Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 4
Chapter 253 — व्यवहारकथनम्
The Account of Legal Procedure
दीयमानं न गृह्णाति प्रयुक्तं यः स्वकन्धनम् मध्यस्थस्थापितं तत्स्याद्वर्धते न ततः परं
dīyamānaṃ na gṛhṇāti prayuktaṃ yaḥ svakandhanam madhyasthasthāpitaṃ tatsyādvardhate na tataḥ paraṃ
முறையாக அளிக்கப்படுவதை ஏற்காதவனும், தன் செல்வத்தைப் பயன்பாட்டில் செலுத்தாதவனும்—அவனுடைய செல்வம் நடுநிலைக் காவலரிடம் வைக்கப்பட்டதுபோல்; அதற்கு மேல் வளராது.
Lord Agni (instructional narration to Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s didactic flow)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Guidance for householders and administrators on wealth-management: accept lawful receipts (wages, gifts, dues) and keep capital productively employed rather than idle, to prevent economic stagnation.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Idle Wealth as Neutral Deposit (Non-growth of Unused Capital)","lookup_keywords":["dana-grahana","nidhana","madhyastha","artha-vriddhi","vyavahara"],"quick_summary":"Lawful gains should be accepted and wealth should be put to use; otherwise it remains like money held by a neutral custodian—safe but non-increasing."}
Concept: Artha must be handled with discernment: refusing rightful receipt and leaving wealth idle results in no growth, akin to a trust held by an impartial custodian.
Application: In personal finance and governance: accept legitimate income, avoid false renunciation that harms dependents, and circulate capital through trade, agriculture, lending, or charity within dharma.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma & Vyavahara (Ethics of gifts, deposits, and legal conduct)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: artha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A householder refuses a lawful payment while his coins sit sealed with a neutral custodian; beside them, a ledger shows no increase over time.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, warm earthy palette, a dharmic householder and a neutral custodian holding a sealed money pouch, palm-leaf ledger, calm didactic mood, traditional ornaments and architecture backdrop","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-leaf accents on coin pouch and ledger, seated householder in silk, neutral custodian between giver and receiver, symbolic balance scale, ornate frame","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, fine linework, instructional tableau: giver offering coins, receiver declining, custodian storing wealth in a chest, clear labels on objects like 'nidhi' and 'vriddhi'","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed interior of a merchant’s office, accountant with ledger, custodian with sealed bag, subtle expression of refusal, precise textiles and architectural details"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: tatsyādvardhate → tat syāt vardhate; स्वकन्धनम् treated as sva-kandhanam (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); मध्यस्थस्थापितम् treated as madhyastha-sthāpitam.
Related Themes: Agni Purana Rajadharma/Vyavahara sections on dana, nidhis, and debt repayment (same khanda)
FAQs
It teaches vyavahāra-nīti: wealth should be either properly accepted when offered or responsibly employed; idle wealth is treated like a deposit with a neutral custodian and yields no growth.
Alongside ritual and theology, the Agni Purana includes practical governance and legal-ethical norms—here, principles of property handling, acceptance of lawful gifts, and the economic consequence of non-use.
Refusing rightful gifts and leaving resources unused is portrayed as sterile conduct: it blocks prosperity and the meritorious circulation of wealth, encouraging dharmic acceptance and responsible utilization.