Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 17
Prāyaścitta — Definitions of Killing, Brahmahatyā, and Graded Expiations
लगुडादिप्रहारेण गोबधं तत्र निर्दिशेत् दमेन दामने चैव शकटादौ च योजने
laguḍādiprahāreṇa gobadhaṃ tatra nirdiśet damena dāmane caiva śakaṭādau ca yojane
Doon (sa paghatol sa batas), ang pananakit gamit ang pamalo at mga katulad ay ituturing na ‘pagpatay ng baka’; at gayundin ang kaparehong tuntunin ay umiiral sa multang tinatawag na dama, sa paggapus (sa baka), at sa pagyuko/pagkabit nito sa kariton at mga katulad.
Lord Agni (in discourse to the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Supports legal classification of offenses against cattle (especially cows) and corresponding penalties by equating certain acts (beating, binding, yoking) with severe harm.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Legal equivalence: cow-killing applied to beating/binding/yoking offenses","lookup_keywords":["laguḍa-prahāra","go-vadha","dama (fine)","dāmana (binding)","śakaṭa-yoga"],"quick_summary":"In adjudication, striking a cow with a club etc. is treated with the gravity of cow-killing; similar severity is extended to binding and yoking-related abuses, including the associated fine (dama)."}
Concept: Go-rakṣā (protection of cows) as a high-value dharmic norm enforced through strong legal equivalences.
Application: Governance should deter cruelty to cattle by treating abusive acts as major offenses and imposing strict penalties/fines.
Khanda Section: Rājadharma & Vyavahāra (Law, Punishments, and Governance)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A village or court setting where an official judges cruelty to a cow—beating with a club, binding, and yoking to a cart—declaring it equivalent to cow-killing and imposing a fine.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style; a dharmic judge seated with palm-leaf records; a cow at center; scenes of club-strike, binding rope, and cart yoke shown as vignettes; strong moral tone, lamp-lit hall.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style with gold work; central cow rendered reverently; judge and attendants; symbolic gold accents on the yoke and staff to emphasize the legal theme; ornate frame.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, didactic layout; three panels labeled (prahāra, dāmana, śakaṭa-yoga) leading to a court verdict and a ‘dama’ fine; clean lines and soft colors.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature; rural cart scene with yoking, a scribe noting the offense, and a qazi-like judge; intricate textiles, detailed animals, architectural court backdrop."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: लगुडादिप्रहारेण = लगुड-आदि-प्रहारेण; चैव = च + एव; शकटादौ = शकट-आदौ
Related Themes: Agni Purana—Rājadharma/Vyavahāra discussions on daṇḍa (punishment) and fines; Agni Purana—Dharma sections on go-himsā and its expiations
FAQs
It gives a daṇḍanīti (jurisprudential) rule: certain acts of violence or coercive exploitation of cattle—beating, binding, or yoking to carts—are legally classified under the grave offence-category of cow-killing, attracting severe penalty.
Beyond theology, the Agni Purana preserves practical governance material—crime classification, fines (dama), and standards for adjudicating harm—showing its wide coverage of statecraft and law alongside ritual and myth.
By equating cruelty and forced exploitation with cow-killing, it underscores the heavy karmic weight of harming protected beings and promotes ahiṃsā and responsible livelihood under dharma.