Agni Purana

राजा गवाभिवाराद्यं हन्याच्चैवाततायिनः । परस्त्रियं न भाषेत प्रतिषिद्धो विशेन्न हि ।। २२७.४० अदण्ड्या स्त्री भवेद्राज्ञा वरयन्ती पतिं स्वयं। उत्तमां सेवमानः स्त्रीं जघन्यो बधमर्हति ।। २२७.

The king should kill those who attack with intent to steal cows and similar crimes; one must not speak to or enter the house of another's wife when forbidden.

भर्त्तारं लङ्‌घयेद्या तां श्वभिः सङ्घातयेत् स्थिरं । सवर्णदूषितां कुर्य्यात् पिण्डमात्रोपजीविनीं ।। २२७.

A woman who transgresses against her husband should be cast out to be devoured by dogs; one corrupted by a man of her own caste should be made to live on alms only.

ज्यायसा दूषिता नारी मुण्डनं समवाप्नुयात् । वैश्यागमे तु विप्रस्य क्षत्रियस्यान्त्यजागमे ।। २२७.

A woman corrupted by a superior should have her head shaved; if a Brahmin is corrupted by a Vaiśya, or a Kṣatriya by an outcaste,

क्षत्रियः प्रथमं वैश्यो दण्ड्यः शद्रागमे भवेत् । गुहीत्वा वेतनं वेश्या लोभादन्यत्र गच्छति ।। २२७.

A Kṣatriya is first to be punished, then a Vaiśya, for intercourse with a Śūdra; if a prostitute, after taking her fee, goes elsewhere out of greed,

वेतनन्द्विगुणं दद्याद्दण्डञ्च द्विगुणं तथा। भार्या पुत्राश्च दासाश्च शिष्यो भ्राता च सोदरः ।। २२७.

She should return double the fee and pay a double fine as well; wife, sons, slaves, student, and brother,

कृतापराधास्ताड्याः स्यू रज्वा वेणुदलेन वा । पृष्टेन मस्तके हन्याच्चौरस्याप्नोति किल्विषं ।। २२७.

If they commit an offense, they may be beaten with a rope or a thin stick; if struck on the back or head, the striker incurs the guilt of a thief.

रक्षास्वधिकृतैर्यस्तु प्रजाऽत्यर्थं विलुप्यते । तेषां सर्वस्वमादाय राजा कुर्य्यान् प्रवासनं ।। २२७.

If those appointed for protection excessively oppress the people, the king should confiscate all their property and banish them.

ये नियुक्ताः स्वकार्येषुहन्युः कार्याणि कर्मिणां । निर्घृणाः क्रूरमनसस्तान्निः स्वान् कारयेन्नृप ।। २२७.

Those who, appointed to their own duties, neglect the tasks of workers—being pitiless and cruel-minded—the king should compel them to perform their own work.

अमात्यः प्राड्‌विवाको वा यः कुर्य्यात् कार्य्यमन्यथा । तस्य सर्वस्वमादाय तं राजा विप्रवासयेत् ।। २२७.

If a minister or judge carries out his duty otherwise than prescribed, the king shall confiscate all his property and banish him.

गुरुतल्पे भयः कार्य्यः सुरापाणे सुराध्वजः । स्तेयेषु श्वपदं विद्याद्‌ ब्रह्महत्याशिरः पुमान् ।। २२७.

For approaching a teacher’s wife, there must be fear; for drinking liquor, the emblem of liquor; for theft, one should know the mark of a beast; and for killing a Brahmin, the head of a man.

शूद्रादीन् घातयेद्राजा पापान् विप्रान् प्रवासयेत् । महापातकिनां वित्तं वरुणायोपपादयेत् ।। २२७.

The king should execute sinful Śūdras and others, but banish sinful Brahmins; and the wealth of great sinners should be consigned to Varuṇa.

ग्रामेष्वपि च ये केचिच्चौराणां भक्तदायकाः । भाण्डार कोषदाश्चैव सर्वांस्तानपि घातयेत् ।। २२७.

In villages, whoever provides food to thieves, or acts as their storekeeper or treasurer—the king should execute all such persons as well.

राष्ट्रेषु राष्ट्राधिकृतान् सामन्तान् पापिनोहरेत् । सन्धि कृत्वा तु ये चौर्यं रात्रौ कुर्वन्ति कस्तराः ।। २२७.

In his realm, the king should remove corrupt officials and border chiefs; and those who, after making a pact, commit theft at night, being especially wicked.

तेषां च्छित्वा नृपो हस्तौ तीक्ष्णे शूले निवेशयेत् । तड़ागदेवतागारभेदकान् घातयेन्नृपः ।। २२७.

The king should cut off their hands and impale them on a sharp stake; and those who break into temples or shrines, he should execute.

