Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 12
Chapter 226 — राजधर्माः
Rājadharma: Royal Duties and Daṇḍanīti
प्रतिश्रुत्याप्रदातारं सुवर्णं दण्डयेन्नृपः भृतिं गृह्य न कुर्याद्यः कर्माष्टौ कृष्णला दमः
pratiśrutyāpradātāraṃ suvarṇaṃ daṇḍayennṛpaḥ bhṛtiṃ gṛhya na kuryādyaḥ karmāṣṭau kṛṣṇalā damaḥ
Nhà vua phải trừng phạt kẻ đã hứa mà không giao vàng. Và kẻ nhận tiền công nhưng không làm việc thì bị phạt tám kṛṣṇalā.
Lord Agni (instructing sage Vasiṣṭha in dharma and vyavahāra)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Enforcing promises in commerce and labor: penalizing non-delivery after promise (especially gold) and setting a specific wage-default fine (eight kṛṣṇalās).","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Penalty for non-delivery after promise; fine for taking wages without work (aṣṭa-kṛṣṇala)","lookup_keywords":["pratiśruti","suvarṇa","bhṛti","kṛṣṇala","daṇḍa"],"quick_summary":"A promisor who fails to deliver promised gold is punishable by the king. One who takes wages but does not perform the work is fined eight kṛṣṇalās, establishing a concrete tariff."}
Concept: Promise (pratiśruti) and wage (bhṛti) create enforceable obligations; the king’s daṇḍa safeguards transactional trust and labor discipline.
Application: For wage-default and non-delivery disputes, apply fixed fines where specified (eight kṛṣṇalās) and treat promised-commodity default (gold) as punishable breach to maintain market confidence.
Khanda Section: Rājadharma & Vyavahāra (Governance, Law, and Penalties)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A debtor promises gold but fails to deliver; separately, a laborer takes wages and idles; the king’s court imposes punishment and an eight-kṛṣṇala fine; weights/seeds used for measurement are displayed.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, two-panel narrative: (1) gold promised but withheld, (2) wage taken without work; court with king and dharma-judges; kṛṣṇala seeds/weights shown on a tray; vivid colors and clear gestures","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold leaf emphasizing suvarṇa and royal authority, ornate throne, coin/seed weights highlighted, figures in formal arrangement, inscription-like label 'aṣṭa-kṛṣṇala'","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, careful depiction of measurement (kṛṣṇala seeds) and wage payment, didactic courtroom scene, fine brushwork and subdued elegance","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed court with accountants, small tray of gold and seed-weights, laborer and employer disputing, refined textiles and architectural depth, floral margins"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Khamas","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: प्रतिश्रुत्याप्रदातारम् → प्रतिश्रुत्य + अप्रदातारम्; दण्डयेन्नृपः → दण्डयेत् + नृपः; कुर्याद्यः → कुर्यात् + यः; कर्माष्टौ → कर्म + अष्टौ (अष्टौ here used as numeral quantifier; sense: 'eight kṛṣṇalās').
Related Themes: Agni Purana 226 (wages, contracts, fines; coin/weight units)
FAQs
It imparts vyavahāra-vidyā (practical legal procedure): rules for penalizing breach of promise in payment (gold) and for defaulting on contracted work after accepting wages.
By codifying civil-law norms—contracts, wages, and standardized fines (kṛṣṇalā-based)—the text functions as a compact manual of governance alongside its ritual, theological, and technical sections.
Truthfulness in promises and fairness in labor/payment are treated as dharma; enforcing penalties protects social order (ṛta/dharma) and curbs adharma arising from deceit and exploitation.