Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 6
Determination of Boundary Disputes and Related Matters (सीमाविवादादिनिर्णयः)
मर्यादायाः प्रभेदेषु क्षेत्रस्य हरणे तथा मर्यादायाश् च दण्ड्याः स्युरधमोत्तममध्यमाः
maryādāyāḥ prabhedeṣu kṣetrasya haraṇe tathā maryādāyāś ca daṇḍyāḥ syuradhamottamamadhyamāḥ
Trong các vụ việc làm xáo trộn hay thay đổi mốc giới, cũng như việc chiếm đoạt (lấn chiếm) ruộng đất, kẻ phạm phải bị trừng phạt tùy theo mức độ: hạ, trung hay thượng.
Lord Agni (teaching Rajadharma/nyaya to the sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Adjudicating boundary disputes and land-encroachment cases by grading the offense and assigning proportionate penalties.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Penalties for Boundary-Mark Disturbance and Field Encroachment","lookup_keywords":["maryada","kshetra-harana","simavivada","danda","adhama-madhyama-uttama"],"quick_summary":"Boundary tampering and field seizure are punishable offenses. The judge/king should grade the act (minor/medium/major) and impose a corresponding penalty."}
Concept: Nyaya through graded punishment (danda) to protect social order and property rights.
Application: Use proportionality in sentencing; distinguish negligence from deliberate fraud and large-scale harm.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma / Vyavahara (Civil & Penal Law: boundary disputes and land-rights)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A village boundary dispute: two farmers argue near boundary stones and a hedge; a royal judge with scribes assesses the offense grade and announces a fine.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style courtroom scene, earthy reds and ochres, village boundary stones (maryada), two disputants, a seated raja-judge with palm-leaf scribe, stylized trees and fields, flat decorative composition.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting of a dharmic king on a throne dispensing justice, gold-leaf highlights on crown and ornaments, boundary stones and field lines shown symbolically, attendants holding palm-leaf records.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting instructional tableau: labeled boundary markers, judge pointing to graded categories (adhama/madhyama/uttama), clean lines, soft colors, emphasis on procedure.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature of a land-court hearing, detailed field textures, boundary stones, officials with registers, expressive faces, fine architectural pavilion backdrop."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: स्युरधमोत्तममध्यमाः → स्युः + अधम-उत्तम-मध्यमाः; मर्यादायाश् च → मर्यादायाः + च (visarga sandhi).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 256 (Rajadharma/Vyavahara: land, boundaries, irrigation)
FAQs
It imparts legal-technical guidance in Rajadharma: boundary tampering (maryādā-bheda) and land encroachment (kṣetra-haraṇa) are punishable offences, and punishment must be graded by severity (low/medium/high).
Alongside theology and ritual, the Agni Purana preserves practical governance material—civil law on land-rights, boundary demarcation, and penal gradation—showing it functions as a compendium of statecraft and jurisprudence.
Protecting rightful boundaries and property supports dharma and social order; violating them is adharma that incurs both worldly punishment (daṇḍa) and negative karmic consequence for harming others’ livelihood.