समुत्सृजेद्राजमार्गे यस्त्वमेध्यमनापदि । स हि कार्षापणन्दण्ड्यस्तममेध्यञ्च शोधयेत् ।। २२७.

Whoever discards filth on the royal road without necessity is to be fined a kārṣāpaṇa, and that filth must be cleaned up.

प्रतिमासङ्‌क्रमभिदो दद्युः पञ्चशतानि ते । समैश्च विषमं यो वा चरतेक मूल्यतोऽपि वा ।। २२७.

Those who break images or their pedestals should pay five hundred (coins); and whoever acts fraudulently with weights or measures, or in value, likewise.

समाप्नुयान्नरः पूर्वं दमं मध्यममेव वा । द्रव्यमादाय वणिजामनर्घेणावरुन्दतां ।। २२७.

A man who first receives the due or the middle fine, taking goods from merchants without proper price, should be restrained.

राजा पृथक्‌ पृथक् कुर्य्याद्दण्डमुत्तमसाहसं । द्रव्याणां दूषको यश्च प्रतिच्छन्दकविक्रयी ।। २२७.

The king should separately impose the highest fine for the adulterator of goods and for one who sells under a false name.

मध्यमं प्राप्नुयाद्दण्डं कूटकर्त्ता तथोत्तमं । कलहापकृतं देयं दण्डश्च द्विगुणस्ततः ।। २२७.

The forger should receive the middle fine, and the counterfeiter the highest; for those who cause disputes, the penalty should be double that amount.

अभक्ष्यभक्ष्ये विप्रे वा शूद्रे वा कृष्णलो दमः । लुलाशासनकर्त्ता च कूटकृन्नाशकस्य च ।। २२७.

For eating forbidden food, whether by a Brahmin or a Śūdra, the fine is a kṛṣṇala; and for issuing false orders or destroying forged goods, likewise.

एभिश्च व्यवहर्त्तां यः स दाप्यो दममुत्तमं । विषाग्निदां पतिगुरुविप्रापत्यप्रमापिणीं ।। २२७.

Whoever acts in these ways is to be made to pay the highest fine; and so too one who gives poison, fire, or causes the death of a husband, teacher, Brahmin, or child.

विकर्णकरनासौष्ठीं कृत्वा गोभिः प्रवासयेत् । क्षेत्रवेश्मग्रामवनविदारकास्तथा नराः ।। २२७.

For cutting off ears, noses, or fingers, one should be banished with cows; and likewise those who destroy fields, houses, villages, or forests.

राजपत्न्यभिगामी च दग्धव्यास्तु कटाग्निना । ऊनं वाप्यधिकं वापि लिखेद्यो राजशासनं ।। २२७.

One who approaches the king’s wife should be burned with fire from the funeral pyre; and whoever writes the king’s order as less or more than it is.

पारजायिकचौरौ च मुञ्चतो मण्ड उत्तमः । राजयानासनारोढ्‌र्दण्ड उत्तमसाहसः ।। २२७.

For releasing a thief who is a repeat offender, the highest fine is imposed; and for mounting the king’s chariot or seat, the penalty is the highest.

यो मन्येताजितोऽस्मीति न्यायेनापि पराजितः । तमायान्तं पराजित्य६ दण्डयेद्‌ द्विगुणं दमं ।। २२७.

Whoever, though justly defeated, thinks 'I am not defeated,' and returns to dispute—he should be punished with double the fine.

आह्वानकारी बध्यः स्यादनाहूतमथाह्वयन् । दाण्डिकस्य च यो हस्तादभिमुक्तः पलायते ।। २२७.

One who calls for a duel is to be bound; likewise, one who is not summoned but calls out. Also, whoever flees after being released from the hand of the officer is to be bound.

पुष्कर उवाच यदा मन्येत नृपतिराक्रन्देन बलीयसा । पार्ष्णिग्राहोऽभिभूतो मे तदा यात्रां प्रयोजयेत् ।। २२८.

Puṣkara said: When the king believes, due to a loud outcry, that the enemy has overpowered his rear guard, then he should initiate a campaign.

पुष्टा योधा भृता भृत्याः प्रभूतञ्च बलं मम । मूलरक्षासमर्थोऽस्मि तैर्गत्वा१ शिविरे व्रजेत् ।। २२८.

My soldiers are strong, my retainers are paid, and my force is abundant; I am capable of guarding the base. With them, having gone, one should enter the camp.

शत्रोर्वा व्यसने यायात् दैवाद्यैः पीडितं परं । भूकम्पो यान्दिशं याति याञ्च केतुर्व्यदूषयत् ।। २२८.

One should advance when the enemy is in distress, or when the adversary is afflicted by fate, when an earthquake occurs, when the banner is damaged, or when the omen is unfavorable.