुष्यादिप्रकरणम्
The Topic of Verbal Abuse and Related Offences
अबध्यं यश् च बध्नाति बध्यं यश् च प्रमुञ्चति अप्राप्तव्यवहारञ्च स दाप्यो दममुत्तमम्
abadhyaṃ yaś ca badhnāti badhyaṃ yaś ca pramuñcati aprāptavyavahārañca sa dāpyo damamuttamam
अबध्यं यश्च बध्नाति बध्यं यश्च प्रमुञ्चति। अप्राप्तव्यवहारं च स दाप्यो दममुत्तमम्॥
Lord Agni (instructing sage Vasiṣṭha) — conventional Agni Purana dialogue frame
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Defines grave judicial/administrative misconduct: wrongful imprisonment, wrongful release, and initiating inadmissible proceedings—each punished with the highest fine to protect due process.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Highest fine for wrongful detention, wrongful release, and inadmissible litigation","lookup_keywords":["abadhya-bandhana","badhya-pramocana","aprāpta-vyavahāra","uttama-daṇḍa","due process"],"quick_summary":"Officials or parties who unlawfully detain, unlawfully release, or pursue non-maintainable cases incur the maximum fine, safeguarding procedural justice."}
Concept: Nyāya requires proper eligibility and procedure; coercive power (bandhana) must be bounded by law to prevent tyranny and corruption.
Application: Mandate written grounds for arrest/release; penalize frivolous or non-admissible suits; audit jail and court actions.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma & Vyavahara (Dandaniti / Legal Procedure and Punishments)
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A courthouse and jail: an innocent person being bound, a guilty person being released, and a litigant presenting an inadmissible petition; the judge orders the highest fine against the wrongdoer/official.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, dramatic court-jail scene: guards with ropes, judge on dharmāsana, petitioner with palm-leaf petition marked rejected, bold outlines, saturated reds/ochres, moral clarity in composition.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, royal judge with gold halo-like arch, guards restraining a man, another being released, rejected petition shown, gold leaf emphasizing authority and law.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clear procedural illustration: three panels (wrongful arrest, wrongful release, inadmissible case), judge and scribe noting ‘uttama-daṇḍa’, fine linework and calm didactic tone.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed court with jail doorway, guards and litigants, judge issuing order, clerk writing, architectural depth and intricate costume detail."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shubhapantuvarali","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: yaś ca → yaḥ ca; vyavahārañca → vyavahāram ca; damamuttamam → damam uttamam.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 257 (court procedure, admissibility, and penalties)
FAQs
This verse imparts legal-technical guidance in rajadharma: judicial accountability—wrongful detention, wrongful release, and entertaining inadmissible litigation are punishable by the maximum fine.
Alongside rituals and theology, the Agni Purana preserves practical statecraft: rules of court procedure (vyavahāra), standards of custody, and graded penalties (dama), reflecting a compendium of governance and law.
By penalizing miscarriages of justice, the text frames fair adjudication as dharma: protecting the innocent and restraining the guilty reduces collective adharma and the karmic burden incurred by unjust authority.