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
凡许诺而不交付黄金者，国王当加以惩罚。又凡受取工钱而不作工者，其罚金为八 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.