Agni Purana — Raja-dharma, Shloka 5
Chapter 226 — राजधर्माः
Rājadharma: Royal Duties and Daṇḍanīti
मध्यमः पञ्च विज्ञेयः सहस्रमपि चोत्तमः चौरैर् अमूषितो यस्तु मूषितो ऽस्मीति भाषते
madhyamaḥ pañca vijñeyaḥ sahasramapi cottamaḥ caurair amūṣito yastu mūṣito 'smīti bhāṣate
Mức phạt trung bình được hiểu là năm trăm, và mức cao nhất là một nghìn. Nhưng kẻ không bị trộm cướp mà lại nói: “Ta đã bị cướp,” (cũng phải chịu hình phạt tương ứng).
Lord Agni (in instruction to Vasiṣṭha, in the Agni Purana’s rajadharma discourse)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Applying graded penalties and deterring fraudulent claims of theft in judicial proceedings.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Sāhasa fine gradations (middle 500, highest 1000) and punishment for false theft-claim","lookup_keywords":["madhyama sāhasa","uttama sāhasa","pañca-śata","sahasra","mithyā cora-mūṣita"],"quick_summary":"Fixes higher tiers of sāhasa fines (500 and 1000) and states that a person falsely claiming robbery is punishable, protecting courts from fabricated complaints."}
Concept: Satya (truthfulness) in litigation; false accusation is itself adharma and harms social trust.
Application: Judges should penalize fabricated theft reports to prevent misuse of law and harassment of innocents.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma & Vyavahara (Law, Punishments, and Judicial Procedure)
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: samanya
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A litigant points dramatically claiming robbery; the judge and scribe examine evidence; behind, thieves lurk as a contrasting vignette; a board shows fine tiers: 500 and 1000.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, split narrative: left a claimant before the judge, right shadowy thieves in stylized form, bold lines, expressive gestures, a scribe with palm-leaf records, fine tiers indicated symbolically by stacked coin heaps.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore style, judge enthroned with gold ornamentation, claimant with raised hand, coin heaps labeled 500 and 1000, rich textiles and architectural frame, gold leaf emphasizing authority and law.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, didactic court scene with clear labels for madhyama and uttama sāhasa, calm judge, attentive clerk, claimant under scrutiny, soft palette and precise detailing of ledger and seals.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, courtroom with meticulous faces and costumes, claimant presenting a complaint, officials checking witnesses, marginal note panels showing '500' and '1000' fine tiers, detailed coin rendering."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Darbari Kanada","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: सहस्रमपि → सहस्रम् अपि; चोत्तमः → च उत्तमः; चौरैर् → चौरैः; यस्तु → यः तु; मूषितो ऽस्मीति → मूषितः अस्मि इति.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 226.4 (first sāhasa fine); Agni Purana 226.6–226.7 (false statements and false testimony penalties)
FAQs
It imparts juridical grading of fines (middle and highest) and establishes liability for making a false claim of having been robbed—an applied rule of vyavahāra (legal procedure).
Alongside ritual and theology, the Agni Purana preserves practical governance material—criminal classification, monetary penalties, and evidentiary/statement-based offences—showing its coverage of statecraft and law.
False declarations are treated as adharma: they corrupt justice, harm others through deception, and accrue negative karma; truthful speech supports social order and dharmic merit.