Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 23
वाक्पारुष्यादिप्रकरणम्
The Topic of Verbal Abuse and Related Offences
दुःखे च शोणितोत्पादे शाखाङ्गच्छेदने तथा दण्डः क्षुद्रपशूनां स्याद्द्विपणप्रभृतिः क्रमात्
duḥkhe ca śoṇitotpāde śākhāṅgacchedane tathā daṇḍaḥ kṣudrapaśūnāṃ syāddvipaṇaprabhṛtiḥ kramāt
การทำให้เจ็บปวด การทำให้เลือดไหล และการตัดอวัยวะหรือส่วนหนึ่งของร่างกาย สำหรับสัตว์เล็ก โทษปรับเริ่มตั้งแต่สองปณะ และเพิ่มขึ้นตามลำดับตามความร้ายแรงของบาดแผล।
Lord Agni (instructing sage Vasiṣṭha in Rajadharma/penal law)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Graduated fines for injury to minor animals; guidance for judges/administrators to assess harm (pain, bleeding, limb-cut) and levy proportional monetary penalties.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Fines for Injury to Minor Animals (Pain–Blood–Limb-cut)","lookup_keywords":["kshudra-pashu","danda","shonitotpada","anga-ccheda","dvipaṇa"],"quick_summary":"For harming minor animals, fines begin at two paṇas and increase stepwise with severity—from pain to bleeding to cutting a limb/part."}
Concept: Daṇḍa as proportional deterrence; protection of dependent beings and property through graded punishment.
Application: Use harm-severity tiers to standardize penalties and reduce arbitrary judgments.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma (Vyavahara / Dandaneeti: legal penalties and fines)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A royal court where a judge assesses an injured small animal; scribes record the offense and a fine in paṇas is weighed on a balance.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, royal sabha with dharmic king and judge, small injured goat or dog, palm-leaf ledger, brass balance with coins, earthy reds and ochres, flat iconic composition","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, seated king on ornate throne with gold leaf, minister holding coin tray, balance weighing paṇas, small animal attended by caretaker, rich jewel tones and gilded borders","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, detailed court procedure scene, judge pointing to written schedule of fines, scribe with stylus, careful linework, muted palette, instructional clarity","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, intimate courtroom vignette, fine textiles, coin purse and scales, small animal with bandaged limb, precise architectural interior, delicate brushwork"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Darbari Kanada","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: शोणितोत्पादे = शोणित-उत्पादे; शाखाङ्गच्छेदने = शाखा-अङ्ग-च्छेदने; स्याद्द्विपणप्रभृतिः = स्यात् द्वि-पण-प्रभृतिः.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 257 (Rajadharma/Vyavahara: daṇḍa-nīti sections on fines)
FAQs
It imparts daṇḍanīti (penal jurisprudence): a graded fine-system (starting at two paṇas) for harming minor animals—covering pain, bleeding, and mutilation.
Beyond theology, the Agni Purana preserves practical statecraft and legal administration—here, quantifying punishments in monetary units (paṇas) for specific categories of injury to animals.
By prescribing deterrent fines for cruelty and injury, it reinforces dharma-based governance: minimizing harm (hiṃsā) and protecting dependent beings, which is treated as ethically and karmically significant.