Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 62

वाक्पारुष्यादिप्रकरणम्

The Topic of Verbal Abuse and Related Offences

Devanagari script

प्रसह्य घातिनश् चैव शूलमारोपयेन्नरान् उत्क्षेपकग्रन्थिभेदौ करसन्दंशहीनकौ

Transliteration

prasahya ghātinaś caiva śūlamāropayennarān utkṣepakagranthibhedau karasandaṃśahīnakau

Translation

凡行强暴侵害者，既以力擒获，当施以“树槊”（śūla，桩上贯刺）之刑。又规定名为“utkṣepaka”与“granthi-bheda”之刑，以及以钳夺手（夹断/剥夺双手）之罚。

Word by Word

• प्रसह्य: forcibly
• प्रसह्य: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र + सह् (धातु) → प्रसह्य (ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund), manner; ‘by force/forcibly’

• घातिनः: murderers
• घातिनः: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घातिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन; ‘killers/murderers’

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: सम्बन्ध/निबन्धन (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• शूलम्: a stake / impaling spike
• शूलम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• आरोपयेत्: should impale / should mount (on a stake)
• आरोपयेत्: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + रूप्/रोप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• नरान्: men (criminals)
• नरान्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन

• उत्क्षेपकग्रन्थिभेदौ: (the punishments) ‘utkṣepaka’ and ‘granthi-bheda’
• उत्क्षेपकग्रन्थिभेदौ: कर्ता/विधेय (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्क्षेपक + ग्रन्थि + भेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (उत्क्षेपकश्च ग्रन्थिभेदश्च), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन

• करसन्दंशहीनकौ: (the punishments) ‘hand-tongs deprivation’ etc. (karasandaṃśahīnakas)
• करसन्दंशहीनकौ: कर्ता/विधेय (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर + सन्दंश + हीनक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (करसन्दंशहीनकश्च …), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन; names of punishments

Speaker

Lord Agni (in instruction to sage Vasiṣṭha, the Agni Purana’s standard dialogue frame)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: शूलमारोपयेत् = शूलम् + आरोपयेत्; घातिनश् = घातिनः (before consonant); चैव = च + एव.

Characters & Entities

• Agni
• Danda (punishment)
• Śūla (impalement stake)

FAQs

What technical or ritual knowledge (Vidya) is imparted in this verse?

It imparts danda-vidhi (penal/judicial procedure): specific named punishments for violent offenders, including impalement (śūla) and other codified punitive acts (utkṣepaka, granthi-bheda), plus mutilation by instruments (sandaṃśa).

How does this verse contribute to the 'Encyclopedic' nature of the Agni Purana?

Beyond theology, the Agni Purana catalogs practical statecraft—criminal classification and penalties—showing it functions as a compendium of governance (rāja-dharma/danda-nīti) alongside ritual, arts, and other sciences.

What is the spiritual or karmic significance of this specific instruction?

In Purāṇic rāja-dharma, enforcing proportionate punishment is presented as the king’s dharma: it restrains adharma, protects society, and is treated as a duty that sustains order (dharma) and mitigates collective harm.