Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 55
वाक्पारुष्यादिप्रकरणम्
The Topic of Verbal Abuse and Related Offences
ग्राहकैर् गृह्यते चौरो लोप्त्रेणाथ पदेन वा पूर्वकर्मापराधी वा तथैवाशुद्धवासकः
grāhakair gṛhyate cauro loptreṇātha padena vā pūrvakarmāparādhī vā tathaivāśuddhavāsakaḥ
盗贼可由捕役擒获，或凭追踪犬，或循足迹而得；同样，先前作恶而屡犯者，以及居处或习行不净、可疑者，亦当拘捕。
Lord Agni (narrating Rajadharma material, traditionally to Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Arthashastra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Policing and criminal procedure: lawful apprehension methods (catchers, tracking dog, footprints) and profiling of repeat offenders/suspicious residents for investigation.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Apprehension of thieves: capture, tracking, and repeat-offender criteria","lookup_keywords":["चौरग्रहण","ग्राहक","लोप्त्र","पदचिह्न","पूर्वकर्मापराधी"],"quick_summary":"A thief may be seized by official captors, by tracking with a dog, or by following footprints; repeat offenders and those with suspicious/impure living patterns are also subject to seizure and inquiry."}
Concept: राजा as protector: prevention and detection of adharma (theft) through orderly procedure and evidence-based pursuit.
Application: Establish watch and capture units, maintain trained tracking dogs, document footprints/traces, keep records of repeat offenders, and apply due process in seizure.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma / Vyavahara (Governance, criminal law, and judicial procedure)
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"City guards seize a thief; a tracking dog follows scent; officers examine footprints in dust; a known repeat offender is identified near an unclean/suspicious dwelling.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural; dynamic pursuit scene with guards holding staffs, a dog sniffing the ground, clear footprint marks stylized on earth; a dim alley with a suspicious house; bold outlines and traditional ornamentation.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting; a royal security tableau—king’s emblem on guards, a dog led by handler, captured thief near stacked goods; gold highlights on uniforms and borders, dramatic but formal composition.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting; semi-diagrammatic scene showing three methods: captors, dog tracking, footprint tracking; neat labeling of ‘पद’ marks; instructional clarity with soft colors.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature; bustling bazaar with guards apprehending a thief, a hound tracking through crowd, close attention to architecture and garments; narrative sequencing within one frame."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: grāhakair = grāhakaiḥ; cauro = cauraḥ; loptreṇātha = loptreṇa+atha; pūrvakarmāparādhī = pūrva+karma+aparādhī; tathaivāśuddhavāsakaḥ = tathā+eva+aśuddha-vāsakaḥ.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 257 (criminal law and suspicious-person indicators continuing in 257.56–57)
FAQs
It gives practical investigative criteria for catching thieves—using official apprehenders, tracking by scent (dog), and tracking by footprints, along with profiling repeat offenders and suspicious/impure living patterns.
Beyond theology and ritual, the Agni Purana preserves applied statecraft: policing, evidence-gathering, and criminal identification—showing it functions as a compendium of governance (Rajadharma/Vyavahara) as well as devotion.
By emphasizing prior wrongdoing (pūrvakarma) and repeat offense, it reflects the karmic continuity of actions while also urging righteous governance: restraining adharma (theft) protects social order and supports dharma.