Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 78
वाक्पारुष्यादिप्रकरणम्
The Topic of Verbal Abuse and Related Offences
राज्ञो ऽनिष्टप्रवक्तारं तस्यैवाक्रोशकं तथा मृताङ्गलग्नविक्रेतुर्गुरोस्ताडयितुस् तथा
rājño 'niṣṭapravaktāraṃ tasyaivākrośakaṃ tathā mṛtāṅgalagnavikreturgurostāḍayitus tathā
రాజుని గురించి అనిష్టమైన లేదా హానికరమైన మాటలు చెప్పువాడు, అతనిని దూషించువాడు, శవానికి అంటుకున్న వ్యక్తిని అమ్మువాడు, అలాగే గురువును కొట్టువాడు—ఇవన్నీ దండనీయ నేరస్తులు.
Lord Agni (in discourse to sage Vasiṣṭha, within the Agni Purana’s rājadharma section)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Identify punishable categories of offenders in royal law: sedition/defamation of the king, grave social transgressions, and violence against the guru; supports charge-framing and sentencing.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Punishable offenders: reviling the king, corpse-attached sale, striking the guru","lookup_keywords":["raja-ninda","akrosha","guru-tadana","shava-lagna-vikraya","danda-niti"],"quick_summary":"The verse enumerates specific acts treated as punishable offenses under rājadharma, especially speech/acts undermining sovereignty and acts violating core social-religious order."}
Concept: Protection of rājya (sovereignty) and guru-dharma through daṇḍa (punitive justice).
Application: Treat speech-acts against the king and violence against teachers as high-gravity offenses to preserve public order and moral hierarchy.
Khanda Section: Rājadharma / Nīti-śāstra (Governance, crimes, and punishments)
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A royal court where scribes record offenses: a man reviling the king, a transgressor involved in corpse-related sale, and an offender striking a guru, all presented before the king for judgment.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style royal sabha scene, king on throne with parasol, ministers and palm-leaf scribes, offenders shown in separate vignettes (reviling king, striking guru), earthy reds and greens, flat iconic composition.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting of a crowned king in court with gold-leaf throne and arch, attendants and a guru figure, offenders at the foot of the throne, rich ornamentation and symmetrical layout.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting instructional court tableau, fine linework, labeled figures (king, guru, offender), emphasis on judicial setting and gestures of accusation and restraint.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature durbar with detailed textiles and architecture, the king hearing charges, clerks writing, offenders depicted with narrative clarity, naturalistic faces and courtly realism."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"authoritative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: राज्ञोऽ = राज्ञः + (अ); तस्यैव = तस्य + एव; मृताङ्गलग्नविक्रेतुर् = मृत-अङ्ग-लग्न-विक्रेतुः (visarga→r before g); गुरोस्ताडयितुस् = गुरोः + ताडयितुः (visarga sandhi).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 257 (danda-niti/vyavahara context)
FAQs
It conveys daṇḍanīti (the science of punishment) by listing specific punishable acts: slandering or abusing the king, committing a socially polluting sale connected with a corpse, and striking a guru.
Beyond mythic narration, it catalogs practical statecraft and jurisprudence—defining actionable offences tied to governance, social purity norms, and the protected status of the guru.
The verse frames these acts as adharma that damages social and sacred order—especially violence toward a guru—implying grave karmic fault and the need for royal/legal restraint and correction.