Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 29
Divya-pramāṇa-kathana
Explanation of Divine Proofs / Ordeals and Evidentiary Procedure
रुच्या वान्यतरः कुर्यादितरो वर्तयेच्छिरः विनापि शीर्षकात् कुर्यान्नृपद्रोहे ऽथ पातके
rucyā vānyataraḥ kuryāditaro vartayecchiraḥ vināpi śīrṣakāt kuryānnṛpadrohe 'tha pātake
随其意愿，一人可行其事，另一人则转头不视；或即便没有斩首之枕木，也应在叛逆国王以及其他重罪之案中施行。
Lord Agni (in dialogue to sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Protocol of capital punishment: role separation (one executes, another averts gaze) and expedited execution for treason/mahāpātaka cases.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Execution Protocol in Treason and Grave Sins","lookup_keywords":["nṛpadroha","śīrṣaka","vadha","daṇḍa","capital punishment"],"quick_summary":"Execution may be performed at discretion with a division of roles; for treason against the king and grave sins, execution may proceed even without the formal beheading-block."}
Weapon Type: Sword
Concept: Daṇḍa as a protector of rajadharma; exceptional crimes (treason/mahāpātaka) warrant exceptional severity.
Application: In governance ethics, reserve extreme penalties for extreme threats; ensure procedural clarity and role assignment to prevent disorder.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma (Criminal Law and Punishments)
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A guarded execution ground near the royal court: an executioner with sword prepares to strike; an assistant turns his head away; the beheading-block is absent in a treason case; officials record the sentence.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: dramatic but restrained—executioner poised with sword, assistant averting gaze, soldiers forming a boundary; earthy reds and browns, stylized expressions conveying raudra-bhāva.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: formalized royal justice scene with gold ornamentation on guards and court canopy; executioner and assistant in foreground; emphasis on authority symbols rather than gore.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: procedural depiction—two functionaries with distinct roles, judge’s आदेश gesture, minimal violence; fine detailing of weapons and attire.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: detailed darbar justice vignette; execution ground with attendants, scribe noting decree; assistant turning away; architectural backdrop, controlled palette."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: vānyataraḥ → vā + anyataraḥ; kuryāditaro → kuryāt + itaraḥ; vartayecchiraḥ → vartayet + śiraḥ; kuryānnṛpadrohe → kuryāt + nṛpa-drohe; 'tha → atha (after avagraha).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 254 (criminal law/punishments context)
FAQs
It conveys danda-nīti (penal procedure): how execution may be carried out for nṛpa-droha (treason) and other mahā-pātaka-level crimes, including procedural flexibility regarding instruments and personnel.
Beyond theology, it preserves practical statecraft—royal law, criminal categories, and punishment procedures—showing the Agni Purana’s coverage of governance alongside ritual and spiritual topics.
By treating treason and major offences as pātaka-level acts warranting severe danda, the verse frames them as heavy karma with serious consequences, reinforcing dharma through deterrence and social order.