Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 66

वाक्पारुष्यादिप्रकरणम्

The Topic of Verbal Abuse and Related Offences

Devanagari script

विषाग्निदां निजगुरुनिजापत्यप्रमापणीं विकर्णकरनासौष्ठीं कृत्वा गोभिः प्रमापयेत्

Transliteration

viṣāgnidāṃ nijagurunijāpatyapramāpaṇīṃ vikarṇakaranāsauṣṭhīṃ kṛtvā gobhiḥ pramāpayet

Translation

विषाग्निदां तथा निजगुरोर्निजापत्यस्य च प्रमापिणीं, विकर्णकरनासौष्ठीं कृत्वा, गोभिः प्रमापयेत्।

Word by Word

• विष-अग्नि-दाम्: one who gives poison and fire (i.e., poisoner/arsonist)
• विष-अग्नि-दाम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विष (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + दा (धातु) → द (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्वपूर्वपद + तत्पुरुष (विषं च अग्निं च ददाति इति), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• निज-गुरु-निज-अपत्य-प्रमापणीम्: killer of her own teacher and her own child
• निज-गुरु-निज-अपत्य-प्रमापणीम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निज (प्रातिपदिक) + गुरु (प्रातिपदिक) + निज (प्रातिपदिक) + अपत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रमापणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (स्वगुरोः स्वापत्यस्य च प्रमापणी), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वि-कर्ण-कर-नास-औष्ठीम्: (making her) with mutilated ears, hands, nose, and lips
• वि-कर्ण-कर-नास-औष्ठीम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि (उपसर्ग) + कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक) + नास (प्रातिपदिक) + औष्ठी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (विकर्णा विकराः नासा औष्ठी च यस्याः/यस्याः), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having made (thus)
• कृत्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund), पूर्वक्रिया

• गोभिः: by cows
• गोभिः: करण (Karaṇa/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• प्रमापयेत्: should cause to be killed / should have killed
• प्रमापयेत्: कर्तृक्रिया (Action by agent/कर्तृ)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + माप्/मा (धातु) (causative)
• Form: णिच्-प्रेरण (Causative), विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Agni (instructing Vasiṣṭha in a rajadharma/danda context)

Vidya Category

Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Defines aggravated capital crimes (poisoning, arson, killing guru/child) and prescribes a two-step punishment: mutilation (ear/hand/nose/lip) followed by death by trampling with cattle.","sutra_style":true}

Encyclopedic Reference

Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Aggravated capital punishment: mutilation then death by cattle for poison/arson/guru- or child-killing","lookup_keywords":["visagni-da","guru-hatya","apatya-pramapana","vikarna-karanasa-austhi","gobhih-pramapana"],"quick_summary":"For poisoners, arsonists, and killers of one’s guru or child, the text prescribes disfigurement of ear/hand/nose/lip and then execution by cattle trampling."}

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Certain acts are mahāpātaka-like in social effect (betrayal of guru/offspring; covert killing by poison; destructive arson) and warrant exemplary danda.

Application: Governance identifies crimes that undermine trust and lineage/teaching institutions and applies maximal deterrence.

Khanda Section

Khanda Section: Rajadharma / Danda-niti (Penal law and punishments; expiations for grave crimes)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Visual Art Cues

Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A grim punitive tableau: proclamation of sentence for poison/arson/guru- or child-killing; depiction of disfigurement marks (ear/hand/nose/lip) and a herd of cattle driven to trample the condemned in an enclosed ground.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, symbolic depiction rather than graphic: condemned figure with stylized marks, officials and a herd of cattle in motion, judge holding decree, strong outlines, muted reds/browns, emphasis on moral warning.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, formalized scene with gold ornamentation on royal emblems, cattle rendered in rhythmic pattern, decree scroll naming 'viṣa' and 'agni', minimal gore, iconic composition.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional composition showing sequence (disfigurement indicators, then cattle execution ground), fine detailing of cattle and attendants, subdued palette, didactic clarity.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed herd movement, guards with staffs, enclosed execution yard, expressive faces, architectural backdrop, narrative realism with restraint."}

Audio Atmosphere

Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"severe","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: विषाग्निदां = विष-अग्नि-दाम्; निजगुरुनिजापत्यप्रमापणीं = निज-गुरु-निज-अपत्य-प्रमापणीम्; विकर्णकरनासौष्ठीं = वि-कर्ण-कर-नास-औष्ठीम्

Cross References

Related Themes: Agni Purana 257 (danda for arson, poisoning, and grave betrayals)

Characters & Entities

• Agni Purana
• guru (teacher)
• apatya (child)
• go (cattle)

FAQs

What technical or ritual knowledge (Vidya) is imparted in this verse?

It teaches danda-niti (penal procedure): specific corporal mutilations followed by capital execution for extreme offenses like poisoning/arson and killing one’s guru or child.

How does this verse contribute to the 'Encyclopedic' nature of the Agni Purana?

Beyond theology, the Agni Purana compiles statecraft and jurisprudence; this verse preserves a codified penal rule-set—showing its coverage of governance, crime classification, and sentencing.

What is the spiritual or karmic significance of this specific instruction?

These acts are treated as mahāpātaka-level harms (severe sin/crime) that rupture social and dharmic order; the prescribed punishment is framed as restoring dharma and deterring grave adharma.